Dimmers control the brightness of light bulbs in your home. They are suitable for many common fixtures and you can use them to quickly enhance the atmosphere of a room. Dimmed bulbs can also save energy. There are several important things to consider before installing a dimmer switch. While dimmers can reduce the strength of various lamps and fixtures, they require compatible bulbs to work.
Is my light fixture dimmable?
Most lamps will use standard dimming switches, including halogen and incandescent lamps. Determine whether your luminaire uses line voltage or low voltage. If you install line voltage track lamps and rail lamps with incandescent bulbs, you can use a dimmer switch to control their brightness. Always use a line voltage dimmer. Line voltage switches are not suitable for low voltage lighting equipment.
There are two types of low voltage dimmers. Some have magnetic systems that dim lights, while others have electronic dimmers. When you want to dim the lights in your home, check the voltage requirements first and then determine whether your luminaries require magnetic or electronic dimming switches. For example, LED lamps may work with standard dimmers, but some may require specialized dimmers. Similarly, not all compact fluorescent (CFL) lamps can be dimmed. If you install dimmable CFL lamps, you still need to check your dimmer to make sure it works for these types of bulbs. The universal dimmer is designed to be compatible with low voltage, LED and CFL bulbs.
Common types of dimmable lamps
Almost all lamps with standard sockets can be dimmed using incandescent or halogen bulbs. Many use standard dimmers and controls to adjust the brightness of the chandelier lighting to set the ambience of the restaurant. Add dimmer controls to ceiling lights and wall lamps in your bedroom, allowing you to control the brightness of your reading or dressing. Dimmable LED track lighting fixtures provide bright highlights for corridors and highlights. Dimmers can even be used in conjunction with your outdoor lighting to enhance your evening.
How to control dimmable lamps
You can set the dimmer switch to work in several different ways. If you want to dim lights with a single switch, you can use a single dimmer to meet all your needs. Multiple Settings provide more control points. You can dim lights from one central point and control the power of lights (but not their brightness) in other locations. With multiple dimmer switches, you can control brightness from multiple different locations. If you want to be able to turn on step lights from upstairs and downstairs, you need to install regular switches in both locations. If you want to dim lights in two positions, you need a separate dimmer that supports multiple position Settings.
Dedicated dimmer switches offer more functionality than standard dimmers. These devices sometimes have tap screens that let you set your preferred brightness level. After setting the desired brightness, you can tap the screen to automatically adjust the lighting. While some dimmers have knobs, others use sliding switches to control intensity. The wireless remote lets you control the dimmer from anywhere nearby. You can even clip these remote controls to the visor of your car so you can control the dimmable lighting before you walk in the door.
If you have a standard light fixture, especially one designed to use incandescent or fluorescent bulbs, you should have no trouble finding compatible dimmer switches. Whether you install low-voltage or line-voltage lighting, there are many ways to use a dimmer in your home.