Lighting
to achieve but has many advantages, such as silent dimming and smoother control.
Trailing-edge dimmers The majority of LED light sources perform better with trailing-edge dimmers. However, to further complicate the issues, this isn’t the whole story as some are specifically designed to be used with leading-edge dimmers. It is even possible that some lamps will prefer trailing-edge dimming up to a certain wattage but leading-edge when there are multiple lamps on a circuit. Therefore, a dimmer with multiple modes, which can switch from trailing to leading-edge dimming, can significantly improve compatibility with a wide variety of LED light sources. Varilight V-Pro dimmer switches, for example,
have three separate dimming modes and an adjustable minimum brightness setting. This approach achieves wide compatibility and delivers the best performance possible from a given LED load. In its default, “out-of-the box” mode, the V- Pro dimmer is compatible with the vast majority of dimmable LED lights on the market. For some dimmable LED loads the
performance can be improved by switching the dimmer to one of the other two modes. It is also possible to make further improvements to the performance of some LED lamps by adjusting the minimum brightness setting of the dimmer.
Tolerance
Due in the main to slight differences in the values of electronic components, an unavoidable part of the manufacturing process and known as “tolerance”, some LED lamps illuminate at a slightly lower power levels than others. If the dimmer being used does not have an adjustable minimum brightness feature then some of the lights may not illuminate at the
lowest setting. The unsatisfactory result is that when the lights are dimmed right down some will turn off. By the same token, if the dimmer is turned on at its lowest setting, some might not come on. By adjusting the minimum brightness setting of the dimmer to a level that is sufficient to illuminate all the lamps in a circuit this behaviour can be eliminated. This feature can also be used to ensure the full brightness range of a particular LED load can be exploited if the minimum brightness level of the dimmer is decreased to the lowest level that the lamps can handle and remain stable. Further, unlike dimmers for incandescent lighting or halogen, the ratings for LED dimmers often include reference to the number of lamps permitted in the circuit as well as minimum and maximum rating in watts. In addition to choosing dimmable lamps, an
important consideration when helping customers choose LED lamps for dimming is colour temperature. The colour temperature of incandescent lighting decreases when the lights are dimmed, creating a yellower “warm white” light reminiscent of the candlelight that we all associate with a cosy ambience. To replicate the warm white light of incandescent lamps choose dimmable LED lamps with colour temperatures of between 2700K and 3000K. Some LED lamps have been designed so that the colour temperature shifts to a warmer hue as they are dimmed.
LED strip There are many more LED light source options available than replacements for incandescent and halogen light bulbs and this is where LED lighting schemes really come to life. LED strip, for example, is an extremely versatile option for under-cabinet, floor level or accent lighting and requires a DC power supply. This can still be controlled as Dimmable AC/DC converters are available from brands such as Varilight to allow customers to dim LED strip with an LED dimmer.
An opportunity clearly exists to trade up to dimmable LED lighting. And, electricians will be more inclined to recommend dimmable options to their clients if guidance to assist the choice is given. In turn, the end user experience can be enhanced by choosing dimmable lamps if the dimmer supplied is equipped with the features needed to produce consistent results. It is important therefore for wholesalers to be
armed with the knowledge to offer their customers the right product using these identifiable pointers ensuring they choose the right lamps and dimmers for a truly compatible dimming solution.
It is important to recommend a dimmer with voltage stabilisation to prevent voltage fluctuations from the LED lighting that it controls.
www.varilight.co.uk/v-com
www.ewnews.co.uk
May 2016 electrical wholesaler | 29
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
