Disc Polished Brass Intelligent Dimmer

Our intelligent Dimmer range takes some of the mystery out of choosing the correct dimmer. These leading edge intelligent dimmers will adapt to the type of load put through them. This means that they will operate standard incandescent lamps as well as mains halogen lamps and low voltage halogen lamps. If you require LED lamps to be dimmed please refer to our LED Dimmer section.

Leading edge dimmers are compatible with resistive or inductive loads and are able to reduce the load by shortening the A/C cycle at the leading edge of the input waveform, hence the term ‘Leading Edge’.

Leading edge dimmers are the most commonly used to dim incandescent and mains voltage halogen light bulbs and capsules. All dimmers are rated by wattage and leading edge dimmers are no exception. They are commonly available in 250w, 400w, 600w and 1000w modules. It is important to note that they also have a minimum load requirement of 25w, 40w, 100w and 150w respectively.

These wattages must always be adhered to and in the case of halogen lamps and capsules must be over-rated by at least 25%. GU10, G9 and GZ10 halogen lamps and capsules tend to arc in the latter part of their life. This is not dangerous in any way and is a characteristic of halogen lamps. This arcing creates an additional load on the dimmer and can overload the module resulting in excess heat and premature failure. The first indication of this happening is an increase in noise, often heard as a buzz from the dimmer switch.

It is important to note that all quality branded halogen capsules incorporate a fused link to protect the circuit in case of a short within the lamp. Non-branded cheap generic halogen lamps do not have this function and should be avoided.

Never use a dimmer module that is not rated higher than the total load applied to it.

We recommend 25mm deep wall boxes for mounting our intelligent dimmer switches or 35mm deep wall boxes for shallow or flat plate ranges. If you require any advice or assistance please call our sales team on 01926 289289.