Reliable dimmers

[flameport]

Varlight V-pro has a noticeable delay.
Zano dimmers less so.

 

[SimonH2]

Are you sure that's anything to do with dimming? Many of the LED lights I have take a very short time (probably usually 0.5 to 1.0 seconds) to 'light up' when switched on, even when switched by a good-old 'proper switch'!

Varilight dimmers have a soft start feature - documented in the instructions. I guess it protects both the dimmer and the lamps from power-on surges. I agree it could be shorter though.

 

[lloyda]

Thanks for the suggestions. Varilight Pro installed, with Integral dimmable leds. Dimming works well, but only time will tell how reliable the dimmer (and the leds) are. And yes, there is a delay on switch on as a resulted of the documented soft start.

 

[abshassan]

Thanks for the suggestions. Varilight Pro installed, with Integral dimmable leds. Dimming works well, but only time will tell how reliable the dimmer (and the leds) are. And yes, there is a delay on switch on as a resulted of the documented soft start.

Hi, I appreciate this is an old thread but I am planning on using the Varilight V-Pro 120W switch for 11 LED downlights. I know the recommended is 10, but I need the smaller 2-gang switch, the higher power 2 gang switch is only available in the wider size.

Which one did you opt for for your 15 LED lamp set-up and how is it going for you? Thanks

 

[FrodoOne]

I’m putting on my Winston pedant costume.

LED lights do not have a filament!

However, there are LED lamps with "strings" of LEDs in series, arranged to look like an Incandescent Filament.

I have found these "Filament LEDs" to be the most reliable type of LED Lamp.
Unlike other types of LED Lamps, where about half of the "Lamp" contains "control components" - producing "waste heat" - most of the "Waste Heat" comes from the LED "string" and not from the few associated "control components' contained within the Base, which acts as a "heat-sink" - and the Socket acts as a further "heat-sink".

 

[SimonH2]

I don't why they specify a number of lamps as well as a total wattage. Seems illogical to me. As long as you don't exceed the rated wattage then it should be OK. So if they are (for example) 5W downlights, 11 lamps is 55W which is well within the capacity of the dimmer.
I suppose that if you were to try and run a gazzillion tiny lamps, then there might be issues with masses of capacitance in all the individual drivers, but for a normal setup I don't see that being a problem.

 

[JohnW2]

I suppose that if you were to try and run a gazzillion tiny lamps, then there might be issues with masses of capacitance in all the individual drivers, but for a normal setup I don't see that being a problem.

Possibly - but even if that is a consideration, the difference between 10 and 11 is certainly not something to loose any sleep over!

 

[abshassan]

I don't why they specify a number of lamps as well as a total wattage. Seems illogical to me. As long as you don't exceed the rated wattage then it should be OK. So if they are (for example) 5W downlights, 11 lamps is 55W which is well within the capacity of the dimmer.
I suppose that if you were to try and run a gazzillion tiny lamps, then there might be issues with masses of capacitance in all the individual drivers, but for a normal setup I don't see that being a problem.

Possibly - but even if that is a consideration, the difference between 10 and 11 is certainly not something to loose any sleep over!

Thank you both for the encouraging feedback. I will try the 11 downlights with the Varilight V-Pro 120W switch. Hope it all turns out OK