Keeping 250w of LED permanently dimmed

[anonymous-user]

Zano do a 5-250w 'unlimited lamps' dimmer, but that won't get around the current issue.

https://zanocontrols.co.uk/easy-fit-led-dimmers

[ruggedscotty]

if struggling with the number of LED's,

And no way to configure the LED's into multiple lower voltage strings, would it be difficult to wire in an auto transformer ? take electronics out the equation and use a variable transformer as a dimmer ?

would take out the electronics of the dimmer fighting the led drivers, and would give you infinite control of the AC voltage to the fitting.

variac transformer

https://www.amazon.co.uk/VEVOR-Variable-Transforme...

cheap and rough wild card... uses electronics but would give you a set out put everytime it was switched on without reverting back.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/MASUNN-E44000W-Variable-C...

[dbryder]

I have these. Although I’m only dimming 150w Max, they are rated to 250w.

https://aone.auroralighting.com/ProductDetails/AU-...

/D

[scottyp123]

The reason a lot of standard dimmers won't work with LEDS is the minimum wattage required to make the dimmer work, usually its about 60 watts. Also the standard dimmers give out quite a rough voltage output, they chop up the voltage so it switches on and off at various times in the AC cycle, so in effect it only appears to put out say 150V at half brightness but its rough. My guess is the cheaper lamps without much smoothing in them struggle with this output.

As ruggedscotty says a variac or autotransformer would work, they put out a smooth sinewave just a smaller one but aren't as efficient. The early dimmers just used to use a rheostat or variable resistor inside them, they worked but used to run hot and didn't save a penny in electric no matter how much they were dimmed down.

[biggiles]

Mr Pointy said:

The Varilight V-Pro range has a 300W option & comes on at the last brightness (set by the knob). Could you wire one of these in series with your wi-fi switch?

https://www.varilight.co.uk/dimmers/v-pro.php
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLMJP300.htm...

It's only been a couple of weeks of daily on/off, but the Varilight V-Pro 300w is running with 50 LEDs. I have them turned right down to just 16w overall power (says the wifi switch) and it's perfect. As specified, the dimmer resumes to former state when the wifi switch turns on.

The Varilight instructions said max 30 lamps, and the actual unit attached to said instructions had a sticky label saying 20 lamps, but "so far so good" with 50. Fingers crossed it lasts a few years at least.

Thanks MrPointy.

[Mr Pointy]

biggiles said:

Mr Pointy said:

The Varilight V-Pro range has a 300W option & comes on at the last brightness (set by the knob). Could you wire one of these in series with your wi-fi switch?

https://www.varilight.co.uk/dimmers/v-pro.php
https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/VLMJP300.htm...

It's only been a couple of weeks of daily on/off, but the Varilight V-Pro 300w is running with 50 LEDs. I have them turned right down to just 16w overall power (says the wifi switch) and it's perfect. As specified, the dimmer resumes to former state when the wifi switch turns on.

The Varilight instructions said max 30 lamps, and the actual unit attached to said instructions had a sticky label saying 20 lamps, but "so far so good" with 50. Fingers crossed it lasts a few years at least.

Thanks MrPointy.

Glad to hear it's working well for you. I wonder if the dim level has an impact on how many lights the dimmer can drive & the life of the dimmer & you're doing ok because they are dimmed right down?