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NEWS / LINKEDIN DISCUSSION
mondo*arc’s LinkedIn discussion group is open to all and features the latest topics in lighting design and lighting technology. Just search for ‘mondo*arc magazine’ in LinkedIn to join.
This month James Pomphrey, Director at 299 Lighting wonders... Why is it so difficult to get a driver for a dimming LED at the moment?
Todd Kenter, Lighting Sales and Design Professional • I believe that there was ridiculously poor estimating on the part of electronic ballast and driver manufacturers. There is a similiar issue with fluorescent and HID electronic ballasts.
Geoff Archenhold, CEO at InGan Research • James, it depends on what type of dimming protocols you are looking for. There are a wide number of companies that offer DMX LED drivers, more starting to offer RDM, a few with DALI and even fewer that offer mains dimmable LED drivers. What type of drivers are you looking for?
Carl Devolder, Associate at Brick in the Wall • James, most companies are dimming through diodes which results in differences of light output between different luminaires at a lower level. Next month we will offer LED PCBs with integrated dimmable drivers and a microprocessor that can be dimmed 0-10VDC or 1-10VDC. The driver is only 4x3cm and the advantage is that you can control the dim level by software during the manufacturing process. The driver will be UL approved. We are also waiting for a DALI version.
Jamie Yates, Trilux Tech Sales Support • There’s a worldwide shortage of dimming gear (both conventional & LED). DALI & DSI dimming will specifically cause you issues. This is due to component manufacturers shutting down plants during the recession and then the increase in orders and new business not being able to be fulfilled by the plants that are left. It’s quicker to shut a factory down than it is to start it up again!!! DMX & 0-10V shouldn’t prove so much of a problem as there are plenty of small driver manufacturers out there to choose from. But be aware of stepping issues you may get in the dimming curve should you end up going down the route of a 1-10V PWM dimmer with a DALI to 1-10V convertor in front of it (to get around DALI dimming inavailability).
Kevin Court, LED Engineer at Martech UK • So, where do we go from here?? With the rising demand for this type of control gear, customers needing answers, manufacturers cannot deliver, driver companies stating “THE DIMMABLE VERSION WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON”!!
Geoff Archenhold • Kevin, the shortages in LED drivers/ ballasts are due to two components. The first is the PFC/Power control ICs and the second is a shortage in capacitors. As many companies were hit two years ago with an economic downturn, the semiconductor companies didn’t invest and some mothballed fabrication plants hence a shortage. The fixture manufacturers also didn’t stock products and rely on just-in-time so most companies back-to-back orders, hence why there is a shortage. If you want mains dimmable LED drivers and static drivers then visit IST as they stock thousands of drivers for lighting fixture companies and they have been delivering dimmable drivers for well over a year to some of the biggest fixture manufacturers today! They also supply DMX drivers so check them out.
Detlef Eobaldt,
LED-consultant.de • James, as Jamie and some other gents here said, there is a general shortage of electronic components worldwide. Of course this will also influence the LED driver business. What exactly do you need? I have access to a large number of manufacturers who successfully tried to prevent this shortage. Mains dimmable & DMX drivers for HP LEDs, DMX & 0-10V for the low power range (C+), etc.
Just name it and I will make sure you get the right leads.
Elliet Hall-Jones, Business Development Director at IST Ltd • Jamie, I agree with Detlef. It all depends on what you are looking for, we at IST have a wide range of mains dimmable and DMX drivers, up to 24 channels ex-stock, some of which are UL approved. We as a company have focused on forward ordering and having a pipeline in place, and currently aren’t affected by long lead times that other companies seem to be suffering from. If we don’t have it in stock then we offer a standard 8 week lead time.
Jamie Yates • Following a few meetings with major driver and ballast suppliers last week, it would seem that we are likely to be suffering this “shortage of components” for the next 12 months. Overall the situation is likely to get worse for LED drivers than it already is. So be prepared.
Carl Devolder • 2011 will be even worse than 2010 regarding lead times for components. Some of the components have lead times of 32 weeks and this is not a joke.
Geert Buch, International Sales Director at Aldabra • This is the one of the reasons we have built dimmable electronics inside our luminaires. You can drive them all directly on a ‘standard’ 24V DC power supply and dim them on any protocol you want. Apart from availability of the dimmable drivers this solution is cheaper and easier to control.
James Pomphrey • Strangely enough the problem was with drivers for Xicato LEDs, 0-10V dim. My frustration came at a time when we were putting a project together that needed to be completed for the start of the Ryder Cup (golf) in Wales. Thankfully, Emma at Lightech came to the rescue and we managed to deliver some 200 drivers in the nick of time. Resulting in happy customer... interesting posts... thanks. james@299 lighting
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