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our dimmer switches have a soft start function that slowly brings the lights to the set level in about 1-2 seconds, prolonging the life of your bulbs Adding a dimmer switch to a lighting setup, or replacing an old one with a newer model, can transform the look and feel of a room. “Dimmers are most useful in areas where you want to create ambiances, such as social areas, bedrooms, hallways, and bathrooms,” says Freddy Sampayo, chief technology officer of Schaller Tech. “It's also useful to think about spaces where you'd be annoyed to turn on the light when waking up groggily in the middle of the night.”
As we have now looked at what a dimmer switch is and how it works, it’s now time to see how they are fitted. The names refer to the way in which they control light levels. As mentioned above, modern dimmer switches work by rapidly cutting the supply of electricity to the light half way through it’s cycle when the current hits zero. The very first job to do before doing anything else is to isolate the circuit you will be working on by turning off the MCB/RCD in your consumer unit or pulling out the fuse if you have a fuse box. Today, modern dimmer switches are much more efficient and instead of using a resistor, essentially turns the light on and off very rapidly every second. As both UK and US electricity is AC (alternating current) it turns from positive to negative every cycle. For more information on staying safe when working around electricity, see our electrical safety project here. What is a Dimmer Switch?
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The SureSlide from Leviton is a slide dimmer first and a light switch second, which is why it’s our favorite slide dimmer switch. Dimming is provided by a large sliding bar that’s easy to operate. It also includes a toggle switch, so you can set your desired dimming level, turn the lights off, and then return directly to your chosen illumination setting the next time you turn the lights on. It works with a variety of bulb types, including compact fluorescent, LED, and incandescent, and you can also install it in both single-pole and 3-way configurations. Traditionally, dimmer switches used a variable resistor that essentially restricts the flow of electricity by converting it to heat. This not only caused the resistor to get hot but also, this was a massive waste of electricity.
Tap: This type of dimmer uses a tap control to switch the lights on and off, and then another method to adjust the illumination.The Cloudy Bay in Wall Dimmer Switch for LED Lights is a toggle switch with a small dimming slider, and it functions in both single pole and 3-way installations. The dimming slider is a little on the small side, but it doesn’t get in the way of the switch. It’s fully compatible with all Cloudy Bay LED light fixtures right out of the box, and it also includes a trim dial that allows you to adjust it to work well with other fixtures and dimmable LED bulbs. It comes with everything you need to complete the installation, including screws, wire nuts, and even a decorative wall plate. This is primarily a single pole switch, which means it’s easiest to use in a configuration where it doesn’t share control of the lights with any other switches. It is possible to use in 3-way installations with a mechanical switch, but that takes a little extra work. It requires different wiring from a traditional dimmer switch, so you’ll have to discard your preexisting knowledge and pay close attention to the instructions if you’re familiar with how 3-way wiring is supposed to work. The hidden benefit is that this switch is actually designed for multi-location dimming in up to 10 locations if you use Maestro Companion dimmer switches instead of traditional dimmer or mechanical switches.
Most incandescent and halogen bulbs are compatible with dimmers, but generally CFL’s (or compact fluorescent lights) or those that are controlled by a transformer generally don’t, unless they are made specifically for use with dimmer switches. In this DIY guide we look at how to fit a dimmer switch in place of a standard light switch. Regulations for Fitting Dimmer Switches A dimmer switch is a type of light switch that allows you to control the amount of electricity that flows to the lights it controls, which, when turned down dims them or when turned up brightens them, manually enabling you to set the light level in a room. To get it to sit flat, you may need to give it a little wiggle so that the wires find their own natural resting place.
Adding a dimmer switch to the lighting in a room can have a dramatic effect on the overall ambience of a room, allowing you to lower the lighting levels to create a much more relaxed environment. The voltage rating of a dimmer switch tells you where you can use it. For example, residential electrical voltage in the United States is 110 - 120VAC. That means you can use any 110 or 120V dimmer switch in your home. There are numerous different types of modern dimmer switch, but essentially they can be broken down into 2 main types:
However, if it is to be a newly installed switch where all wires and cabling needs to be run from scratch then this is not possible to do as a DIY’er and can only be done by a Part P registered electrician with the knowledge and skill to do the work correctly, test it fully and then issue a minor works certificate. Today, pretty much all light fixtures are compatible with a dimmer switch and can be swapped like-for-like. However, the main issues come with the type of light bulb they will be controlling.
By adding additional Leviton Decora Smart Dimmer Companion switches, you can set up virtual 3-way, 4-way, or even 5-way control over your lights. The primary switch has to be wired to the lights like a traditional dimmer, but the companion switch can be placed anywhere and doesn’t need to be connected to the main switch by physical wires. The connection is achieved wirelessly through your Wi-Fi network, so you do need to have Wi-Fi to use this kit. It works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit, so you can also use it to operate and dim your lights through an app on your phone or voice commands. Once done, put the 2 screws to one side and pull the faceplate away and turn it to reveal the internals on the rear of the face. LED dimmer module has auto-detect function for either leading edge or trailing edge with 5-150W load, 230-240V 50Hz
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