how can i get kitchen downlighters to fade on and off?

[tan8856]

my builder is about to fit lighting in our new kitchen and id like the downlighters to fade on and off - it looks much nicer than an abrupt on/off.

how is it possible? can it be done with any light fittings & switches or do i need to buy specific lights?

is it expensive/difficult to do?

thanks

 

[Taylortwocities]

You need dimmable lights/transformers/drivers and a compatible dimmer.

It depends on your definition of "expensive". Dimmable lights are a couple of £ more expensive than non-dimmable.

Cost of dimmer depends on the lights you chose, but about a tenner would cover that.

Dimmable LED lights (and dimmers) are a lot more expensive, but they will last years longer than halogen lights, and use a tenth of the electricity to run them.

Difficult? No more than any other light installation.

 

[riveralt]

I think the OP is talking about some form of micro controller that automatically reduces/increases the light to off/on - once the on/off switch is activated, rather than a straight forward dimmer.
If so a Google search will find lots of diy versions of what is being suggested. Such as
http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-fit-LED-kitchen-lights-with-fade-effect/

I don't know of any retail version available in this country.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

You need dimmable lights/transformers/drivers and a compatible dimmer.

More than that, I suspect, as that would require him to manually turn the knob to fade them up after turning them on, and to remember to turn them down before turning them off. Unless they still make dimmers where the pot has a rotary switch?

I suspect he's after some kind of automation.

[Doh!]Too slow.[/Doh!]

 

[RF Lighting]

Maybe a soft start dimmer would suffice? I've got a now obsolete GET dimmer on my bathroom and that fades up and down nicely.

 

[drgl]

Would be a nice feature, closest I found was this :-

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...es~Dimmers_All/LEDlite_LED_Dimmers/index.html

Slim buttons give an easy press action. Holding the button down dims
or brightens the light to any level. A quick press switches off. Another
press returns the lamp softly to its previous brightness.

What you are trying to achieve is basically what automotive manufacturers refer to as "theatre lighting".

 

[tan8856]

hi.

what i mean is that i switch the light on by the single click of a switch but the light comes on gradually over say a couple of seconds. i have it in another room in my house and it looks really smart. what a pp says might be what im after - a soft start dimmer?

is you look at this http://www.screwfix.com/p/varilight-trailing-edge-push-dimmer-1g-1-2w-400w-va/94816 it says "Soft-Start Feature to Extend Bulb Life"

thanks RF Lighting

 

[333rocky333]

http://www.modelighting.com/products/scene-style/scenestyle-2/

 

[riveralt]

what i mean is that i switch the light on by the single click of a switch but the light comes on gradually over say a couple of seconds. i have it in another room in my house and it looks really smart. what a pp says might be what im after - a soft start dimmer?

is you look at this http://www.screwfix.com/p/varilight-trailing-edge-push-dimmer-1g-1-2w-400w-va/94816 it says "Soft-Start Feature to Extend Bulb Life"

This does not do what you want - its purpose is to protect the bulb.
The link I have shown you does what you want but it is a diy project that involves both hardware and software knowledge.
Unlikely your average domestic electrician will have that specific knowledge and there doesn't appear to be an off the shelf package.

 

[securespark]

Maybe a soft start dimmer would suffice? I've got a now obsolete GET dimmer on my bathroom and that fades up and down nicely.

That's exactly what I would use.

 

[tan8856]

the switch for my fade in lights looks exactly like a regular dimmer switch, nothing fancy, and the chap that fitted it was just a regular electrician who was doing the job as cheaply as possible, i certainly didnt ask for anything unusual, all we wanted was regular lights but the ones we got fade in. so i dont know how ive ended up with what i have.

 

[canduit]

I have come across an MK dimmer that had a soft start and according to reviews of this product this also has that feature. Be sure to check for maximum and minimum load requirements
http://m.screwfix.com/p/mk-logic-plus-1-gang-2-way-dimmer-switch-mains-low-voltage-400w-white/48466