Lieber Silk White 6 Gang Dimmer Switch 2 Way Trailing Edge LED 400W - Curved Edge

Product Information

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. Toggle: These look like standard toggle light switches, but you can raise and lower the toggle to dim and brighten your lights instead of flipping on and off in two binary positions like you would with a traditional light switch. In other cases, the toggle itself acts as an on/off switch, and you adjust the illumination level with a very small slider that’s located right next to the toggle. These are best for applications where you won’t need to adjust the illumination level every day. On the other hand, mains voltage dimmable LED light bulbs and LED light fittings can be comfortably controlled using standard resistive dimmer switches. LED lamps are particularly appealing due to their low energy consumption and high energy efficiency. Dimmers aren’t all about setting the mood though, and Sampayo says installing them in your home can save you money, too. “Practically speaking, the human eye can't distinguish between 90 percent and 100 percent light brightness, but your energy bill can,” Sampayo advises. “Being conscious of energy consumption means you could set your lights to never exceed 90 percent, ensuring a 10 percent energy saving without compromising on brightness.”

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’. The best of these are marketed as ‘intelligent dimmers’ and feature soft-start and overload protection to improve the life span of both the lamps and the dimmer. If you mistakenly connect too many lights or transformers to an intelligent dimmer it will protect itself from failure by turning the lights down or off until the load is corrected. This article was written by Jeremy Laukkonen, a freelance writer for The Spruce. Laukkonen has more than a decade of experience writing about and reviewing consumer technology. He prefers smart light switches and bulbs, because who has time these days to operate the lights manually? His writing has also appeared in Digital Trends, Lifewire, and Entertainment Weekly.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.” Under normal circumstances, provided the minimum load is surpassed, dimming mains voltage LED lamps using dimmer switches isn’t an issue. For example, this British made Varilight V-Pro programmable dimmer is our default choice when dimming LED’s. Improved Atmosphere: The ability to adjust lighting levels allows you to effortlessly create the perfect ambience for any occasion, from a lively dinner party to a peaceful evening reading session. This white dimmer switch features intelligent dimming technology, soft start, intelligent overload protection, and adjustable minimum brightness settings. It comes pre-set as a trailing edge dimmer with three programmable modes to cater to a range of LED requirements. Common Uses For Leading Edge Dimmers: Most often used to dim incandescent and mains voltage halogen light bulbs and capsules. Also suitable for dimming most electronic low voltage transformers, including wire-wound or toroidal transformers, and under certain circumstances, constant current dimmable LED drivers.

Although a trailing edge dimmer is considerably more expensive to buy, it has many desirable attributes over its leading edge counterpart and in certain situations may be more appropriate. Inductive Dimmer Switches Traditional dimmers are only designed to work with incandescent lights, although some also work with halogen, while LED dimmers are designed specifically for LED bulbs. “Traditional dimmers, which typically use knobs, usually absorb the energy not sent to the light,” says Sampayo. “For instance, if you dim your light to 30 percent, the remaining 70 percent is wasted by the regular dimmer in the form of heat. Your energy consumption remains at 100 percent.” That works with incandescent lights that exhibit reduced brightness when provided with less energy, but LED bulbs placed in that same situation won’t light at all, or may exhibit unwanted behaviors. 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. The most important requirement when installing a dimmer switch is a neutral wire, because a lot of modern dimmers require a neutral wire. Homes built prior to 1985 typically won’t have a neutral wire unless the wiring has been updated and brought up to code, so this is an important consideration. Extended Lamp Lifespan: The use of dimmers for your lighting can prolong the life of your lamps, requiring less frequent replacement and thus reducing your maintenance costs.Cost Savings: By curbing energy use and reducing the frequency of lamp replacement, dimmer switches can lead to substantial savings, making them a financially smart choice for your home.