IVP wrote:
>> Those cheap bulbs tend to fail quite violently
>
> One of the halogens in our kitchen did just that. A very loud bang
> and the glass front shattered. Shards went everywhere, even some
> splinters embedded in the lino
>

The book "Lighting control-technology and applications" says in "8.3
Thyristor And Triac Dimmers, 8.3.1 Introduction" that thyristor pair
better withstand high currents caused by tungsten lamp failure.
That can be the reason to choose thyristors because a halogen lamp is
used as a heater in one of the OP apps.
--=20
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