Lighting, socket circuits 19.02.2020 17:28 19.02.2020 17:28

Compact fluorescent lamps (further CFL) and LED bulbs (further LED), which are designed by the manufacturer for dimming,

so they have the word "Dimmable" or an appropriate symbol on the cover, such as:

are dimmed by the C-DM-0402M-RLC dimming module.

 

The C-DM-0402M-RLC module in this application (CFL and LED bulbs) should be set on RL loads (resistive and inductive load). With RC setting (capacitive and resistive) load, the CFLs and LEDs behave abnormally, they flicker, etc.

 

The wiring example is identical with the examples illustrating dimming bulbs, see Chapter 6.8.1. Dimming incandescent bulbs with rated input up to 500W.

 

Compact fluorescent lamps and LED bulbs cannot be dimmed from 0%. All of these sources require some energy for their own function, so it only makes sense to control them from about 20 to 45% of the set brightness values. If a lower value is set, the source behaves abnormally, it flickers, increases uncontrollably its brightness, etc. Therefore there must be set the so-called ignition limit for each channel of the dimmer (the MINIMUM variable in the software configuration of the module), which defines the minimum brightness value that can be set. If a lower value is set (the LEVEL variable), the dimmer is not switched on, and if a higher value is set, it immediately starts from the set level MINIMUM (the RAMP variable), which means there is no delay in switching on the source. The minimum brightness value differs in each type of CFL or LED; it also depends on the operating temperature and on the fact whether the light is switched from zero, or if the brightness decreases to zero.

 

The measured values of samples of certain types are specified in the following Chapter 6.5.1. Tested CFL and LED bulbs, the measured parameters. The table shows that e.g. that it only makes sense to dim compact fluorescent lamps (CFL) in the range of 30 ÷ 70% (the LEVEL value), and other information.