Adjusting the lighting in the room: dimmers for lamps

Why do you need to adjust the lighting in the room?

Imagine the situation: you are in a room where a chandelier shines very brightly. However, if you turn off the lamp, the room will become dark. The question arises - what to do to make it comfortable. It is in such situations that the light adjustment function will be useful.

The brightness of the light flux can be changed using special devices - dimmers. These convenient devices are suitable not only for primary lighting sources, but also for decorative lighting elements.

Important! By controlling the intensity of light fluxes, you can create a variety of lighting scenarios in a designer interior.

Purpose and functions

Dimmers (in English dimmer) are used in everyday life to adjust the brightness of lamps and the temperature of heating devices (soldering irons, irons, electric stoves, etc.). These devices are also called dimmers or dimmers, although this is only one of the possible areas of application. They work most effectively with incandescent lamps, allowing you to extend their service life, since if there is a dimmer in the power circuit, a minimum current is supplied to the lamp when turned on. And as you know, it is the starting throws that cause their failure.

What does a dimmer look like?

Dimmers cannot be used with transformer or switching power supplies (TVs, radios, etc.). This is due to the peculiarities of the device’s operation - at the output the signal does not look like a sinusoid, but only part of it (the tops are cut off with keys). When such power is supplied, the equipment fails.

Note! Conventional dimmers cannot be used with fluorescent lamps. Such a combination will either not work at all, or the lamp will blink. To work with these sources, there are special devices with a different circuit. In general, conventional dimmers can only control incandescent or LED lamps. When you connect energy-saving ones to them, the light begins to “blink”, but halogen ones are simply not adjustable. But you can also adjust the brightness of the light for these types of lamps - there are special dimmers, but they are more expensive.

The very first dimmers were electromechanical and could only adjust the brightness of incandescent lamps. Modern ones can provide a number of additional functions:

• turning off the lights by timer;
• turning the lighting on and off at a certain time (presence effect, used for long trips);
• acoustic control (clap or voice);
• possibility of remote control;
• various operating modes of lamps - blinking, changing light temperature, etc.;
• Possibility of integration into the “smart home” system.

The simplest dimmers still only adjust the brightness of the lighting, but this function also turns out to be very useful.

What is a lamp dimmer

The name “dimmer” comes from the English word “dim” - “to darken”. The device is used to change electrical power. Using such a switch, you can change the brightness of the light flux up or down.

Dimmers-dimmers operate using electronic circuits based on semiconductor devices - triacs or thyristors. The brightness of the light changes after voltage is applied to the control electrodes.

Advantages of dimmers:

• Soft switching on and off of lamps.
• Several light intensity modes.
• Extending lamp life.
• Possibility to simultaneously control a group of lamps.

Separately, it is worth mentioning dimmers with a timer. Such devices make it possible to configure automatic switching on and off of lamps. The light will light up gradually - no sudden flashes or obsessive flickering.

Another useful invention is a switch with a brightness control for LED lamps. It has fewer options than a full-fledged dimmer, but also does a good job of changing the light intensity.

Dimmer for adjusting light

Execution options

Dimmers, in addition to being classified by lamp type and power, differ in their design.

They come in the following types:

• wall;
• instrumentation;
• panel

The first type of regulators is also commonly called monoblock. Such dimmers can be made in several variations. One of these is the push-and-turn regulator. It is the most common. The advantage of such a dimmer is the ability to remember light level settings. The next type is keyboard. This dimmer changes the lighting level after holding the corresponding button for a while (about 3 seconds). The most expensive, but at the same time very convenient type, is the touch controller.

Wall dimmers are an excellent replacement for a standard mechanical switch. This type is easy to install and use.

The next type of regulators is instrument regulators. They are built into the installation box. They can also be mounted behind a suspended ceiling. Such a device is controlled using a special sensor.

Modular regulators are installed in power panels on special rails. Serve to adjust lighting in corridors and staircases. They can be controlled using a special button or a separate sensor.

How to choose a dimmer

Before buying dimmers for lamps, you need to understand their types. Devices are divided into two large categories: for operation in AC or DC voltage circuits. The first ones are intended for a 220V network, the second ones are for 12V electrical wiring.

There are several other classifications of devices: by design, design option, method of installation and control. Let's look at each group of dimmers in more detail.

By execution

In this classification, the appearance of the devices plays a major role. The dimmer can be:

• Rotary: the simplest device for controlling the brightness of LED lamps. To change the parameters of the light flux, you need to turn the lever in the desired direction.
• Rotary-push: has almost the same design as a rotary dimmer, but has the function of fixing actions. That is, if you press the key, the light will turn on with the same brightness level that you selected the last time you used the device.
• Push-button: such a device has two keys, one of which is used to turn the lamp on and off, the second to adjust the brightness of the light flux.
• Touch: a miniature panel that responds to touch.

Rotary dimmer to adjust the light

Rotary-push dimmer for light adjustment

Push-button dimmer for adjusting light

Touch dimmer for light adjustment

By control method

Before buying a dimmer, you need to decide how you want to switch the brightness: the old fashioned way, manually, or in more advanced ways. Three types of control:

• Mechanical: Dimmers are controlled manually. That is, you need to approach the device, press a button or put a lever in the desired position.
• Remote: You can control the dimmer using the remote control. To change lighting settings, simply press a button on the remote control. It is not necessary to be near the lamp.
• Acoustic: the device is controlled using voice commands or claps. This is the best option for organizing a “smart light” system (insert link to article about smart light) - convenient control over indoor and outdoor lighting.

Models with mechanical controls are becoming increasingly rare in interiors. They lack many useful options, so they are less in demand.

By installation type

How convenient it will be for you to use the dimmer depends on the installation method. Device placement options:

• DIN rail mounting: in this case, the device is hidden in the electrical panel. Typically, LED dimmers are installed in this way, which are easy to control from the remote control.
• External installation: the overhead device is simply fixed to the wall. To do this, you do not need to drill a hole in the surface - special fasteners are used for fixation. However, there is a minus - the dimmer will be very noticeable in the interior.
• Internal installation: the device is built into the electrical distribution box compartment. Thanks to the modernized design, the device does not attract attention and looks like a design element.

According to the operating principle

The most common and simplest dimmers are devices with leading edge cutoff. Another name is Leading Edge.

They work like this: a set voltage is applied to the lamp, which decays when the signal passes through a certain point. At this moment, the brightness of the light changes from higher to lower. The advantage of such devices is the function of adjusting electrical power from scratch. That is, you can set the desired brightness immediately after turning on the lamp.

Such devices have a significant disadvantage - they can interfere with the operation of household appliances. This occurs due to a certain load connection scheme. To make the principle of operation of dimmers with leading edge cut-off more clear, we suggest looking at the graph.

Scheme of operation of a dimmer with cutting off at the leading edge

Important! Leading Edge dimmers are suitable for LED lamps. However, you need to choose a light source that can be adjusted. The packaging must be marked accordingly.

Scheme of operation of a dimmer with cutoff on the trailing edge

Important! Falling Edge is the best dimmer for LED bulbs.

Design and principle of operation of a dimmer, compatibility with lamps

Dimmer is a variator for smoothly adjusting the brightness of the light beam of gas-discharge, LED and other types of lamps. Dimmer 220 regulates the power supplied to the load. The variator resembles a switch. A dimmer for LED lamps is often used in a smart home system.

How the variator works and how it works

For electronic switches with a dimmer, the main component is a key that has a switching function. Control in an electronic key occurs using transistor, thyristor, triac conductors. Many electrical appliances do not produce a signal in the form of a sine wave at the output. The ordered movement of particles in an electrical network has a sinusoidal shape. To change the light intensity of the lamp, you need to supply a trimmed sine wave. Clipping of the AC wave in the form of a sine wave occurs due to a bidirectional thyristor or falling edge, which reduces the voltage level. Switching of the key element occurs at a current frequency of 50 Hz 100 times per second. When setting the glow intensity, the delay of the controlled signal at the key input is set. If the delay is 0, the switch will output full voltage. If the brightness is reduced when the switch is turned on, the output sine wave will be incomplete and have a truncation of the leading or trailing edge. Based on the leading and trailing edges, depending on the cut-off front of sinusodal waves, adjustment methods are distinguished. These methods are used to control lamps:

• LED and halogen lamp with dimmer. Tuning on the falling edge occurs due to the operation of the transformer;
• small-sized fluorescent lamps and LEDs, low-voltage light bulbs are also adjusted by transformers. The rising edge tuning method is used.

These methods are used for incandescent lamps. Before connecting a dimmer to reduce noise in the circuit, it is necessary to connect a choke in series or use inductive smoothing filters. The dimmer with remote control contains components to protect the device from high temperatures and prevent short circuits.

Brief classification of variators

The rotary dimmer is used for incandescent and halogen, fluorescent and LED lamps, as well as energy-saving ones.
According to the installation method, there are dimmers that can be moved, mounted on a wall, or hung. Devices are also divided into modular and built-in. According to the control method, dimmer adjustment is:

• with a turn;
• rotary with push;
• sensory;
• with remote control;
• acoustic;
• devices controlled via Wi-Fi.

Compatibility of CVTs with lamps

The operating principle of the dimmer depends on the type of light bulbs. A dimmer for incandescent lamps changes the voltage and has a simple device. The spiral in the lamp heats up less, its glow temperature changes. If the voltage is reduced by half, only 15% less electricity is consumed. If you use a dimmer for a simple lamp as a dimmer for LEDs, the intensity of the glow does not change. These lamps are equipped with drivers, so no changes occur. The result of joint use is a flashing light without changing brightness. When purchasing dimmers, you need to choose the right lamps with which they will be used. If all types of lamps are used, then you need to choose “smart” variators. Such smart devices are large and cannot be used everywhere. CVTs for incandescent lamps can be applied to halogen lamps and some LEDs. The packaging states that these are dimmable LEDs. Therefore, they are combined with conventional dimmers with a special driver without compensation for changing voltage. Many LED lamps use a special variator. It is compatible with LED strips. For low-voltage strips, a special dimmer for LED strips is used, which is connected together with the power supply. Before connecting the variator, check the load on the connected line.

Which light bulbs are suitable for a dimmer?

Not all lamps are adapted to use dimmers. The first thing you need to do if you want to implement the dimming function is to look at the information on the packaging. There you can find the inscription “dimmable” or an image of the brightness scale. If you find such symbols, then the selected lamp is suitable.

The following types of lamps are dimmable:

• Incandescent lamps.
• Energy saving.
• LED.
• Some types of fluorescent.

Dimmers with phase cut-off mode are suitable for incandescent lamps and LED lamps. You can use any type of device: rotary, turn-push or touch.

Adjusting the brightness of fluorescent lamps is most often done using dimmers integrated into the lamps. When choosing a dimmer for energy-saving light bulbs, it is better to be guided by information from the manufacturer. You can try a universal dimmer, but it is not a fact that it will work in tandem with the selected light source.

Different types of lamps with dimming function

Compatibility of LED lamps with dimmers

There are no universal regulators; for each type of lighting source, a specific type of dimmer is selected.

Diode lighting sources can be adjustable or unregulated. Light source manufacturers may produce products that function with a specific type of dimmer. To determine compatibility, you can use the tables available from sellers.

It is necessary to select regulators taking into account the technical parameters of the light bulbs:

1. If the light source is unregulated, then installing a lamp with a dimmer is not allowed. The result may be poor quality work and breakdown of the regulator itself. Such situations do not apply to warranty service.
2. Adjustable light sources can work with standard dimmers operating as a phase cutoff. It must be taken into account that the level of dimming of the light will be influenced by the number of diode elements installed on the switch. Most dimmers require a minimum load level of around 20-45 W to operate properly. To achieve this level of power, you will need one incandescent light bulb. But for installation in a 220 volt network you will need 2-3 diode lamps.
3. If one diode light source will be used, it is recommended to give preference to a low voltage dimmer. Such a device is used to change the parameter of low-voltage LED light that has a magnetic transformer device.

Changing color temperature using a light dimmer

When choosing light bulbs, you need to pay attention to the color temperature, which is measured in Kelvin (K). Usually the manufacturer indicates this parameter on the packaging, so it will be easy to navigate.

Depending on the characteristics of the lamp, the glow can be warm, neutral or cold. You can choose a comfortable shade for each room. For example, a neutral glow is preferable for the living room, warm for the bedroom, and cold for the kitchen.

An important fact is that the selected color temperature characteristics are relevant when the lamp is turned on at full power. When dimming, the indicators change significantly. However, the situation does not apply to LED light sources - the dimmer will have virtually no effect on the color of their glow.

Light color temperature spectrum

Is it possible to save energy with lighting dimmers?

Manufacturers of dimmers claim the important role of devices in reducing energy costs. Some claim that the figures will decrease by 40-70% depending on the type of lamp. Let's figure out whether it is possible to reduce the brightness of the lighting using regulators and enjoy your electricity bills.

Let's take an example with an incandescent lamp. Let's say you reduce the brightness of the lighting by 50%, confident that now the devices consume 2 times less energy. However, there is a nuance - when dimming, the current indicator practically does not change. But this is the main saving factor.

Let's go back to the example. If you reduce the brightness to 50%, then the lamp will actually operate at 70-80% of the original power. The result is half the light and very little benefit. Therefore, we conclude that the main advantage of even the most powerful dimmer is not savings.

Rating of the best dimmers

Schneider Electric SEDNA SDN2200521

Rating: 4.9

Experts saw the optimal price-quality ratio in the Schneider Electric SEDNA SDN2200521 dimmer. The French development is produced in different countries of the world (Hungary, China, Spain), thanks to which it is possible to offer consumers an attractive price. The rotary-push type dimmer is intended for use in a household electrical network (220 V, 60-500 W). Turning the lighting on and off occurs by pressing the handle. The dimmer is easy to install, it can replace a regular switch, thanks to the quick-release terminals, the wire is easily attached to the regulator, the bare ends are isolated from each other with a special separator. Experts gave the dimmer first place in our rating.

Users have no comments regarding the price, quality and functionality of the switch.

Advantages

• high-quality assembly;
• affordable price;
• two-channel design;
• quick-release terminals.

Flaws

• not detected.

Werkel WL01-DM600-LED/ Dimmer with backlight (white)

Rating: 4.8

The Werkel WL01-DM600-LED dimmer attracted the attention of experts with its practicality and stylish design. The Swedish-Chinese device is designed to adjust the illumination of incandescent and halogen lamps. The operating mode of the device can be easily controlled by the glow intensity of the contour LED backlight. The manufacturer used durable polycarbonate to create the case, which is resistant to mechanical stress. The modern appearance of the dimmer makes it universal; it will harmoniously fit into any interior. For the elegance and efficiency of SMD LEDs, the model becomes the silver medalist in our rating.

Domestic users praise the dimmer for its practicality, effective lighting and affordable price.

Advantages

• durable body;
• beautiful appearance;
• reasonable price;
• easy operation.

Flaws

• not detected.

Which dimmer is suitable for LED lamps

To select a dimmer for LED lamps, you need to decide on the lighting sources. For 220 V LED bulbs, phase-pulse dimmers with trailing edge cut-off are suitable. If you plan to organize decorative lighting using LED strip, give preference to special dimmers for low-voltage lamps.

Advice! If possible, it is better to first purchase a dimmer and then lamps. This will make it easier to create the perfect pair of devices.

If it turns out that the purchased LED lamps do not have a dimming function, a special PWM dimmer will come in handy. With the help of such a device, the brightness is adjusted by the width of the supplied pulse. The device turns on and off voltage after a certain period of time, causing the lamps to burn much dimmer.

The main disadvantage of using PWM light controllers is flicker. It is not always noticeable to the eye, but it creates some discomfort when staying indoors for a long time. Therefore, you should not constantly practice this method of dimming.

Dimmer for LED lamps

Operating principle of the dimmer

Alternating current flowing in an electrical network is represented in graphical expression as a sinusoid. To change the brightness of the light bulb, this sinusoid must be trimmed by cutting off the back or front of the wave. This operation is performed by thyristors, which contain a dimmer circuit. They reduce the voltage supplied to the lamp, as a result, its power and brightness decrease.

The following circuit is used to operate the dimmer:

• An alternating voltage of 220 V is supplied from the network to the control device. When a positive half-cycle occurs in a sine wave, electric current begins to flow through one of the diodes and resistors, simultaneously charging the capacitor.
• After the voltage value reaches a level sufficient to break through the dynistor, further current flow will occur through this dynistor and the control electrode located in the triac.
• As a result of the passage of current, the triac opens, and the lamps become connected to the circuit and begin to glow. When the sine wave reaches zero, the triac will be closed. A dimmer for incandescent lamps works on this principle.
• Next, the sinusoid enters a negative half-cycle, and the passage of current through all elements is repeated in the same way as in the positive half-cycle.
• The opening moment of the triac is important. This indicator is directly proportional to the active resistance present in the circuit. The changing resistance has a direct impact on the opening time of the triac in each half-cycle. Due to this, there will be a smooth change in power consumption, glow and brightness of the light bulb.

When solving the problem of how to make a dimmer with your own hands, you should take into account that during the operation of the devices, generation of electromagnetic interference is observed. To reduce their negative effect, the dimmer circuit is supplemented with a choke or an inductive-capacitive filter.

How to connect a dimmer for an LED lamp

The connection diagram depends on the type of dimmer. Let's consider the algorithm for a rotary or push-button device and a dimmer with a switch.

The installation algorithm is simple, so you can do it without special skills. Before connecting the dimmer, carefully read the instructions. The diagram will help you understand what the connectors on the dimmer housing are for.

How to proceed:

1. Turn off the electricity, determine the phase line using the indicator.
2. Empty the socket box.
3. Loosen the clamping screws on the dimmer, align the electrical circuit contacts with the connectors, and tighten the bolts.
4. Insert the device into the socket box and secure it with screws.
5. Install the protective frame and keys as shown in the instructions.
6. Turn on the electricity and check the operation of the device.

Using a similar principle, you can install a switch with a brightness control for LED lamps. Installation is no different from usual - the main thing is to pass the phase wire through the device.

LED lights with dimming function

There are LED lamps on sale with a built-in dimmer. Integrated devices convert alternating current into direct current, pass it through diodes and maintain a given voltage.

Types of LED light sources with dimmer:

• Chandeliers.
• Sconce.
• Desk lamp.
• Floor lamps.
• Built-in lights.

The brightness level is controlled using the remote control. If your home has a smart light system, you can give commands by voice.

Externally, LED lamps with built-in dimmers are no different from conventional ones. But they are much more convenient and practical. You don't have to install the regulators yourself - to control the brightness of the lighting, just place the lamps correctly.

Table lamps with built-in dimmer

Spectacular chandelier with built-in dimmer

Idea! If you want to create spectacular romantic lighting from time to time, you can choose models with a dimmer and colored lighting. Using the remote control it is easy to change not only the brightness level, but also the shades of the glow.

Features of the operation of a dimmable LED lamp and its differences from a regular one

Let's return to the problem of adjusting the brightness of a conventional LED lamp. Why is this happening? The fact is that a semiconductor device, which is an LED, requires a constant supply voltage to operate, while in a lighting network it requires an alternating voltage. In addition, the current passing through the diode must be of a strictly specified value. Otherwise, the device will malfunction.

A dimmer built into an LED light bulb or luminaire solves these problems. It converts alternating voltage into direct voltage and reduces it to the required value. Additionally, it sets the required current through the diode and maintains it at a given level - stabilizes it.

What happens when you try to adjust the brightness of such a light bulb with a dimmer? You turn the knob and the effective voltage across the load changes. But the driver of a 220V LED lamp contains clear instructions - to keep the voltage and current at a given level. He does his job while he can. You twist - nothing changes. But if the input voltage is too low, the device gives up: it turns off the diodes (branded products) or begins to behave unpredictably (budget version). This is why an ordinary LED lamp, switched on via a dimmer, behaves, to put it mildly, inadequately: it simply does not understand what is happening.

The designers solved the problem of dimming LED lamps by changing the driver circuit. Now he monitors the voltage supplied to the light bulb. If a change is detected, it automatically changes the current through the LED. Less voltage means less current. More voltage means more current, but only if it does not exceed the maximum permissible. As a result, brightness adjustment became possible, but the protection of the diodes from overload was preserved. Such modified lighting devices were called dimmable lamps.

So, LED light bulbs, which are designed with a dimming mode, can be used with dimmers. But with which ones? Dimmers for alternating current, operating on the principle of half-wave cutting, come in two types.

1. Leading edge cut.
2. Trailing edge cut.

What does this mean? The first type supplies only the remainder of the AC half-wave to the load, cutting off its front part. The second one supplies half a wave from the very beginning, but at the right moment cuts off the rest. It looks something like this:

The former are more widespread due to the simplicity of the circuit design and lower price. The latter are a little more expensive, but create less interference that can interfere with the operation of audio equipment. What dimmer models can dimmable light bulbs work with? With both, but the second option (cutting the trailing edge) is preferable, since the voltage on the illuminator increases gradually, and not abruptly. This mode is more “understandable” to dimmable light bulb drivers.

If you already have a leading edge cutoff dimmer installed, but you decide to replace incandescent light bulbs with diode ones, then feel free to change them. Everything will work perfectly, but provided that the LED lamps are dimmable and of high quality.

How to distinguish a dimmable light bulb from a regular one?

Dimmable lamps that are produced today are no different in appearance from ordinary ones. All the differences, as you understand, are located internally, in the power driver circuit. To find out what type of device you are holding in your hands, you must carefully study the packaging or accompanying documentation, if any. On the packaging of a dimmable light bulb there must be an appropriate inscription “dimmable”, “dimmable” or something similar. Often, instead of an inscription, icons depicting a rotary dimmer knob are used.

Adjustable LED lights

Let's leave light bulbs for a moment and talk about LED lamps, which are no less popular. How are things going with the ability to adjust the brightness? There are many more options here than with LED bulbs. Depending on the task at hand, you can choose one of the following:

1. Lamp with built-in dimmable driver.
2. A lamp with an external dimmable driver (usually spot lighting devices).
3. A lamp with a dimmer built into the driver - you don’t even need to buy a separate dimmer.
4. Dimmable driver for LED luminaires.