High power dimmer. How the dimmer works

The need for light, the intensity of which you can regulate, exists not only in the professional use of lighting equipment, but also in everyday life, when the brightness of sources can be controlled, depending on the level of illumination in the room. Today we will talk about how to choose a dimmer - a device that does not just light the light, but also allows you to control its brightness - from blinding radiance to intimate lighting.

Not only that, if there is no possibility of installing ballast in the workplace of a device with a gas discharge lamp, we do not need to combine them with long bulky cables - a sinusoidal dimmer is ideally suited for this role, provided, however, that we take into account its current capabilities. In addition, cold cathode and neon lights  can be fed by sinusoidal dimmers.

Of course, there are drawbacks, and basically one thing - sinusoidal dimmers are much more expensive than traditional thyristors and triacs. This is due to the rather complicated technology of their implementation, but also because it is still "new". It seems, however, that in any case, the future belongs to devices of this type, and thyristor systems will gradually begin to go to the past. And when new construction becomes a bit more stable, and more and more manufacturers will offer this type of dimmer, the price will also start to decline if it does not look like existing thyristor and triac frames, at least not within reach. the richest, but also "ordinary mortals."

  The device of a regulator of light

When designing a lighting system in a house, it often becomes necessary not only to turn on and off the lighting sources, but also to change its brightness. And this goal can not be achieved with a conventional switch. You need a special device that allows you to control the level of brightness in the room.

Halogen, a fluorescent lamp, a diode or, perhaps, an ordinary one? The choice of light bulbs for a bathroom is not easy, especially since you usually have to choose suitable fittings. The lamps emit a warm, cool and bright light, bright and gentle. They differ in technical solutions and maintenance costs.

Many scientists later worked on improving the invention, and Thomas Edison was in the lead. The first bulbs burned very quickly - they had fibers made of cotton and bamboo fiber. Electric lighting was equipped with several houses. Since then, the rapid development of electricity was dated, which was used not only for lighting.

The most common name of devices that allow you to adjust the voltage on the load - dimmers. But once upon a time, more than 15 years ago, such devices were called dummies. The dimmer unit is a combination of several dimmer channels assembled in one housing. The number of channels can be from 1 to 24, depending on the power of one channel and the area of ​​use.

Incandescent lamps are very popular today, but in homes they are replaced by fluorescent lamps, halogens and diodes. Fashion is also used in this area. In the wake of minimalist interiors, linear fluorescent lamps returned radiating cool, sterile light, popular in kitchens for many years as basic lighting, but now they are installed mainly in cabinets.

There is another trend - the bathroom is not enough or dozens of points of light. Dozens of halogens, fluorescent lamps  and diodes provide light for work, decorate and create a mood, consuming less electricity than their predecessors years ago.


Dimmer blocks can be constructed in a wall-mounted version (for stationary use), a rack housing (for rack mounting) and in a hanging cabinet (for positioning near light sources). The rack unit, as a rule, consists of 12 channels with a nominal load of 2-5 kW, a wall-mounted unit has 12-24 channels with approximately 1-3 kW, the suspension unit contains 4 channels, with a power of 1-3 kW.

In interiors. due to the exceptional durability, diodes are installed, in particular in hard-to-reach places where replacement of light bulbs is difficult, for example, on ceilings in very high rooms. They can emit white and colored light, including red, blue, yellow. They shine very brightly, like halogens, but it is expected that in the next 10 years - thanks to technical progress - their productivity will be several times greater. They are more economical than fluorescent lamps.

Despite the invention of new, more sophisticated light sources, traditional incandescent lamps are still popular. They emit a warm bright light, close to the natural light. They are suitable, for example, for central lighting, table areas, countertops. Only a small part of the consumed electricity is converted into light. Durability - about 500 hours of work.

  Standard dimmer control

The dimmer blocks can be divided into three types according to the control method: digital, analog, and digital-analog. The control signal in the analog dimmer blocks is constant pressure, which varies from 0 to +10 V. Depending on the value of this voltage, the voltage on the load will be regulated. The control signal comes from the control panel.

Of course, this means a reduction in electricity bills. Depending on the type, they emit cool or warm light. They are available in dozens of forms. You can replace traditional bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps. Designed for decorative and working lighting.

They have shapes and threads, like traditional bulbs; they can be screwed to traditional connections. Halogen light is bright, perfectly reflecting colors, inspiring. They work both for lighting work and for decorative lighting. Dimmers can also speed up the burning of some light bulbs. That's why shopping is best done in specialized lighting stores, where you can rely on expert advice on what to choose.

Digital dimmer blocks are more modern and professional light controllers. The control signal is a digital sequence. The DMX512 control protocol allows the transfer of status data for 512 channels, each of which has about 256 gradations of brightness. The basis of the digital dimmer unit is a microprocessor that, by a certain algorithm, converts digital information into a triac control signal.

It is now very important for interior architects to include lighting in projects. Lamps are no longer used for indoor lighting, but they create their space together - often with multi-point lighting. In addition, the visual effect and climate of the room also affect the ability to adjust the power of the light beam.

What is the dimmer work of light. Light dimmers are most often used in rooms where we do not need strong lighting. In this regard, when deciding on lighting in home rooms, we should think not only about the distribution of light sources, but also about their focus. A well-designed lighting system influences the aesthetics of the interior. Thanks to this, we have the opportunity to show decorative and constructive elements, as well as to have light suitable for the activities carried out, such as relaxation, reading, watching TV, working.


Digital-analog blocks are in essence a combination of a digital-to-analog converter and an analog dimmer. This approach, in spite of the complicated circuitry, allows the power unit to be made universal, which, depending on the control signal, is able to work as an analog or digital dimmer.

The function of light dimmers must correspond to the power of light for individual expectations and needs. They allow you to use any light composition, and the variety in the case allows you to combine the interior design. Light dimmers are available in two versions: electronic or pusher. The first has a function remote control  and programming. Thanks to this, we can quickly control the light and not change the settings. Important information is also that dimmers are adapted to different types of lighting: traditional and halogen.

At present, digital dimmers from the marketplace crowd out other devices. The processor allows you to switch the device into a swirling mode, when the channel has only 2 states - on / off, and the threshold is set by the user himself, temperature control, time counting, voltage stabilization. If there is even the slightest opportunity, you should go to the world standard DMX512.

In addition to the opportunity to improve appearance  rooms with the help of light, energy saving is an indisputable advantage of dimmers. With reduced lighting, energy consumption is reduced. In this regard, a greater number of lamps and hence light sources does not necessarily mean large counts. In addition, if we use these types of solutions, we get the so-called soft start lighting. As a result, we reduce the use of bulbs and prolong their life. It is estimated that with dimmers, we can reduce electricity bills by up to 40%.

  Dimmers for different lamps

The dimmers are universal, that is, they are intended for any lamp, and special ones - for example, for low-voltage halogen bulbs of incandescent lamps, such as dimmers makel. Dimmers for different lamps have different internal devices. Dimmers for incandescent lamps are rated at 220 volts. The lamp thread warms up, and then shines brighter or weaker, depending on the amount of voltage supplied through the regulator to it.

Remember, however, that using dimmers, we should use a lamp with more power than we need. The reason is that the bulb connected to the dimmer generates 85-90% of the power. Setting the dimmer is not difficult, so we can do it ourselves - starting, of course, with a detailed introduction to the instructions. As with all other electrical works, we also need to disconnect the fuses on the dashboard.

Assuming the device, do not forget to combine positive and negative poles with negative poles. Otherwise, we will damage semiconductors the first time they are turned on. In addition, dimmers must be installed on the voltage cable - not on neutral. This is important for the switch itself, but above all for all light sources. If we use energy saving light bulbs, it may happen that we would damage their electronics so badly that they will flash even when the contact is turned off.

On sale are dimmers for halogen low-voltage lamps, which are powered by means of transformers. If your house has lamps that are designed to supply 12-24 volts, then you will also need a transformer that can convert the output voltage of the dimmer to a value that is between 12-24 volts.

However, traditional and halogen lamps should not harm this. On the right - it is estimated that energy consumption is 8-9 times less compared to a traditional lamp. Here are some important details that may come in handy when you plan to buy this type of light source.

As for the size, it's easiest to measure the lamp used before and look for one that has the same dimensions. The mounting must also be adapted to the size of the fasteners. You do not need to pay much attention to the maximum power of the lamp used in the luminaire.

Dimmers for LED and fluorescent lamps need special, not standard, such as dimmer switches ABB. For the operation of dimmers with fluorescent lamps, an electronic choke is required in the luminaire. From its output, the starting-regulating equipment of the lamp from the dimmer transmits a voltage in the range 0-10 volts and regulates the intensity of the gas discharge in a similar way, in other words, the intensity of light.

The higher the indicator, the more effective the lighting. Remember, however, that although their main advantages depend on energy savings, we should not be guided by the purchase price. You can find an inexpensive offer on the market, which, however, is difficult to consider as a full-fledged offer. It is worth choosing a product from well-known and good manufacturers.

In the matrix, diodes instantly overheat, in addition, there is a source of heat release; as a result, diodes quickly stop working because of the overheating of the power source or lose their brightness. Below is a summary of the most important. Pros: - small size, - small losses when changing electric current  in light, - light in different colors, - narrow and focused light beam, - when switched on they do not consume more electricity, - long service life, - resistance to mechanical damage, - they do not contain substances that can adversely affect environment, - low voltage  power supply, - no heating effect.

Summing up, we note that when choosing a dimmer, it should be correlated with the type and power of the lamps that are in your house. If you do not want to go into all these technical subtleties, it's better to buy a universal dimmer.

  Design of light regulator

Push-button dimmers are divided into rotary and push-button dimmers. Rotary dimmers are the simplest variety of dimmers. The lighting is lighted when the knob is turned, and the brightness of the light is controlled by its rotation, and the shutdown occurs in the extreme position - when a click is heard. Rotary dimmers are suitable for any room where one level of illumination is not required when the device is turned on. An example of such dimmer is the dimmer ABB, designed for fluorescent lamps.

Gentle glow or full brightness - this effect gives us an adjustable switch, called the popular dimmer. Thanks to this, we can control the intensity of light in the room, even if the interior is illuminated with only one light bulb. These types of devices have many advantages, and one of them is energy saving.

An alternative to a traditional light switch is a dimmer. It is an adjustable transformer that regulates the parameters of the current flowing into the lamp. In this case, with one hand movement, you can adjust the intensity of light in the room in any range from 0 to 100 percent. Dimmers of this type have been used in homes for many years, but at the moment there are devices on the market that have much greater possibilities.

In the second case, when using a pressure dimmer, the light is turned on by pressing the button, when it rotates, the intensity of the light flux changes. When the light is turned off, the unit memorizes the brightness level that was set before that, and starts when turned on from this level. The built-in microcontroller allows them to remember the actions of users.

Dimmers - traditional mechanical or modern electronic? Currently, the most popular rotational dimmers. These mechanical ones are equipped with a handle or a slider, by means of which the intensity of light decreases or increases, adapting them to the current needs. In turn, the rotating electronic dimmer can be equipped with a motion sensor, twilight or a memory module - after pressing the button it reproduces the stored light intensity.

On sale there are also touch dimmers, which are activated when you touch and hold the corresponding field on the connector. With it, you can tan or darken the light emitted by the light bulb. Sensory dimmers can be mechanical or electronic. The latter - in the glass version they look impressive, especially in modern rooms. Their most popular features include a memory module and a soft start - after turning on the lamp slowly lightens or slowly goes out. Some of them are additionally equipped with a luminous diode, which makes it easier to find the device on the wall in the dark.


However, not all push-button controls have a single button. For example, the dimmers Legrand Valena equipped with two buttons, one of them is intended for on-off, and the other - to adjust the brightness. Push dimmers are designed for rooms that do not need to change the level of illumination every time the light is turned on. The user once sets the desired level of illumination and then uses only the on-off option, not adjusting the brightness of the lighting.

A fashionable and convenient solution are LED and sensor dimmers. They are controlled by an easy touch to the surface of the lamp or the Touch Pad. So it turns out to turn on or off the lighting. If the finger is held on the sensor, the light will increase smoothly, and after reaching the maximum it will decrease. The external effective panel of such dimmer with illumination creates originality and respectability in the interior.

Keyboard dimmers are similar to traditional switches, but are more perfect than button dimmer switches. When the button is pressed, the light turns on and off, and its brightness can be controlled while holding the key in the active state for more than 3 seconds.

  Power indicators dimmer

This is the most famous characteristic of the dimmer. To choose the right device, you need to know the total load that it can withstand. For example, the figure 300 W, which is indicated on the dimmer, indicates that with its help you can change the brightness of the lighting of a 5-car light chandelier with lamps, each 60 W each. However, just in case, take a dimmer with a power reserve.

The permissible power, which falls on the channel of the device, often turns out to be actually less than what is written in the dimmer passport. And this is not always associated with unscrupulous producers. Here, an indicator such as the load factor is triggered. For example, a dimmer for 4 channels, with 2.5 kW for each of them, has a load factor of 75%. Thus, only 3 channels can operate at full power at any one time, or all of them can be switched on by 75% of the power. Therefore, it's a good idea, if you can hang on the channel about 30-50% less load than indicated in the passport.

The least important characteristic of the dimmer is the power of the minimum load. Not every dimmer can control a 40W bulb, although such problems must be solved quite often. By the way, confident work on small loads is considered a confirmation of the quality of the applied power device and the correctness of circuitry solutions.

Also, when choosing a dimmer, it is worth making sure that it is able to regulate the declared power indefinitely in time without overheating. Otherwise, the real load that you fearlessly connect to it, will be less than expected. In addition, the higher the load factor, the dimmer design is more reliable, and the risk of dimmer output from the control panel is less.

If you plan to use a dimmer in a hard temperature mode with a large load factor, then you should ask if the device has active ventilation (in other words - a fan). Under other equal conditions, the active ventilation system facilitates the operation of the dimmer. The intensity of the fan in the most advanced dimmer designs depends on the temperature level that is maintained inside the enclosure.

The dimmer is a very energy-loaded device. Each channel delivers power to a load of several kilowatts. Therefore, such a device must be equipped with appropriate protective equipment, the main element of which is circuit breaker  (AB). When there is an overload, and there is a danger of overheating and melting of the wiring, the AV timely turns off the emergency line.

  Accessories for light regulator

Now we should talk about the quality of the main elements of the dimmer. During the purchase you are unlikely to get a glimpse inside the device, but while checking the performance you can still make some conclusions. Pay attention to the type of dimmer - the more accurate the device looks, the more you can trust it. Then inspect the circuit breaker. Well, if there are machines, connectors, sockets to the dimmer from Legrand.

Listen to how the dimmer works when the voltage fluctuates on the load. If you notice the changing hum of the dimmer unit when the brightness level changes, then the device has throttles, and that's good. If you could look inside, then remember that the power wires should not be less than 1.5 square meters. Introductory - not less than 6 square meters. Otherwise, at full load, insulation may leak and the dimmer switch will become inoperable.

If the wires are tied in bundles, this indicates a general accuracy. The boards must be blue or green. This means that a strong paint is used that is able to additionally protect the elements and the board from moisture and mechanical influences. If you see a two-way fee, then protection must be on both sides.


The fan must have bearings, since such a fan will not start creaking in six months. The radiator should not be less than 100 kV / cm per 1 power element, otherwise the dimmer will be similar to a stove at a load of 2 kW.
  Not bad, if in the dimmer Agate there is a possibility of voltage stabilization. The stabilization factor is defined as the change in the output voltage of the dimmer when the voltage in the mains is changed. The presence of a stabilizer is necessary if the network constantly "jumps" the voltage, and the emissions in our lines often reach 240 or 250 V. The stabilizer in this case will not allow more than 220 volts to be applied to the load.

On the other hand, stabilization does not allow the light to blink (fade) when power lines fail, which are caused by a thin conductive cable, uneven phase loading and other problems that are related to the quality of the power input of the dimmer.

  Price regulator of light

Calculate the relative cost of a dimmer is not difficult. The cost of the block should be divided into the number of channels and the capacity of 1 channel. Opt for the best option. Another thing is difficult: it is almost impossible to produce a quality and cheap dimmer. For example, if you are offered a new 12-channel dimmer DMX512 with 5 kW per channel for 10 thousand rubles, you need to think about why it costs so cheaply.

Remember that in such a dimmer there will not be any throttles, the radiator will be weak, the triacs will function at the limit, and you can not dream of a convenient interface. Dimmers on quality components will be expensive. For example, the difference between the Legrand dimmer and PLASTEX for one channel is close to 300 rubles. Imagine if the dimmer has 12 channels, then the difference in price will be impressive.

With throttles, the difference in cost will be even greater, a quality throttle is harder to make cheaper than 350 rubles, if you put branded components, then its price will start from $ 25. The difference in triacs can often be 200 rubles. In the end, it turns out that a quality 12-channel dimmer can cost from 10 to 30 thousand rubles and more.

Thus, you have realized that choosing a light regulator is by no means an easy task. You should pay attention to the appearance and neatness of assembling the dimmer viko or legrand, to learn as much as possible about the components and their quality. With special care, consider the analysis of power dimmer, since the coefficients depend on the operating time of the device.

Not all LED stripes can be controlled by dimmers. It would seem that the current-voltage characteristic and the efficiency graph directly hint at this possibility, but the situation is much thinner. Today we will talk about how to connect a dimmer instead of a switch.

How dimmers work

We first acquaint readers with the principle of the dimmer. Due to what changes the voltage, and why this is necessary for the user.

The first devices for regulating the supply voltage for an electrical load

In our humble opinion, before starting the installation of the dimmer, you need to imagine what will result from this in the end. And for this you need to be aware of the principle of the device. This is the only way to predict the consequences. The first attempts to influence the electrical load by varying the supply voltage were made in 1896, when Granville Woods changed the output parameters of the current generators. An image was attached to the patent, as it can be used in practice to control the luminosity of the bulbs and the speed of rotation of the motor shaft.

We would not say that the text issued by the inventor was very clear, but we believe that at that time it looked somewhat different. For example, if today it is known that all the generators are synchronous and should be excited by alternating current on a par with the constant to obtain the required parameters, then in those years, according to Granville's explanations, a simple energy source (for example, a turbine or an engine that burns fuel) was used for stabilization. As a result, the inventor believes that a constant potential voltage is generated at the generator output. We would call it alternating voltage  fixed voltage and frequency.

As a result of ingenious manipulations with rheostats, somehow the effect on the engine was conducted. And here is the most incomprehensible thing: what type of motor. Forgive our ignorance, but we can not say with precision that electric motors were used in the USA at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. There is every reason to believe that control is ultimately based on a change in the amplitude of the voltage, rather than its frequency. At the same time, this makes it possible to control the luminosity of the lamps according to the Joule-Lenz law, which states that the power released at the active resistance depends on the square of the potential difference at its terminals.

Simply put, today there are so many ways to control voltage, that we can not even say which of them was applied by Granville. Judging by the drawing, there are also resistances on the diagram, which causes an assumption about the creation of a rheostat, on the other hand it seems to be about regulation magnetic field, which already suggests a change in the parameters of the windings, which takes us to the field of autotransformers (more precisely, the windings with a variable number of turns involved) and coils of variable inductance. As a result, we do not know to which kind of dimmers the invention of Granville Woods belongs, but it was, undoubtedly, the very first example of such a device.

Dimmers based on transformers with rotating coils

In the 20 years of the 20th century, voltage regulators were widely used on the basis of transformers with rotating windings. The bottom line is that when you change the angle of inclination of the planes of two coils, the flux of induction is controlled. Due to this, the EMF, induced in the secondary winding, varies. The transformer is provided with a galvanic isolation according to the current, and the losses here are incomparably lower than in the rheostats.

Autotransformers as dimmers

Commercial versions for home use began to appear much later. The first of these should be considered the Joel Spira autotransformer, used in 1961 as part of the standard switchboard. The advantage of this solution is the relative cost-effectiveness. Earlier dimmers based on rheostats were used. In order to understand how they acted, you need to have a little idea about resistive divisors. The bottom line is that the load is connected in series with this rheostat, as a result of which the voltage is applied proportionally. Increasing the resistance by the runner (everyone saw at the physics lessons in high school), we take some of the power off the load.

But as a result, a lot of heat is released on the rheostat. It is possible to shorten it by increasing the load resistance, because the power here is proportional to the square of the current (Joule-Lenz law: P = I x I x R). At one time, even liquid rheostats based on salt water were used. In this case, the resistance was the electrolyte, and its value was changed, varying the distance between the contacts. Rheostats require intensive heat removal for proper operation. This causes the use of such complex systems as forced air cooling.

In general, autotransformers were cumbersome, but here power is lost much less, because the active resistance of copper winding is very small. The autotransformer works in a very curious way. Its winding due to high inductance for alternating current represents a great resistance, but purely imaginary. That is, part of the period of autotransformer without load takes the energy of the network, and then gives. This is called reactive power. It is not spent directly, and in general this effect is considered harmful.


But only it is necessary to attach to the output, something, as the situation radically changes. The autotransformer is arranged as shown in our figure. He only has one winding, where the voltage is generated due to purely imaginary resistance and induced EMF. The more turns are involved in the secondary circuit, the higher the voltage transmitted further. And the remaining reactive power  goes back to the power circuit. Note that in this case there is no secondary winding at all, so there is no galvanic isolation (current). Some consider this a disadvantage.

Such an inductive divisor will only work on alternating current. Because for a constant it presents such low resistance that it immediately burns out or damages the power supply. A disadvantage of autotransformers is considered to be a relatively large size. But they, like the resistive ones, do not change the shape of the voltage: the output is the same sinusoid with a low level of distortion. In fact, the autotransformer is analogous to a resistive divider.

Electronic dimmers

Electronic dimmers work in a fundamentally different way. In this case, the amplitude is not regulated, as it was before, but the average value of the voltage. For which part of the period the sinusoid is cut off by a thyristor key. One of the schemes, presented in the English-speaking domain of Wikipedia, is also embodied in our figure:

  1. The thyristor circuit is connected to the output line of the rectifier. Here, the voltage has the form of bumps close to each other (see the figure).
  2. At the initial time, the thyristor is closed. Therefore, the voltage on the light bulb does not go away.
  3. The capacitor C1 is charged through the resistor R1, the time constant depends on the product of their nominal values ​​(tau = RC).
  4. At some point in time, the zener diode is triggered and the thyristor opens.


The faster the capacitor C1 is charged, the sooner the thyristor key opens and the voltage goes to the light bulb. This changes the so-called cutoff angle, on which the average voltage level depends, which in turn affects the brightness. The voltage loses its sinusoidal form (see the figure). By changing the resistance of the resistor, we directly affect the RC charge time constant. As a result, the cut-off angle increases or decreases, adjusting the brightness of the glow of the bulb in the desired direction.

In general, the operating principle of this equipment can be very different, but the essence usually comes down to changing the cutoff angle. In this case, the distortion level increases in the signal spectrum. What can cause different negative effects.

Which dimmer should I choose

From what has been said above, one can understand that a simple installation of the dimmer is made instead of a switch. If the chandelier is screwed into the chandelier, then nothing special happens. The spectrum of the glow slightly shifts toward warmer colors, and the intensity decreases. This is explained by a decrease in the temperature of the spiral. The peak of the spectrum goes according to the Wien law in the direction of low frequencies. At a certain supply voltage, the radiation is completely infrared (only the heat comes from the bulb). This effect is used to prolong the life of filaments:

  • If you sharply light a light bulb, then sudden temperature changes cause deformation of the filament, which leads to its rapid failure.
  • Advanced dimmers produce a preheated spiral. Due to what the changes are not so sharp.
  • Preheating takes up to 10% of the rated current.

Other dimmers very smoothly for 30 minutes or more raise the intensity to the maximum limit. It is clear that such tricks require the presence of complex microcircuits. That is why dimmers, sparing the life of light bulbs, are more expensive. So far, we have talked only about the filaments. And what about other types of light bulbs?


The discharge valves are powered by a starter. It is implemented on the basis of a choke, which, due to the phenomenon of self-induction, produces an emf of large magnitude, at the cutoff of the pulse, when the ballast opens the bimetallic relay from heating. It is clear that the lamps daylight  from the dimmers will not work directly. In this case, the starter does not pick up the EMF to ignite the arc. But also those devices that are sold in the store and equipped with electronic ballast, are not always ready to work on voltages with a variable value.

That is why connecting a dimmer is often accompanied by the need to revise its illuminations. A light bulb operating in brightness control mode costs more than usual. The difference in price reaches 20%. It is clear that not everyone is ready to pay this amount. Other lamps for the E27 cartridge (for example) inside the socle contain a driver that converts the input voltage to the desired value. That is, the brightness will not change, just the chandelier will go out at some point.

We would not say that the dimmer directly damages the light bulb driver, but the electronic can do it anyway. Because the spectrum of the input voltage appears in an abundance of harmonics, to work with which the device is not calculated.

Do I need to set a dimmer

It is not enough to choose a dimmer, it is necessary to evaluate its practical aspects. This device, as it was written above, is now more often built on an electronic circuit with an angle of cutoff voltage. And the simplest of the dimmer implementations introduces a cutoff angle into the sinusoid. And directly changes the shape of the current supply network. As a result, local tension acquires harmonics, which it should not be. Dimmer is a real thunderstorm for sensitive electronic equipment. As a result, it would be nice to include such devices through a mains voltage filter.

The problem is that there is such (under DIN-rail) more than two thousand rubles. This is not the price that can be paid without thinking, given the fact that there is a switchboard. In addition, we said above that lED lamp, designed to work in pairs with a dimmer, is more expensive than usual.

But if this were all limited - but no! Choosing the right dimmer does not get rid of the most important thing - interference on the air. Without being placed on the screen, the device begins to actively emit in a wide range. This is harmful to health. By ear, this can be checked with a light bulb: if you put the dimmer on a minimum, then the spiral will begin to whistle softly. This means the appearance in the network of harmonics of the voltage of the ultrasound spectrum. Dimmer shakes with such a unique method of thread, and whistles are heard.