Ikea "Rutbo" lamp buzzing...

[NiceCupOfTea]

Just bought one of these, it has one of those dimmer units attached.

Fitted some Ikea energy saving lamps to it (the 15w ones as it takes 4 and says max 75w - assuming that is a total).

Anyway, the thing buzzes like a bh, even with the fader at max. Is this standard practice? Not sure I can live with that noise from the corner of the living room. Given the prevalence of energy saving lamps now I would have thought that light fittings would be made to work with them, but with the fader at anything other than full it flickers really badly.

So,

• is the light knackered?
• do I have the wrong lamps fitted?

If no to both, why can't I dim it and why does it buzz!?

[Simpo Two]

Maybe 'Rutbo' is Swedish for 'buzzing'?




Sounds like you have the undimmable kind of lamp; the buzz is 50Hz mains hum.

[Morningside]

Switch mode PSU / Laminations in a transformer or choke vibrating?

Edited by Morningside on Monday 4th April 18:14

[Mr E Driver]

I'm not sure if it is the same as my lamp but I had the same problem and I sorted it by removing the dimmer and replacing with a normal switch and the buzzing stopped.

[.:ian:.]

You cant use normal low energy bulbs with dimmers. You can get dimmable low energy bulbs though.

[poo at Paul's]

.:ian:. said:

You cant use normal low energy bulbs with dimmers. You can get dimmable low energy bulbs though.

This is the answer! Although they are hugely pricey, so go and buy a shed load of incandescent bulbs right now as they are being phased out and wont be available as easily after May. I recely bought about 10 years worth for my bedroom dimmable lamps!

[NiceCupOfTea]

So why the hell is Ikea selling dimming lights with non-dimmable energy saving bulbs in a box next to them?

Given that it's rated to 75w (and I have 4 15w lamps in it), does that mean I should use 60w incandescent lamps in it (equivalent light output)?

Frankly at the moment I am tempted to take it back - sitting here now with it on full whack it is too bright, and is consuming 4 times the energy the old single lamp standard lamp did.

This is the one:



Paper shade so don't want lamps getting too hot.

[.:ian:.]

The "complementary" item on ikeas website is http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/2017591... which is a 28w halogen bulb. Take the others back and moan, though I expect they`ll swap them without much hassle..