What you need to know when selecting dimmers for LED lamps. Dimmable LED lamp e14. Dimmer Features

A dimmer is a small device designed to smoothly adjust the brightness of one or more lamps. Most often it is a control knob, by rotating which we can change the light level. The adjustment process is called dimming. You can often find lamps, floor lamps and chandeliers with a built-in dimmer. It can also be purchased separately from radio engineering stores, it is not expensive, but it allows you to create more comfortable conditions for lighting residential and non-residential premises, because bright lighting is not always needed. You can buy a dimmer in our store.

It is important that not all lamps are dimmable. For example, you can use a dimmer with absolutely all incandescent and halogen lamps, but fluorescent (often called “energy-saving”) and LED lamps are not always dimmable. That is why, if you purchase an LED lamp and want it to work in a lamp with a dimmer, then you need to pay attention to this characteristic in the description of the lamp. When describing lamps in our product catalog, this item is called “dimmable” and if “yes” is indicated in this item of the description, then the lamp is dimmable and it suits you.

More about the dimmer

The term "dimmer" comes from the English word "dim" - to dim. In the simplest case, it can be a variable resistor (rheostat). Recently, small-sized electronic dimmers have become most widespread, where a semiconductor triac or transistor switch is used as a power element.

The simplest and most common dimmers in household appliances have only one function - smooth adjustment of illumination. However, there are much more modern and “advanced” dimmers that are capable of performing other interesting and useful functions that increase comfort and quality of life in general:

• automatic switching on and off of the lamp using a timer or other electronic control program;
• imitation of presence;
• Various dimming and flashing modes;
• remote control of lighting: via infrared channel, radio channel, acoustic (clap, noise with a given level) or with voice control.

Dimming can be carried out automatically, for example, according to the level of illumination, using a light sensor, to maintain a given level of illumination in the room. Dimming can help save energy consumption for lighting, since an automatic dimer working in tandem with a lamp always shines exactly as much as needed without wasting extra energy, for example during the day, in cloudy weather or when the room is unevenly illuminated by street light, you can even out the illumination around the room with light sensors and maintain the desired level using the dimming function.

Auto dimming can also be used as a warning function when lighting is about to turn off or when lighting is turned on to avoid glare.

Our company, in addition to selling LED lamps and fixtures, is engaged in the development, production and implementation of lighting control systems. If you have an idea on how to make the lighting in your apartment, house or office more controllable (more difficult than turning it on and off), then we will be happy to help you. You can read more about our services on our separate website on lighting control systems.

Articles about LED lighting

This article is for those who have asked a similar question for the first time and do not have a technical education. LED lighting is the lighting of something using relatively new light sources - LEDs. An LED is an industrially created crystal that, when connected to electricity, begins to emit light. To be fair, LED cannot be called a new light source, because... it was invented several decades ago, but it began to be actively developed and used in all spheres of our lives only at the beginning of 2000, thanks to new discoveries in the technological field and a significant reduction in production costs.

Modern technologies do not stand still and scientific and technological progress does not ignore such an area of ​​our lives as lighting. Development is taking place both in the direction of increasing lighting technical characteristics and in the direction of the emergence of additional related technological devices that increase the usefulness of lamps and lighting systems in general. We are talking about numerous varieties of LED lights with built-in sensors.

We decided to make a review in which the most interesting reviews about LED lamps will be collected. We collected these reviews both from our customers (and continue to collect) and from the Internet - from various forums, blogs, thematic portals and other resources. Having received a large amount of data, we systematized it, anonymized it, and we got a certain set of interesting opinions and advice from real people who use LED lamps at home, in the country, in the office, etc.

Customers of our online store often ask questions - which LED lamps are the best, from which companies? Why exactly are they better? Can you trust the characteristics of the lamps indicated on the packaging? Is it possible to buy LED lamps made in China? Can LED lamps be used in children's rooms? These are just some of the questions that buyers ask when choosing the best option for themselves. Moreover, such questions arise when the buyer already knows what type of lamps is needed and with what characteristics. In this article we will try to answer all these questions and avoid new puzzles for the consumer :-)

An LED is a semiconductor device that transforms electric current into light radiation. LED has a generally accepted abbreviation - LED (light-emitting diode), which literally translated into Russian means “light-emitting diode”. The LED consists of a semiconductor crystal (chip) on a substrate, a housing with contact leads and an optical system. The light emission directly comes from this crystal, and the color of the visible radiation depends on its material and various additives. As a rule, there is one crystal in the LED housing, but if it is necessary to increase the power of the LED or to emit different colors, several crystals can be installed.

This is, of course, the most important issue, since the world today is on the threshold of a new era in lighting technology and we need to be sure that LED lighting is not harmful to health. To date (2014), this issue cannot be considered thoroughly studied, since the period of introduction of LED lighting into human life is still quite short and the necessary amount of statistical data for analysis has not yet been accumulated. However, at the moment there is a huge amount of facts and opinions of professionals in this field, indicating the absence of any harm from LED lighting.

This article is for those who do not understand light bulbs, the types of their bases and electricity in general, but already understand that using LED lamps is much more economically profitable than incandescent lamps and even than fluorescent lamps (they are often called “energy saving”). Selecting the right LED lamps is very simple and we will help you make the right choice by following the instructions below. Or you can call us right away and we will be happy to help you with your choice.

In this article we will talk about the benefits of using LED lamps compared to fluorescent (often called "energy saving"), halogen and incandescent lamps. In the second part we will provide an economic calculation of the payback when replacing lamps with LED ones. The economic efficiency of LED lamps is so obvious that you do not need any special knowledge to draw your own conclusions.

One of the challenges that is often encountered during deep renovation or construction of residential and office premises is the level of sufficient lighting. In a situation where ordinary incandescent lamps are used as light sources, from experience you can roughly determine the required number and power of light bulbs, but if you have an idea to make your home more modern and comfortable, and at the same time regularly save quite significant amounts on lighting, then It makes sense to take a closer look at LED lighting. So, how many and what kind of LED lamps do you need to install to make the room comfortable?

In one of our articles we talked about what an LED is and how it developed. Now we want to dwell in more detail on the current industry leaders - those who produce LEDs and LED lamps. This is not the same thing, since lamp manufacturers do not always make LEDs and, conversely, LED manufacturers do not always mass produce lamps based on them. According to official data from IMS Research, as of February 2013, LED production is concentrated in China (more than 50%), then Taiwan (about 20%), South Korea (about 10%), Japan, USA, Europe and other regions (total 20%) .

This article is a practical guide for those who are planning to make major renovations in an apartment or house and are thinking about how to make the lighting of their future home comfortable, cozy, unique, easy to maintain, but at the same time economical and environmentally friendly. Today, indeed, there is something to think about, since LED lighting is becoming very inexpensive. The choice of power, size and external design of light sources is very rich and you don’t have to limit your imagination. Where to start? How to approach the task correctly? To do this, you need to understand what exactly you want to do, and then find the most effective solutions from both a practical and economic point of view. It is not as difficult as it seems and we will be happy to help you with this.

In our online store you can purchase LED lamps and LED luminaires, choosing them to suit the task of illuminating any object. But our activities are limited not only to sales - our team also includes highly experienced engineers in the field of design, production, installation and further operation of lighting control systems. Our partners are many engineering and design companies, together with whom we can implement projects for lighting systems for objects of any scale and complexity. This area of ​​activity of our company is presented on the market as the WLightiT project.

In this article we will touch on a very important topic - office lighting. A third of most people's lives are spent at work, so the quality of lighting in the workplace is key to well-being and productivity. That is why, when planning lighting in an office space, it is important to take into account the main factors affecting the quality of lighting. Even such seemingly trifles as the color of the walls, the arrangement and material of the furniture influence the quality of lighting. In our article, we briefly classify office lamps so that you can get a first idea of ​​the variety of lighting solutions in office lighting, but we will focus on office lamps implemented using LEDs as light sources.

Our customers often ask a question, or rather several questions, regarding dimming LED lamps. We talked in detail about what a dimmer and dimming are in one of our first articles. In our other article, we said that not all LED lamps are dimmable - read more.

The purpose of this article is to figure out whether it is possible to dim LED lamps, the technical data of which does not indicate such a possibility. Also, many of our visitors are interested in whether it is possible to use a dimmer that is already installed to control incandescent lamps to dim LED lamps. Let's try to answer these two interesting questions in detail.

As you know, today there are mainly three types of sources used as household light sources: incandescent filament, luminescent source and LEDs. The situation is easiest with lamps implemented using incandescent filaments. All 100% of incandescent lamps are dimmable.

Lamps built on the luminescent principle of luminescence can be dimmed if the lamp driver was specially designed taking into account the possibility of dimming. Fluorescent lamps have a dimming feature, which lies in the fact that dimming a fluorescent lamp is impossible over the entire brightness range of the lamp. At approximately 15-30% of the nominal brightness level (depending on the type), the fluorescent lamp goes out completely. This is due to the peculiarity of the operation of fluorescent lamps, in which the initiator of light is ionized mercury vapor, and to ionize mercury vapor it is necessary to create an arc discharge, the power of which cannot be smoothly reduced below a certain threshold.

LED lamps are divided into two groups: dimmable and non-dimmable. Dimming ability depends, as with fluorescent lamps, on the design of the lamp driver. But unlike fluorescent lamps, LED lamps allow you to control the brightness very smoothly, down to the very minimum - 1% of the nominal brightness.

Is it possible to dim LED lamps whose technical data does not indicate this possibility? No. Unfortunately, if the lamp was not designed with the dimming function in mind, then without deep intervention in its design it will not be possible to control the brightness of such a lamp. Why? Let's take a closer look at the principle of powering diodes installed in an LED lamp. An LED is an electronic component that has two electrical characteristics that enable it to operate: the supply voltage and the current flowing through the LED. The LED supply voltage is a constant characteristic, but the current flowing through the LED can change, and as a result its brightness changes.

Drivers that are used in non-dimmable LED lamps perform a single task: to provide the rated voltage and optimal and constant current for each LED, provided that the input supply voltage may differ from 220 V. The driver of a dimmable LED lamp is a more complex device, since it also requires perform dimming. Dimming in LED lamps is usually achieved by pulse width modulation. The current that powers the LEDs is quasi-constant, i.e. consists of high frequency rectangular pulses. By adjusting the width of these pulses, you can change the average value of the current flowing through the diode; accordingly, the brightness of the LED also changes.

But as always there are exceptions. And the exception is the extremely cheap LED lamps from Chinese manufacturers, which save a LOT on the design of the lamp. To be precise, cheap LED lamps use a simple diode bridge as a driver, often without protection against overloads and/or voltage drops. This is what allows these lamps to “accidentally” perform the dimming function. But you need to understand that the reliability of such highly simplified LED lamps, as well as their efficiency, is extremely low and unstable. For such lamps, we can say with confidence that if the LED module of the lamp consumes 5 W, then the losses in the power supply will be at least 2-3 W, and the total consumption of such a lamp will already be 7-8 W.

Can I use a dimmer that is already installed to control incandescent lamps to dim LED lamps? Yes, the answer to this question is positive. It is highly likely that the LED lamp will be dimmed using a conventional dimmer for incandescent lamps (halogen lamps). In most cases there are no problems.

Articles about LED lighting

This article is for those who have asked a similar question for the first time and do not have a technical education. LED lighting is the lighting of something using relatively new light sources - LEDs. An LED is an industrially created crystal that, when connected to electricity, begins to emit light. To be fair, LED cannot be called a new light source, because... it was invented several decades ago, but it began to be actively developed and used in all spheres of our lives only at the beginning of 2000, thanks to new discoveries in the technological field and a significant reduction in production costs.

Modern technologies do not stand still and scientific and technological progress does not ignore such an area of ​​our lives as lighting. Development is taking place both in the direction of increasing lighting technical characteristics and in the direction of the emergence of additional related technological devices that increase the usefulness of lamps and lighting systems in general. We are talking about numerous varieties of LED lights with built-in sensors.

We decided to make a review in which the most interesting reviews about LED lamps will be collected. We collected these reviews both from our customers (and continue to collect) and from the Internet - from various forums, blogs, thematic portals and other resources. Having received a large amount of data, we systematized it, anonymized it, and we got a certain set of interesting opinions and advice from real people who use LED lamps at home, in the country, in the office, etc.

Customers of our online store often ask questions - which LED lamps are the best, from which companies? Why exactly are they better? Can you trust the characteristics of the lamps indicated on the packaging? Is it possible to buy LED lamps made in China? Can LED lamps be used in children's rooms? These are just some of the questions that buyers ask when choosing the best option for themselves. Moreover, such questions arise when the buyer already knows what type of lamps is needed and with what characteristics. In this article we will try to answer all these questions and avoid new puzzles for the consumer :-)

An LED is a semiconductor device that transforms electric current into light radiation. LED has a generally accepted abbreviation - LED (light-emitting diode), which literally translated into Russian means “light-emitting diode”. The LED consists of a semiconductor crystal (chip) on a substrate, a housing with contact leads and an optical system. The light emission directly comes from this crystal, and the color of the visible radiation depends on its material and various additives. As a rule, there is one crystal in the LED housing, but if it is necessary to increase the power of the LED or to emit different colors, several crystals can be installed.

This is, of course, the most important issue, since the world today is on the threshold of a new era in lighting technology and we need to be sure that LED lighting is not harmful to health. To date (2014), this issue cannot be considered thoroughly studied, since the period of introduction of LED lighting into human life is still quite short and the necessary amount of statistical data for analysis has not yet been accumulated. However, at the moment there is a huge amount of facts and opinions of professionals in this field, indicating the absence of any harm from LED lighting.

This article is for those who do not understand light bulbs, the types of their bases and electricity in general, but already understand that using LED lamps is much more economically profitable than incandescent lamps and even than fluorescent lamps (they are often called “energy saving”). Selecting the right LED lamps is very simple and we will help you make the right choice by following the instructions below. Or you can call us right away and we will be happy to help you with your choice.

In this article we will talk about the benefits of using LED lamps compared to fluorescent (often called "energy saving"), halogen and incandescent lamps. In the second part we will provide an economic calculation of the payback when replacing lamps with LED ones. The economic efficiency of LED lamps is so obvious that you do not need any special knowledge to draw your own conclusions.

One of the challenges that is often encountered during deep renovation or construction of residential and office premises is the level of sufficient lighting. In a situation where ordinary incandescent lamps are used as light sources, from experience you can roughly determine the required number and power of light bulbs, but if you have an idea to make your home more modern and comfortable, and at the same time regularly save quite significant amounts on lighting, then It makes sense to take a closer look at LED lighting. So, how many and what kind of LED lamps do you need to install to make the room comfortable?

In one of our articles we talked about what an LED is and how it developed. Now we want to dwell in more detail on the current industry leaders - those who produce LEDs and LED lamps. This is not the same thing, since lamp manufacturers do not always make LEDs and, conversely, LED manufacturers do not always mass produce lamps based on them. According to official data from IMS Research, as of February 2013, LED production is concentrated in China (more than 50%), then Taiwan (about 20%), South Korea (about 10%), Japan, USA, Europe and other regions (total 20%) .

This article is a practical guide for those who are planning to make major renovations in an apartment or house and are thinking about how to make the lighting of their future home comfortable, cozy, unique, easy to maintain, but at the same time economical and environmentally friendly. Today, indeed, there is something to think about, since LED lighting is becoming very inexpensive. The choice of power, size and external design of light sources is very rich and you don’t have to limit your imagination. Where to start? How to approach the task correctly? To do this, you need to understand what exactly you want to do, and then find the most effective solutions from both a practical and economic point of view. It is not as difficult as it seems and we will be happy to help you with this.

In our online store you can purchase LED lamps and LED luminaires, choosing them to suit the task of illuminating any object. But our activities are limited not only to sales - our team also includes highly experienced engineers in the field of design, production, installation and further operation of lighting control systems. Our partners are many engineering and design companies, together with whom we can implement projects for lighting systems for objects of any scale and complexity. This area of ​​activity of our company is presented on the market as the WLightiT project.

Dimmers for incandescent lamps have been known for a long time. The first such devices looked like a regular rheostat, reducing the voltage with a slider that increased the resistance of the circuit by adding turns of nichrome thread. Later, electronic devices appeared, but they still only worked with incandescent lamps. But what to do if LED lighting and conventional controllers are not suitable? Then dimmers are installed for, which are slightly different structurally and technically. Today we’ll figure out what they are, how to choose and even make such a device yourself.

Read in the article:

Applications and definition of dimmer

A dimmer is a stepless switch or intensity controller that allows you to “dim” the lighting in a room, or vice versa, add brightness. This is achieved by reducing the network voltage using various electronic devices.

The use of regulators has expanded due to the addition of functions to the device by the manufacturer. If 10 years ago a dimmer could only dim the light, today such regulators automatically supply and disable voltage according to a given algorithm and support various blinking modes. Some models even allow a person to control the lighting in an apartment from anywhere in the world using a smartphone. Such regulators are widely used when installing a smart home system.

Useful information! The dimmer not only adds or decreases the intensity of the glow. This device saves energy, increases the service life of lighting fixtures, and even saves you from burglars. It periodically turns on and off the lights in the home, creating the effect of presence.

The structure of a modern regulator and the principle of operation

The operating principle of the stepless switch remains the same - it is a rheostat system. But today this work is performed by electronic elements (triacs and dinistors), which are small in size and do not emit heat during operation.

The essence of the dimmer is to change the half-wave of electric current. The load power depends on the power of the triac, which acts as a key. It opens and closes as the half-wave reaches the specified parameters.

Capabilities of a modern dimmer

Today, infinitely variable switches are equipped with various functions. The main one, as before, is a gradual decrease in the intensity of the lamps, but additional ones can be varied. Dimmers with a timer function, which are programmed to turn the light on and off at the right time, are in demand in the electrical engineering market.

The dimmer can be conventional or pass-through, which provides lighting control from different points. But the most interesting option is a stepless switch with Wi-Fi connection. Such devices can be controlled from a smartphone from anywhere in the world. The only problem is the cost - not everyone can afford them. If remote control is required, then there is a cheaper option - a dimmer with a remote control. Similar technologies are used in RGB LED strip controllers.

Expert opinion

ES, EM, EO design engineer (power supply, electrical equipment, interior lighting) ASP North-West LLC

“This controller cannot be used to dim LED lamps. Although the dimmer and controller perform identical functions, the devices are not interchangeable.”

Dimmers for 220 V LED lamps: advantages and disadvantages

Let us summarize the positive and negative aspects of glow intensity regulators.

Classification of stepless switches by parameters

Dimmers are distinguished by installation location and type of control. Let's look at the difference between regulators and for what purposes one or another device is used.

Differences in dimmers by installation location

According to the installation location, stepless switches can be divided into:

1. Wall location– installation is carried out in place of the standard switch.
2. Remote– they are placed next to the lamp. They look like a small block.
3. Modular– placed in a water shield. Fastening is done on a DIN rail near the protective automation.

You can also divide devices according to the wiring method - hidden or external.

Separation of regulators according to control principle

Based on the control principle, dimmers can be divided into 3 types:

1. Touch controlled devices.
2. Mechanical regulators.
3. Controlled remotely.

Let's take a closer look at them.

The simplest mechanical infinitely variable switches

Such dimmers are considered budget. They are equipped with a rotary-push mechanism and are installed in place of the standard switch. Mechanical control is considered reliable in terms of operation due to the absence of complex electronics.

Power is supplied to the lamps by pressing the regulator. Next, the lighting intensity is adjusted by turning the knob left and right. A feature of such devices is the ability to turn off and turn on the lighting in a room at a given level, without reconfiguring each time.

Touch control of stepless controller

Such devices are controlled by pressing touch buttons or the screen. There is no difference in convenience (with the previous option) for a person. But dimmers with touch control have more extensive functionality. The circuit includes a timer that you can program yourself.

Dimmers with remote control: some features

Expensive and multifunctional devices. Such regulators are controlled by a remote control or a smartphone via Wi-Fi. They allow you to program switching modes, control lighting remotely, and even adjust the blinking of lamps to music. They showed excellent performance in the operation of smart home systems.

Criteria for choosing dimmers for LED lamps

When choosing a stepless switch for an apartment or private house, you should pay attention to the compatibility of the regulator with the installed lighting devices. For example, a dimmer for LED strips will not work if incandescent lamps are installed in the room. Its power is not enough for such devices, and it will simply burn out without working for even a minute. This dimmer cannot be used for LED lamps either. for the tape it is already installed, which means the stabilizer from the lighting device will not allow the device to work.

Selecting a regulator based on the type of lighting fixture is only half the battle. You need to calculate the total power of the lamps that will work with it. If this indicator exceeds the characteristics of the dimmer, the device will simply burn out.

Important! The power of the stepless switch should be 20÷30% (min) higher than the total value of connected consumers. This will increase its service life and make it possible to add additional lighting fixtures if necessary.

When choosing, it is worth comparing the prices of the selected model from several stores. An excessively low price should alert the buyer - perhaps you are dealing with a counterfeit. The body of the device must be smooth, without any excess plastic residue. The manufacturer's logo is clearly printed.

The text of the technical documentation of a quality regulator should not be blurry. Don’t be shy to ask the seller for a certificate of conformity for the product. If it is not there, there is no point in purchasing the product.

Interaction of dimmers with different types of lamps

Not all infinitely variable switches can be included in an LED chain. For example, if you connect an inexpensive dimmer for incandescent lamps, the lighting will not work. Instead of dimming the light, it will turn off. It turns out that the switch was purchased at the price of a dimmer. With more expensive dimmers there are usually no problems.

LED lamps for dimmer are also different from simple ones. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the labeling. A special icon will indicate that this is a dimmable LED lamp. Conventional ones will not respond to turning the dimmer knob.

If we talk about fluorescent lamps or CFLs, then it is quite difficult to purchase a stepless switch for them; the cost of such devices is high. The ECG (electronic ballast) circuit contains a voltage regulator that will prevent a conventional continuously variable switch from doing its job. For this purpose, dimmable lamps are needed.

Dimmer connection diagram for 220 V LED lamps

If a home master is familiar with the basics of electrical engineering, then the question of how to connect a dimmer will not be difficult for him. Still, let's look at how it is done in general terms. The first step is to find the phase wire. This must be done carefully, observing electrical safety rules. Having marked it, we turn off the voltage from the input panel. The neutral and grounding conductors go directly to the lamps, and the phase conductor is interrupted by a dimmer, similar to a switch.

Useful advice! When installing the dimmer on the standard location of the switch, you should not hope that the latter was connected correctly - you need to check the wire with a screwdriver and an indicator. If there was a neutral wire going to the switch (this happens when the installer is inexperienced), open the junction box and route the electrical wiring correctly.

Stepless switch circuit for 220 V LED lamps

The simplest triac dimmer can easily damage the LEDs in the lamps or their drivers. Therefore, experts advise installing regulators equipped with a microprocessor. Their diagram looks like this.

It is difficult to assemble such a circuit on your own, without skills and knowledge in the field of radio electronics, but if you wish, it will be possible to carry out the necessary repairs by replacing failed elements. This diagram is approximate. When purchasing a regulator, it must be included in the technical documentation.

Advice! After installing the infinitely variable switch, do not rush to throw away the packaging along with the insert. It will help in case of breakdown (if, of course, the repair is planned and not the replacement of the device).

What is the difference between walk-through dimmers?

By analogy with pass-through switches, dimmers that support this function are also made. This is convenient in large rooms. In this case, you can control the lighting from a regular place, or you can dim it without getting up from the sofa. Such regulators are also used in long corridors. A pass-through infinitely variable switch differs from a conventional switch in a group of contacts.

You can connect a dimmer and pair it with a pass-through switch. In this case, the lighting will only turn on at the entrance, and its intensity will be adjusted from the desired (convenient) point.

Manufacturers of stepless switches represented on the Russian market

Today, all manufacturers specializing in switches also present their own models of dimmers. But some of them are more popular among the population. Let's conduct a short review of brands, considering some technical characteristics of the models.

Manufacturer of dimmers for LED lamps 220 V "Legrand"

Without exaggeration, the most recognizable brand in Russia. The company's headquarters is located in France, and its products are represented in more than 80 countries. The wide range of models includes both budget products and premium regulators.

Every day LED lighting is gaining more and more fans. Now in houses and apartments you can more often find economical semiconductor lighting devices than traditional ones. Anyone who has just decided to install such lighting in their apartment and begins to collect information about such lamps, compares the pros and cons, often comes across such concepts as “dimmable LED lamps." What kind of lamps are these, and what is their difference? In this article we will try to answer these questions.

First, let's clarify the term "dimming." This means voltage regulation; a special device is responsible for this - a dimmer (voltage regulator). It is a device mounted in like a regular switch or socket (less often in electrical panels). The purpose of a dimmer is to turn the lighting on and off, as well as regulate its brightness. Some models of regulators have additional functions: automatic switching on (off) by timer, voice or acoustic, as well as simulating human presence (switching on and off, changing the intensity of the glow according to a given program).

Designed to create subdued, soft lighting. Voltage regulation easily allows you to change the level of illumination in the room, this makes control of the luminous flux much more functional. Dimmable LED lamps are designed for use in conjunction with a voltage regulator. The fact is that there are many different LED lamps. They differ greatly in shape, base size, purpose, power, aperture ratio and other parameters. And not every LED lamp can be used with a voltage regulator. Many LED fixtures are not designed to be dimmable, and if used in conjunction with a dimmer, the result may be that they will not operate as required and may even fail. In this case, you may even be denied warranty service. Therefore, if you plan to install voltage regulators in your room, or they are already installed, then you need to purchase only dimmable LED lamps.

There is a huge selection of lamps designed to work with voltage regulators. For example, very popular “candles” - dimmable ones of this type are often used in chandeliers and other lamps. Also on store shelves there is a large selection of lamps with a standard base - dimmable LED lamps E27, and simply a huge selection of lamps for spotlights.

However, when using dimming lamps, do not forget that voltage regulators have such a parameter as minimum load. This means that the total power of your lamps should not be lower than the minimum dimmer power. When purchasing dimmable LED light sources, you should always carefully study their technical characteristics. After all, proper use of these devices will allow you to enjoy their flawless performance for a long time.

To change the intensity of lighting in a room, you need to use a special dimmer, which is also called a dimmer. At the same time, this regulator cannot be used with conventional energy-saving light bulbs, because in this case the entire system will fail. This is precisely why dimmable LED lamps were invented, a description of which we will provide further!

What is the problem with using

The fact is that the conventional design includes a micro-rectifier that converts 220V alternating voltage into direct voltage. This device has only two positions for adjusting the light - on and off. At the same time, it allows you to smoothly change the illumination in the range from 10 to 100%

As you understand, when you try to combine conventional light bulbs and a conventional dimmer, you will not be able to achieve the desired result. Moreover, in this case, both devices will fail. At the same time, the LED device for dimmers includes an additional block, due to which the adjustment occurs.

Operating principle of dimmable LED lamps

In appearance, it is impossible to distinguish between ordinary light bulbs and dimmable ones, because... outwardly they are absolutely identical. The only difference is the inscription; the improved model should have the designation “dimmable” or the corresponding logo (as shown in the photo).

What to consider

A very important nuance that you should know is that not all dimmers are suitable for diode light bulbs. Before purchasing, you must check the suitability of both products. We talked about this in a separate article.

It should also be noted that when purchasing lamps, you must give preference only to quality products. It is best to use dimmable LED lamps from manufacturers such as Gauss, Osram, Philips, X-Flash and Uniel. The prices of such companies are much higher, but the light bulbs will last much longer.

In addition, the low cost of products may be one of the reasons that either flickers. In this case, you will still have to overpay when purchasing a new device.

You don’t have to worry about whether the base of the light bulb you choose will fit the crystal chandelier, spotlights, or spotlights installed in your home. Today, all the most popular ones are used for the manufacture of dimmable devices. Typically, sockets marked e14, e27, GU 5.3, G9 and mr16 are suitable for luminaires.

Well, the last, no less important piece of advice for you is to choose the right dimmer power. Each device has its own technical characteristics, which must be selected based on the total power of the dimmable LED lamps. For example, if you buy a 100 W dimmer, and the total power of the lighting sources is less, nothing good will come of it.

Connecting various light sources to the controller

Is it worth buying

Many people are wondering how good an option it is to use dimmable LED lamps for the home. If you decide to use this option only for reasons of economy, carefully read the reviews on the forums. Those who have already purchased products leave both positive and negative reviews.

We recommend that you use dimmable LED lamps only to create a cozy and unusual atmosphere in your home. Adjusting the lighting will allow you to create both dim light for a romantic dinner and bright light for cooking (if we take the kitchen as an example).