Lighting
Adding value with dimmable LED lighting
John Doyle, Managing Director of Doyle & Tratt Products Ltd, British manufacturer of the Varilight brand of dimmer switches, explains why wholesalers perform an instrumental role in ensuring compatible dimming options are selected by electricians.
aesthetics and flexibility for the user. With halogen light sources, dimming remains a relatively simple add-on but when LED light sources are specified, which is now most oſten the case, careful consideration needs to be given to dimming control to avoid any performance issues and additional costs. Unaware of the challenges presented at a
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technical level, end users will expect their dimmable LED lighting to replicate the performance of incandescent lighting. However, certain characteristics of LED lighting can produce unexpected results when paired with dimmer switches not designed specifically for LED lighting. For example, unlike incandescent lighting, LED lighting may be sensitive to normal fluctuations in the supply voltage and jump unexpectedly to different light levels. It is important therefore to recommend a dimmer which has a voltage stabilisation feature to prevent voltage fluctuations from affecting the LED lighting it controls.
LED driver Many LED light sources are not dimmable and this remains the case even if an LED dimmer is used. Whether an LED light source is dimmable or not is determined by the electronics in the LED driver. This might be an external driver, similar in appearance to a transformer, or internal driver, components inside the lamp or
ore oſten than not, dimmer switches are required for a lighting scheme to deliver good
fitting itself. Without provision within these electronics, it will not be possible to dim the lights effectively with any dimmer. If an LED light source has a dimmable driver
then, for the best dimming performance, it should be sold with a dimmer that is specifically designed for LED lighting. Specialist LED dimmers are usually packed full of features designed to deliver the optimum performance from dimmable LED lighting. Customers may expect to be able to use a standard dimmer with LED lights that are described as dimmable but attention needs to be drawn to the fact that choosing a specialist LED dimmer are manifold.
Minimum load rating It might be necessary to address the many technical advantages of a well-designed LED dimmer at the point of sale but a simple reason why a standard dimmer is not suitable is its minimum load rating. On traditional dimmer switches the
recommended minimum load is likely to be 40W, 60W or even higher. Under-loading this type of dimmer is likely to cause flicker, flashing or shimmering effects, which in turn are likely to shorten the life of the LED lamp significantly. For a successful installation, using an LED dimmer is not the whole story because performance varies between brands and types of lamp and indeed between brands of dimmer. If an end user requests to dim their lights, it is relatively straightforward for you to assist their contractor in choosing a lamp or fitting which is described on the packaging as dimmable.
But how can you easily acquire the depth of
knowledge to differentiate between brands of LED and between particular lamps sold under the same brand? As a leading dimmer switch manufacturer
we are only too aware of the scale of that task. Our advice is simple, rather than opening a test laboratory in the storeroom, be sure to recommend an LED dimmer switch from a manufacturer whose product is versatile enough to deliver optimum performance from the various dimmable LED technologies in the market.
Multiple-mode dimmers offer more than
one type of dimming technology, typically leading edge and trailing-edge. Both methods are “phase cut” with leading-edge being the conventional way to dim most traditional light sources. Trailing-edge dimming is more difficult
End users will expect their dimmable LED lighting to replicate the performance of incandescent lighting. However, certain characteristics
of LED lighting can produce unexpected results when paired with dimmer switches not designed specifically for LED lighting.
28 | electrical wholesaler May 2016
www.ewnews.co.uk
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