Panel light dimmer reostat warming up

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vmoura
Posts: 25
Joined: Tue Apr 23, 2002 11:33 pm

Panel light dimmer reostat warming up

Post by vmoura »

Yesterday I found that the reostat gets very warm when the lights are set to low intensity. I can't even touch it. I think that the capacity of the lighting installed has exceeded the reostat capacity. Has anybody run through this problem? What could be done to fix it?
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N1277D
Posts: 246
Joined: Wed Apr 24, 2002 6:24 pm

Overheating Reostat

Post by N1277D »

There are several types of light bulbs that can be used in the sockets for the panel lights. If a bulb of a higher amperage is used it can overheat and fail the reostat.

I would check the bulbs to see if they are the correct type. I don't have the owners manual in front of me, but they are listed in the owners manual.
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GAHorn
Posts: 21290
Joined: Fri Apr 12, 2002 8:45 pm

Post by GAHorn »

Normal overhead instrument lighting consists of two #87 bulbs. If the rheostat (standard Ohmite unit mounted below inst. panel) is used at low intensity, it will indeed become very hot to touch. This is normal for a resistance-wound rheostats.
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