Quote:
Originally posted by clavus
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?
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Here's one of the first formulas they teach you in electrical engineering: v=ir
[voltage] = [current] multiplied by [resistance]
Your voltage is constant and your dimmer switch acts as a variable resister, so as you turn the switch you increase or decrease the resistance. Therefore, you increase or decrease the current. So, in answer to your question, dimming the light does draw less current. But the bulb also burns less efficiently and the dimmer switch transfers the unused energy to heat.