G9 capsule takes out C-BUS Wireless Dimmer Switch Doh!

I recommend two UK C-BUS Wireless switches to my brother for Hall/Stairs/Landing use.

Each switch has two 200W channel capacity. One channel has 3 x 40W G9 capsules on it and the other channel 1 x 40W bulb.

Everything has worked fine for a few months until one of the G9's blew and took out the main fuse box 6A lighting circuit but seems to have also BLOWN the Wireless unit with neither channel working.

I then thought maybe he sould have had a type-B MCB on each channel output of each switch. This is easy to do on my 8 channel dimmer unit in a DIN enclosure but on a switch designed for retro-fit use replacing an existing light switch its a bit tricky.

Just wondered if anyone had an opinion on this, should he be protecting each output with an in-line fuse, maybe in the back box if he can fit it in? I suggested he needed something like what you get on the back of car stereos, maybe a 1 Amp quick blow fuse?

Any ideas what I can suggest he does?

 

Are the dimmer units LE (Leading Edge) or TE (Trailing Edge)?

When these lamps fail they can cause a short circuit. This results in a surge of current, which cas caused the breaker to be tripped. It seems that this surge has damaged the dimmer. For these types of lamps you should be using the LE model of dimmer.

The C-Bus Wireless dimmers require a working load on channel 1 to operate, since this is where they get their power. If channel 1 is damaged then the unit won't operate.

 

Hes already sent it back to c-bus shop and they are going to replace it no problem. The tech guy there said it is always happening and depends exactly how the bulb goes, normally a short-circuit with a bright flash.

when you ask are they LE or TE are you talking about the CBUS dimmer because all the bulbs are mains 230V so no external 12V transformer.

can you please explain to me why the difference of TE or LE would make any difference to what happens in a short-cuit fault condition?

I dont know if the 3xG9 were on channel 1 or not but as he said the unit didnt work at all there is a good chance that it was channel 1 then.

 

The Leading Edge dimmers are designed for use with incandescent, halogen and iron core low voltage lighting and fan motors. The Trailing Edge dimmers are designed for use with electronic transformer low voltage lighting. You can see this information on page 16 of the Installation Instructions here:
http://www2.clipsal.com/cis/__data/page/428/Wireless Wallplates Installation Instructions2.pdf

The Leading Edge models are more robust in terms of their ability to survive short-circuit conditions.

 

This tends to happen in lamps with "base-down" orientation. Also, beware of CHEAP incandescent and halogen lamps !

These products should have an integral fuse - this protects the circuit if the filament drops down when it "blows"...

Cheap asian lamps often don't have fuses (in the lead-in wires) at all. Good quality lamps have twin fuses.

Check the lamps they are using !!