Reduction in electric power usage in our house

Danny1969

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Alvin said:

AC transformers

Is there any other kind? Never heard of one that could work with DC

I think the term means to operate at AC frequency ... low 50 \ 60Hz

Generally a transformer induces current in the secondary side when a change of current is induced in the primary. You can use it with DC as long as you keep inducing a current by switching the primary on and off . 

 In a switchmode power supply the AC current is rectified to DC before being presented to the transformer and it's the switching of the DC current at a much higher frequency (40K or so rather than 50hz) that makes it so efficient ....  

spark240

crunchman said:

Does anyone know how to make my wife and daughters turn lights off?

Use a coin meter to switch them on...

ICBM

Phil_aka_Pip said:

Alvin said:

AC transformers

Is there any other kind? Never heard of one that could work with DC

That reminds me... why do manufacturers persist in calling a typical low-voltage power supply - eg for guitar pedals - an "AC adaptor"? It's a *DC* adaptor.

Except that there are a few - eg the Digitech Whammy - that actually require an *AC* power supply. I've completely lost count of the number of customers who have brought me things like this, apparently not working, because the original power supply broke and they went and bought a replacement '9V AC adaptor' - which of course is a 9V DC one, so then the pedal doesn't work. Luckily this way round doesn't harm the pedal.

grungebob

Since were talking about energy use and electricity have any of you heard the recent ECJ ruling that the winter capacity market levy the UK government was supplying coal and gas fired power stations with has had to be stopped as it was deemed state aid?

well for the date of the ECJ ruling no payments have been made ( these payments are around £2mil/station per month) no payments have been made since September but guess what? Each and everyone one of us contribute to that fund via our energy supplier, isn’t it weird we’ve not seen a reduction in our bill? Especially so since the payments are not allowed to be backdated, so if they can’t be backdated why are they still collecting?

ToneControl

Alvin said:

 @ToneControl dimmers are even worse  .  When you buy the dimmable lamps , are there any instructions or reccomendations on what dimmers to use ? More than likely no , because there are to many for them to test with .     The other problem is that they are not like the old lamps , they could only be made one way , now you have put electronics into the mix and these lamps can be made different ways which is why there are so many compatability problems .  

you're quite correct, but I have found ones with the test results
I use the 

Varilight JQP401W V-Pro 1

Megaman GU10 6 Watt LED PAR16 Dimming 2800 k

 

I have full sets of these in 3 rooms, working fine

https://www.varilight.co.uk/dimmers/dimmer-compatibility-guide.php