Talk:Dimmers & Switchbanks

Although not my original edit, the bit about energy efficiency was probably better before you changed it ;-)

You seem to be confusing lighting efficiency with energy efficiency. A dimmer reduces lighting efficiency, i.e. you get less light per watt, but increases energy efficiency, i.e. you reduce the overall energy consumption. That fact that the fall of in light output is not proportional to this is not relevant - especially when that is the result you are seeking to achieve.

--John Rumm 00:14, 9 August 2007 (BST)

I think you may be confusing efficiency with use. Efficiency is output over input, and dimmers heavily reduce it. IOW energy efficiency is useful energy out over total energy in. The article as it stood was wrong.

As explained, they also dont reduce energy consumption, except when the question is viewed overly narrowly. When all the real world options are considered, the dimmed option uses the most energy of all.

I attempted to both explain this while also acknowledging dimmer's use reduction in a narrow sense. If unsuccessful, clarification may be of value, but we should not throw out the key points imho. NT 08:01, 9 August 2007 (BST)