Buzzing from Light

[mpk]

Hello - I put up a new lighting fixture last night. All connections seem secure and it works fine. The switch is on a dimmer, and when the lights are dimmed, there is a steady dull "buzz" noise coming from the fixture (a brushed nickel chandelier). I took a look at it and it looks like the filaments in the lightbulbs are vibrating; the chandelier was a partial assembly. Anybody ever have this happen - I get paranoid and want to be sure I don't have to take it down and start from scratch. Thanks for any help.

[dev 65]

is there a ballast or some type of transformer in the fixture? Normally those sounds come from low voltage going to those devices. If you turn up the lights slowly from the dimmer and the noise stops I would say that this device is not compatible with a dimmer. For example if you hook a ceiling fan with a light fixture to a dimmer switch and the fan and lights are wired together, the fan motor will buzz when dimmed, and eventually burn out because of low voltage to the fan motor. I hope I haven't confused you.

[volts]

I can only guess that the filament construction in the bulbs is lacking. A filament can vibrate, i.e., expand and contract at the line rate as it heats and cools. At full voltage, there is maximal filament heating and less of a tendency for movement of the filament. That's my theory. Try some other makes.

[irregularjoe]

What kind of light?
You can't dim fluorescents. And certain low voltage light have to be dimmed with magnetic dimmers.
What do you have?

quote:Originally posted by mpk

Hello - I put up a new lighting fixture last night. All connections seem secure and it works fine. The switch is on a dimmer, and when the lights are dimmed, there is a steady dull "buzz" noise coming from the fixture (a brushed nickel chandelier). I took a look at it and it looks like the filaments in the lightbulbs are vibrating; the chandelier was a partial assembly. Anybody ever have this happen - I get paranoid and want to be sure I don't have to take it down and start from scratch. Thanks for any help.

Did you ever see OHM'S mother in LAW?...... SHOCKING!

[handyhecx]

I read this once on the net before. It's the filament in your bulb. It's recommended you get a bulb with a thicker filament.

handyhecx

[irregularjoe]

quote:Originally posted by handyhecx

I read this once on the net before. It's the filament in your bulb. It's recommended you get a bulb with a thicker filament.

handyhecx

[V]

Did you ever see OHM'S mother in LAW?...... SHOCKING!

[Spark Chaser]

Try reading about it at this link.

http://www.epanorama.net/documents/lights/lightdimmer.html#buzzing

quote:Originally posted by handyhecx

I read this once on the net before. It's the filament in your bulb. It's recommended you get a bulb with a thicker filament.

handyhecx