Dimmer for LED lamps

 Dimmer for LED lamps

LED lamps tightly entered the life of a simple man in the street. Now it’s hard to imagine a modern room without them, as there are many advantages of such lamps. For example, appearance, durability. In addition, they can be used fixtures that improve the light design of the room. It's about dimmers.

What it is?

In general, for the first time dimmers began to be used with incandescent lamps, but they began to receive special distribution precisely in modern times, in combination with LED lamps. As a result, modern repairs rarely do without this fixture. What does it represent?

This is a special device that allows you to adjust the brightness of the lighting.

At the dawn of the use of electricity in a residential area, dimmers saved energy. The range of use of modern dimmers is wider.

First of all, they allow you to make the light design of the room more organic and adjust it to the needs of the moment. It is so convenient to make the light brighter when you want to read a book or collect jigsaw puzzles with children and muffle it if a romantic dinner with the second half is planned.

The device itself is a complex electronic mechanism. The basis of the work is the principle of the rheostat. With it, changing the resistance of the circuit, and therefore the voltage and resistance of the current. With the help of resistors changing the intensity of the glow.

Purpose

In addition to decorating the house with light, dimmer, as in previous years, allows economical use of electricity. LED lamps and so not particularly spend it, but it is with dimmer consumption will be almost imperceptible, because if you want a muffled light, the lamps will not work at full power.

Experts say that you can save up to 35% of energy!

With the dimmer, you can program the lighting to be turned on so that it is smooth and gradual. Thanks to this feature, the light will not cut eyes if you enter the room from the darkness and turn on the light sharply.

Some people who are already using dimmers note that they really like the time light feature. Thanks to the setting of the timer, you can not worry about the fact that in the morning you can oversleep and not hear the alarm clock. Switching on the light in the bedroom will not let you sleep anymore. Especially since waking up from the light is more familiar to the human body than a sharp awakening from the scream of the alarm clock.

It is also very convenient if you want to create the appearance of the presence of the owners of the house, if, for example, they actually went on vacation or a business trip. The programmed timer will turn the power on and off, even if no one is at home.

In addition, there are models with remote control. Sometimes you so want to turn off the light without getting up from the couch! Progress does not stand still, and for those who like to fall asleep at the TV, a console has already been invented for lighting.

As a result, the dimmer will not only allow you to solve the task of the light designer in an original way, but also provide practical service to the owners of the room.

Often dimmers installed in systems such as "smart home". Often, this device is called the first step to a smart home and this is true.

A few years ago, many people could not even dream that the light would turn on with a voice signal, but now it has become a reality that everyone can afford. And once it became available, it is a sin not to use the benefits of civilization!

That is why you need to understand in detail what it is, what happens, why you need it and how to install it.

Compatible with LED lamps

Not every lamp is suitable to regulate the flow of power. When buying a lamp, it is important to pay attention to a special icon indicating that it can be connected to a dimmable device. If you do not follow this rule, the whole system can fail, and jokes with electricity, as you know, are bad.

There are many models of LED equipment that are well combined with dimmers: lamps, ribbons, individual LEDs. To find the right one for the shift, it may be useful to use a dimmer table, which you can ask in the store.

Replacing the usual brightness switch on the dimmer is not difficult, for this you need to follow the instructions exactly:

  1. Disconnect power supply throughout the room. This can be done through an electric meter.
  2. Remove the old switch button.
  3. Unscrew the screws holding the old frame of the switch.
  4. Get the switch mechanism.
  5. Unscrew the wires to which the switch was connected.
  6. As a result, two wires remain, one of which is connected to the luminaire and the other to the dimmer. Next, you should carefully study the installation diagram of the dimmer, which is contained in the instructions for each specific model.
  7. Carefully bend the wires and insert a dimmer into the hole from under the switch. The regulator needs to be fixed in the bottom plate, tighten the necessary screws, install the dimmer wheel.
  8. Responsible step, during which the installed dimmer is checked. After turning on the electricity you need to gently turn the knob and check whether the light power changes.

If no problems were found, then you can be glad that the work on replacing the switch with the dimmer was successful.In the event that there are concerns for installing a dimmer, it is better to call a specialist.

Selection of a lamp for a dimmer can also be trusted with a professional who will choose the right base and power. For example, any LED strip or other design must be connected using a voltage converter if it is connected to a 220V household network.

The LED lamp has a base, which adapts to the most common lamp holder. There are several types of base: E, MR and G. The latter is sometimes referred to as bayonet. Threaded bases are conveniently connected to the network, so standard dimmers can be used with them without problems.

It is important to remember that not all dimmers can be compatible with lamps, called LED. As a rule, for the convenience of customers, information about the possibility of connecting them to the system is applied on the product packaging. In addition, the passport, which is attached to the LED lamp, indicates whether it can be connected with a dimmer.

The symbol indicating connectivity looks like a circle on which a line with a thickening is applied.

Dimmer Classification

Of course, first of all dimmers can be divided by purpose, that is, for which lamps they are intended:

  • incandescent
  • halogen
  • fluorescent
  • LED, which is precisely referred to in this article.

Often they are divided by how to manage them. So, according to the control method, dimmers can be divided into:

  • Contact. To enable the touch dimmer, you need to make contact with the panel;
  • Rotary-push. To turn on the light, you need to press the big round button. To change the brightness, you need to turn it right or left, and turn off the electricity - either by pressing again or turning it to the minimum value;
  • Swivel. The principle is the same as in the previous ones, but to switch on it is only necessary to turn the knob, without pressing a button;
  • Keyboard. They have keys or buttons with which you can adjust the light. For on-off, there is a separate button that conventional switches have;
  • Remote The most comfortable and modern model. At its core is a remote control or wireless Wi-Fi channel. There is a minus for those who do not regularly maintain order in the house, because the console is easy to lose;
  • Acoustic. A voice command is required for activation. This is one type of remote luminaire.
  • Dual channel The dimmer has several advantages, so when you buy it is worth paying attention to it.
rotary and push
swivel
keyboards
acoustic

Another separation option is by installation method: outdoor or hidden wiring.

Of course, the hidden is safer, especially if there are children or pets in the room. If you still put the wiring in the wall fails, you can use special plastic covers for the wires.

Mounting options

For your needs, you can choose a suitable device and the method of attachment. There are only three of them. Depending on the task, you can choose the best:

  • Wall mounted. From the name it can be understood that such dimmers are mounted on the wall. They are usually located where the wall switch is mounted. It is there that is the place to control the flow of light.
  • Portable They are located directly at the lamp. The dimensions of such dimmers are small.
  • Modular. The most difficult way to mount.These dimmers must be installed in a distribution box using a DIN rail to which the RCD is attached. In addition to them, there are automatic protection switches, as well as other necessary devices.
wall mounted
remote
modular

Whatever the mounting option, you need to approach the work with special care, since working with electricity requires knowledge and experience. If the owner of the house is not confident in his competence, he should call specialists to the house, who will install it quickly and efficiently. Each mounting method is possible for different rooms. Need to find the right one.

When buying a special dimmed LED lamp, there is a savings, because you do not need to buy a special dimmer switch.

If the lamp itself does not include a dimming function, then it will need a special dimmer designed for such lamps.

They work on the principle of the so-called latitude-pole modulation and are quite expensive in cost.

Scheme

If you describe the scheme of the device, you can see that the basis of his work - the change in voltage, the feature of which iswhat is the adjustment on the leading or trailing edge of the AC sinusoid.

This is called the phase cutoff principle. When dimming by 50% occurs, the lamp spends only half of its possible power.

When adjusting on the leading edge, dimming occurs with low voltage lamps, namely, 230 V LED lamps, which are supplied with electromagnetic transformers.

If dimming occurs on the falling edge, then electronic transformers will be included.

Dimmers are rheostat or electronic type.

  • The first have a low efficiency. With their help, it is impossible to reduce energy costs, in addition, they quickly break.
  • Dimmers of the second type are based on the operation of a bi-directional thyristor and pulse-width modulation. Thanks to them, it is possible to delay the load activation signal. This allows the signal to be delayed for 9 milliseconds if the power is set to 10 percent.
rheostat
electronic

It is very important to choose the right load, which will not be less than the minimum, otherwise the device will very quickly fail,but in this case it will not be subject to replacement or repair under warranty. Power should be in the range of up to 45 W for a regular dimmer used for LED lamps.

For example, an equal power of an incandescent lamp and semiconductor 220V will be related as 1: 3, that is, the power of an incandescent lamp in the amount of one piece will correspond to two or three semiconductor lamps.

Manufacturers

Most often, buyers choose devices manufactured by Schneider Electric, Philips, Legrand. Regardless of what device you plan to buy, experts recommend checking with the seller whether it is a fake. To do this, you can ask for related documents. Often buyers are interested in products. Ecole, Feron, Uniel. An excellent choice is offered by product lines from Gauss, JazzWay, Odeon, Pulsar.

Schneider electric
Philips
Gauss
Jazzway

Different manufacturers have different models, differing in the parameters specified in the article above. Appearance depends on them, the price. Before buying, you should decide which dimmer you want to install in your room. On average, the cost of dimmers varies from 2 to 5 thousand rubles, depending on the manufacturer and functions. But you can find models that go beyond the cost.

In this question the principle is - the cheaper, the better it will not work. You need to select only quality products.

If we consider some of the most popular manufacturers in more detail, it can be noted that french brand legrand different attractive design. The manufacturer was able to choose the colors that are ideally combined with any interior, including unusual. Dimmers are very easy to install, they serve for a long time. In general, the products are of very high European quality, which is made according to GOST. In the product line there are keyboard, touch, and push-button, and rotary dimmers.

German electrical equipment manufacturer Schneider electricAs always, it comes to performing work with a high level of responsibility. Products have no marriage, long serves, rarely breaks. All dimmers from this German manufacturer can be easily mounted due to the fact that they have special feet and guides. Cope with the installation can even the one who first engaged in work with the electrician.

Makel - This is a Turkish brand. Its products are often addressed by those who want to get the highest quality products, but are not able to spend a large amount. This product is difficult to compare with the European, but the price is consistent with the quality.Experienced electricians use products from Makel only where there is no very high load, otherwise the device can quickly fail.

Any product contains the most detailed instructions on the package or inside it. If desired, each buyer can check with the consultant in the store, ask what interests him.

What to choose?

Choosing the right dimmer is a difficult task, since you need to keep a lot of parameters in mind. Quite often, for a stretch ceiling, a combination of a dimmer and a lamp with a GX53 base is used. Now on the market such a great many, you can choose the right one for any interior. These lamps are not very expensive and are great for dimmers.

We must not forget that the lamp is not intended for dimming, but connected to the dimmer, very quickly (sometimes it takes literally a second) fail.

They allow you to adjust not only the level of illumination. Often they are reworked so that the lamps change the color of the light (warm-cold or any other color), thanks to this, the dynamics in the lighting are obtained. These bulbs work at a voltage of 12 volts.Experts note that they are able to work from a standard electrical network, the parameters of which are as follows: 50 Hz, 220 V. At the same time, they do not need any special additional devices or devices.

As a rule, a standard light bulb contains such components in its structure:

  • diffuser, LEDs mounted on a special board;
  • drivers that ensure the work of the lamp as it is provided and programmed;
  • a system that allows the device to be cooled during operation; a base type G, type E - threaded (E14 and E27) or type MR, holes for ventilation.
G-type base
E type base
MR type base

Advantages and disadvantages

Like every fixture, the dimmer has both positive and negative qualities.

First of all, you can consider the advantages of dimmers.

  • Reduced energy consumption and energy costs.
  • Increases the life of LED lamps. This is possible due to the fact that the lamps turn on smoothly. In addition, the intensity of operation decreases, and this has a positive effect on the operation of the device. In the muted mode, the life of the lamp can be increased by five to ten times!
  • Thanks to the timer and auto-off mode and auto-off, they can help protect the home from invasion by unauthorized persons in order to steal property.
  • Thanks to the dimmers in the room there is a special comfort, the lighting can be chosen for certain situations.
  • Lighting becomes pleasant, and, most importantly, comfortable for the eyes.

But dimmers are not without flaws.

  • High cost, especially for models with touch controls, as well as those that are remotely controlled and have the ability to be programmed.
  • With the wrong selection of the combination of the lamp and the device, quickly fail and disable the lamp.
  • Cheap models can cause electromagnetic and radio interference, as well as damage the system of electricity in the room.
  • They are used only with a limited number of lamps, are not suitable for some halogen, fluorescent lamps.
  • Requires a certain load on the dimmer. If it is less than the minimum, the device fails, cannot be repaired or replaced under warranty in this case.

Creating a unique atmosphere in the room is not so difficult. Light design will refresh the room, modern devices allow you to adjust the light for short-term needs.Progress has already stepped forward a long time ago, so now is a great time to take advantage of its achievements!

See a review on dimmer for Ali Express LED lamps:

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Information provided for reference purposes. For construction issues, always consult a specialist.

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