----- Original Message ----- From: "Gregory Fraser" <Gregory.Fraser@pwgsc.gc.ca> To: "List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students" <photoforum@listserver.isc.rit.edu> Sent: Friday, October 31, 2003 2:12 AM Subject: Dimming hot lights > I understand that the suggested way of adjusting the light level of hot lights would be to move the light, use a reflector or diffusion material etc. but I was wondering about just using a household dimmer. I bought some old 650 watt movie lights and I looked in the local hardware store where it seems all the dimmer switches were rated at 600 watts. > > >From my probably incorrect understanding of electricity, a 650 watt lamp at 110v will draw 5.9 amps. A 600 watt dimmer will safely allow 5.5 amps of current. Is that .4 amps the light wants to force through the dimmer going to add a lot of excitement to my shoot, just make the dimmer very warm or not have any noticeable effect? > maybe an autotransformer would get you out of a pickle Greg.. might be lartge though ;-) k
