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   alt.electronics      Electronics design, repair, worship, etc      7,706 messages   

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   Message 5,870 of 7,706   
   PeterD to Chuck   
   Re: Dimmer won't work when connected to    
   13 Oct 07 10:50:42   
   
   From: peter2@hipson.net   
      
   On Sat, 13 Oct 2007 01:02:13 GMT, "Chuck"  wrote:   
      
   >Dimmer won't work when connected to power inverter   
   >   
   >I successfully tested an 18ft long section of rope lights (Hunter brand) and   
   a 3-stage touch dimmer in my house before taking out to install it in my RV.    
   After plugging it into my 12VDC to 110VAC power inverter it just has one   
   brightness level which is    
   maximum brightness.   Once its on, I can't turn it off again without   
   unplugging it.   I tried using a standard incandescent rotary dimmer with the   
   exact same results.  Why is this happening?   
   >   
   >Why does it work properly on 110V 60Hz household current but not with the   
   power inverter?  Thanks.   
      
   Yep, it won't work with an inverter. Now you know!    
      
   Sine wave for household current, square wave from the inverter. There   
   is no slope on the square wave to get partial voltage, so no dimming.   
      
   There are 'tricks' you can do to make it work somewhat, but I won't   
   get into them, and they are much too much work to be practical   
   (basicalyl converting the square wave into a more sine wave form.)   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)   

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