dimmer on lightswitch = less energy used?
I replaced a butt-ugly light in house. The new light has (5) 50 watt halogen bulbs. I added a low-voltage dimmer at the sitch (as per the instructions). Also on this circuit are two other lights - each with a 75 or 100 watt bulb, my ugly-ass kitchen lights (6 florescent tubes), and my microwave.
Now, two of the florescent tubes are humming and dim, and the microwave keeps popping the GFI on its plug (note: the microwave isn't running when it does this. the only energy it is using is to light its clock)
Soooo...as I attempt to sort this all out, I have encountered a question that nobody can answer -
When I turn down the lights in my NEW light via the dimmer I just installed, am I drawing less power, or is the transformer pulling in the same amount of juice, but giving less to the lamps?
Oh, and if anyone can tell me WTF my overall problem is, I'd love to hear that too. I assume my problem is from drawing too much power through one circuit, but the breaker isn't getting thrown, so I dunno.
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