Homebrew PCBs

In a message dated 9/27/2004 12:47:41 AM Central Standard Time,  
cvrcsoaring@... writes:

Use a  Lamp Dimmer or a small autotransformer to turn down the power to your  
Iron.  They will last along time and you can adjust the heat. Works  great!!!




Larry:  You suggest two methods here, the effects on the life of a  
heating-element or light-bulb completely different!  If the "Lamp Dimmer"  you mean is 
the triac-duty-cycle control kind you buy at Home Depot, the  "chopping" those 
cause make a lamp-filament or heating-element vibrate, often  even AUDIBLY, 
and this will NOTICEABLY shorten the useful life!  My  front-door light is left 
on during dark hours, and the bulb goes out three or  four times per year.  
Once when the dimmer failed, I temporarily installed  a plain switch, and the 
bulb lasted more than a year.  Of course, it was a  pain to remember to switch 
it off during daylight hours, so I eventually fixed  the photo-switch/dimmer, 
and same thing, again, very, very soon after "working  again".  Moral:  
Chopped 60 Hz. is TERMINAL to lights and  heating-elements!   Though initially more 
expensive, an  autotransformer (Variac) would EXTEND the life of either, of 
course!   JRR


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