Why aren't $35 LED dimmer switches fused?
I have a LUTRON LED Light switch dimmer. These days, there is no end to corrupt corporate money-making activities, which continue to create a vast amount of unnecessary E-WASTE!
Presently, there are no regulations about it either. Most of the electronic devices we buy today are designed purposefully to not be 'backwards compatible' with perfectly-good older electronics.
My own recent experience, was with expensive 3-WAY DIMMER SWITCHES ($35). They have flooded the market and are specifically designed to dim LED lights.
Though, they are manufactured without a basic protective fuse! One wrong wire reversal; when installing, and they instantly become glorified paperweights!
Conveniently, their color-coded wiring has also changed, leading to possible confusion when installing Lutron's 3-way LED dimmer switch.
So I called LUTRON, the manufacturer about this, and their reply is that no company is presently making dimmer switches with protective fuses. If I want to file a complaint, they refer me to an email.
I wonder to what extent this hidden economy of planned obsolescence is? Is it in the millions of dollars profit each year, just because a simple fail-safe fuse was left out of an LED dimmer switch?
Presently, the consumer has no other recourse but to go to the hardware store and buy a new one for another $35, or go without lights!
It is interesting that a $5 string of CHRISTMAS LIGHTS comes with fail-safe fuses built in (photo below). So how come a $35 DIMMER SWITCH does not? Hmmm...
Questa è una buona domanda?
Most likely because it is not required by regulation. No manufacturer will add anything to it if it is not required. Have you considered to may be create your own "fuse" to add to the switch/circuit? I would imagine that in case the switch gets reversed polarity or short circuit, that there is a resistor or equivalent in the switch that fails. Do you have one that has failed? Any chance you can take it apart and take a look at the circuitry? Do you have a model number? Lets take one apart and check if we can help more consumers to protect their hard earned money:-)Post some images if you can.
da oldturkey03
(PART 1 of 2) Thanks for the interest. This is what I've collected so far to explain this dilemma that most people, even experienced electricians, can have with installing these sensitive, fragile and quite expensive switches.
Normally you can buy a 3 way toggle switch for about $2.50.
Though, the 3 way DIMMER version jumps in price to $19.50.
But then, to 3 way-dim LED lights, you need to get the $35 switch.
Here is the schematic. The top right represents what you get for instructions in the package. The bottom right has been colorized for clarity. See the difference! http://imageshack.us/a/img542/7271/akeo....
(cont.)
da Sage
(PART 2 of 2) Here is the photo of the color wiring off of the back of the LUTRON switch. No more traditional white wire or labeling which one is 'common' on the switch, as with older 3 way switches.
The colorizing of the instructions makes it a lot easier to wade through this confusing wire color change. For, if it gets hooked up backwards...POP!...instant paper weight!
No internal fuse. I've gone through THREE before I realized that I had the red and the red/white striped wire backwards.
Once people realize the color coding change, and what wire now goes to what other color wire, then there is no problem. Though, why was it changed from the tradition color coded wiring in the first place?
Lutron just needs to make the instructions color coded, so that people will have a fair shake at hooking it all up correctly. http://d2vv81yn11nqlu.cloudfront.net/cat...
da Sage