Do I Need To Reduce The Power To My 20w Xenon Lamps?
Posted by China Sourcing CommentatorMar 1
I have 20W xenon puck lights powered by a 12volt 60W transformer. The system is set up to power 3 lamps, but in my application i am only using 2. some of the lamps and housing have overheated and failed. The heat has cracked the crome on the plastic covers. Do i need to reduce the power and if so how would I do that.
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You can only reduce the power in this instance by installing lower wattage lamps, though I’m not sure there are any on the market. Many of the electronic transfomers sold with the three-light kits won’t operate if the total connected load is less than 20W, so if you were to find such lamps, the transformer would shut down if only one lamp were operational. (I am assuming an electronic transformer because they are very common today – a small, light-weight plastic box that connects from the 120V AC to the lights)
They also operate at frequencies much higher than 60Hz, which makes electrical measurements with standard meters impossible – so diagnosing a potential problem isn’t an option. One possibility is to install a dimmer designed for electronic (not magnetic) low-voltage lights on the 120V feed, and operate at reduced light output.
Given the variety of badly designed and cheaply manufactured products on the market, I wouldn’t be surprised if the plastic is not rated for the temperature of the lamps. For all the trouble of a solution, you may be better off replacing with a system from a major manufacturer.
10W lamps.