Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Fredric]

I have a few of the samller screw-in FL
bulbs.  Given my trouble with heat and
melting, I thought I'd try one in a Socket
Rocket.

My first test was with the IR controller, a
good quality compact CF bulb, and a Socket
Rocket.  I found no issues.  It functioned
properly, and did not melt over 10 hours.

Questions:
1)  With this in mind, why are we not to use
that type of bulb?  Is the only "danger" the
possibility of noise in the power line
preventing communications?

2) Is there a safety issue (melting,
electrical fire, ect) with the compact FL
bulbs used in Socket rockets?


Thanks for the help.

[Brian H]

The small triac in the unit that does the
dimming [even at 100% on] modifies the AC
waveform. Many CFLs don't like that and if
you accidently dim it it can be damaged or
the module [Socket Rocket in this case] can
be damaged by a CFL. Triac blows is most
common problem. Now I have read that SOME
brands of CFLs are not too picky and have
been used by folks here. The wall switches
that steal power through the light [two
wires no neutral] can be a real problem if
the light is a CFL or a Low Voltage type
light.

[Fredric]

Thanks for the info.

First off, there appears to be no real
safety issue.  If the triac blows, it's open
and won't continue to work.  This is the
same issue that can happen when a bulb is
blown.

I'm going for it, then.  I'm making a
cylinder that will fit over my R20 trac
light cans that extend it three inches.
This will allow a CFL lamp AND the Socket
Rocket.

At this point, it's the most viable option I
have.  It's less heat, less KWH per bulb,
and only an extra 15 minutes and 1$ added
per can in time and materials.

The only issue that may give me trouble is
how the Socket Rocket handles dim commands.
It's not a dimmer.  I'm hoping it just
ignores them.

[Brian H]

Since it does not do bright and dim. The
most that can happen is the triac shorts
[what always happened to me] and the light
stays on or opens and it never turns on.