Load Types and Dimmers

Dimming controls are one of the best ways to change the mood of your space. Changing the way a room feels with  lighting control is less inexpensive than changing the decor. Adjust a dimmer and voila new ambiance. When selecting a dimming control we need to match the control with the load type.

LOAD TYPES                  

Incandescent / Halogen:                                  Line Voltage and Halogen lamps                               

Magnetic Low-voltage (MLV):                      Magnetic transformer supplied low-voltage

Electronic Low-voltage (ELV):                    Electronic transformer supplied low-votage

Neon / Cold Cathode:                                         Magnetic transformer supplied voltage

Fluorescent:                                                             Electronic fluorescent dimming ballast

Light Emitting Diode (LED)                           Electronic LED driver

Before selecting any dimming control be sure to know what type of load you are trying to dim and the wattage of that load.  The dimmer must be rated for the type of load and the quantity. As a general rule try not the mix load types.

Lutron has a great article on Dimming Basics