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🔌General Home Automation => Automating Your House => Topic started by: lingtrin on September 06, 2006, 01:37:28 PM

Title: Fluorecent light
Post by: lingtrin on September 06, 2006, 01:37:28 PM

What can I use to control a fluorecent light? not compact, can I use an apliance module?

Title: Re: Fluorecent light
Post by: steven r on September 06, 2006, 03:36:51 PM

Several options... In a nut shell, you do not want a switch that dims or one with local control.
You might want to search this forum for help on that question. There has been so much discussion on the topic so far that it would be hard to summarize it all in a single reply.

Title: Re: Fluorecent light
Post by: Brian H on September 06, 2006, 04:16:57 PM

They make wall switches with a mechanical switch in it. The Appliance Module will also. X10Pro even makes a module that connects inside the lights fixture.

Title: Re: Fluorecent light
Post by: jrcpvaz on September 18, 2006, 02:19:45 PM

I bought the AM466 appliance module with the understanding that it would work with flourescent lights. The light flickers when turned off until the lamp cools down (no matter how long the lamp has been on). I understand that this can be 'fixed' by cutting the diode in the module that provides the feedback for local control.

I am currently using the LM465 lamp module to control 40W flourescent lamps in two different locations in my house. One lamp is mounted on the back of my 61" JVC rear projection TV, and that lamp works perfectly (no flicker when turned off, and I didn't modify the module, and I don't understand why it doesn't flicker - I have tested this lamp with both of my lamp modules and even swapped the lamps). The other lamp is mounted on the back of my 32" Toshiba TV (standard tube type). That lamp flickers a very long time after being turned off, and I suspect it is because the TV provides additional heat to keep the lamp triggering.

The AM466 appliance module controls a third flourescent lamp in another room. That lamp flickers when turned off no matter which module I use. It's not the lamp, because I have switched around all lamps in all rooms and only the lamp behind the JVC TV does not flicker - no matter which module is used there. Maybe it's because this module is plugged into a filtered outlet of a Trip-Lite UPS.

Title: Re: Fluorecent light
Post by: dave w on September 18, 2006, 02:54:04 PM

Yes. I use appliance module for standard ceiling fixtures with 4 foot "rapid start" tubes. No flicker but they are old inductive ballast. Solid state ballast probably will flicker. 

Title: Re: Fluorecent light
Post by: Brian H on September 18, 2006, 04:34:35 PM

The local control sensing current from both the Lamp and Appliance modules can cause some Fluorescent lamps to flicker. Also Triac dimming types should not be used with that type lamp; unless the lamp is rated to dim.

Title: Re: Fluorecent light
Post by: jrcpvaz on September 25, 2006, 08:50:04 PM

Thanks for the info. Removing the diode on the AM466 did the trick for the flickering as well as a new problem that cropped up (the module would turn the light back on right after turning it off). But removing the diode on the AM465 did not stop the flickering. I'll check the other groups.

Title: Re: Fluorecent light
Post by: Brian H on September 26, 2006, 07:13:35 AM

Cut the small jumper that is also shown in the mod posts.