How to install a dimmer correctly?

Modern dimmers make it possible to control the intensity and brightness of lighting. Currently, there are many different types of them for different rooms and conditions. To choose the one that suits, read all the characteristics and installation rules.

The principle of operation of the device

It consists of channels that are combined in the body (their number varies from 1 to 24). The design is different:

• wall -mounted (similar to stationary switches), from 12 to 24 channels (per 1 channel, the permissible load is 1-3 kW);
• rack (mounted in a rack), consists of 12 channels (load – 2-5 kW);
• suspended (located near light sources), 4 channels (1-3 kW).

All electronic dimmers as the main element have in their design a key that is controlled by:

• semiconductor transistor;
• triac;
• thyristor devices.

A bidirectional thyristor cuts off the leading or trailing edge of the AC sine wave, thereby reducing the voltage supplying the lamp.

Types and features of structures

Depending on the installation method, dimmers are:

• Wall. They have the same mounting parameters as the key switch. Such devices are the most convenient. They involve the control of lighting fixtures in one room. Designed for wall mounting. The peculiarity of this type of device is that it is mounted:
  • instead of a key switch;
  • in a conventional mounting box;
  • on the wall in an overhead way.
• Modular. Intended for concealed installation. They are installed in the electrical panel on a DIN rail. The external parameters of such a device are fully consistent with the circuit breaker, voltage relay and other switchboard equipment. When used, the electrical wire from it goes to a standard key switch, then to lighting equipment. If you need to adjust the light, open the switchboard and adjust the light from it. This can be an inconvenient solution, since the shield is often located in a different room.
• Portable. They are a kind of tee or time relay. It has a plug and socket. The device is plugged into a regular outlet with a plug, and a plug from a floor lamp, table or pendant lamp is already connected to it. This is a portable device that can be used to adjust the light, for example, in a brooder with chickens. They correct the light. It is this device that manages to adjust the heating, if it is carried out by an IR lamp.
• Suspended. The most compact. They are installed on the power wire of floor lamps, table lamps. This allows you to adjust their glow, which is usually not possible in the basic configuration. Such a device is cut into the power wire of absolutely any portable light source, making it customizable.
• Embedded. They have a similar design to wall-mounted ones, but they are equipped with a less attractive front panel. Such devices are mounted in a box or inside various devices. They are used when functionality is more important than appearance.

Application Requirements

Connection requirements:

• The minimum power of the luminaire to which the connection is made must not be lower than 40 W.
• It is not recommended to install the dimmer in a room where the temperature is above 25 degrees. Overheating the device adversely affects its operation.
• The phase conductor must necessarily go to the break, which is connected to the connector marked L. It is strictly forbidden to connect zero, as well as when connecting a light switch in the standard version.
• To dim fluorescent lamps, choose products with the appropriate designation, which indicates that the lamp can be used for dimming.
• If you decide to use a dimmer with LED lights and strips, buy a specially designed device that can work with such a light source. The leading manufacturers Schneider, Legrand, ABB and Viko have such models in their assortment, but their cost is much higher.
• The power of the dimmer must exceed the total power of the fixtures that it will serve. For example, if you decide to use 3 light bulbs of 100 watts, the power of the device must be selected with a margin of at least 500 watts. If the total power of the fixtures is more than 1 kW, additionally connect an amplifier with which it is possible to service the lighting system with a power of up to 1.8 kW.
• Do not connect capacitive and inductive loads to the dimmer at the same time.

Connection diagrams

Each device has its own connection diagram. The most common schemes for installation:

• Chandelier dimmer. It is equipped with two conclusions, through which it is included in the circuit. In the case of a dimmer, the outputs cannot be interchanged, since each of them has its own purpose: one is connected specifically to the phase, the other only to the load.
• Dimmer Legrand. The high quality of products and their wide range have allowed the Legrand Group to take a leading position in the global market for electrical products. Below are 3 schemes: regulation from one place, regulation from one, and control from two and control from three places.

Standard Conditions

To connect a dimmer instead of the switch that was installed earlier, we lead the phase to break, and ground and zero directly to the lamp (if a 220 Volt network is used for three wires). This option is the simplest and does not take much time, especially if an old strobe is used for installation work.

With switch

This method is more convenient for use in the bedroom, because you can turn on / off the light with a conventional switch, and place the dimmer near the bed, which will allow you to control the brightness of the lighting without getting up.

Dual control

To control the brightness of room lighting from two different locations, install 2 dimmers and connect them together with jumpers. This option is recommended for use in spacious rooms and long corridors.

Installation work

To purchase a new dimmer, first find out what type of lamps it will serve. Then, based on the allocated budget, they buy either an inexpensive Chinese model, or a device from a trusted manufacturer – Makel, Schneider, Legrand. If a new, newly purchased device is installed, the same steps are performed as when installing the switch:

1. Change the wiring or make sure the old cables are good.
2. If there is no separate machine in the electrical panel, install it.
3. Prepare a place for installation.
4. Install.

Switching off the lighting circuit

Start with a forced power outage on the panel, which is located either in the common area or inside the apartment (in the corridor, hallway).

This is provided for by safety standards and ensures that all connected devices and cables are kept in good condition. The main goal is to protect your own health.

Checking the power line is the first action that is performed at the beginning of the installation or removal of the electrical installation, when connecting the wires. It is recommended to use the tool with insulated handles and gloves coated with a thin layer of dielectric polymer.

Dismantling a conventional switch

To remove the old device, prepare a screwdriver. The dismantling process takes only a few minutes and consists in the sequential removal of the decorative outer part first, and then the internal mechanism connected to the wires. The last crucial moment is disconnecting the wires. The cores are carefully removed from the terminals by slightly loosening the holding screws or clamps. One of the free wires (supply phase) is connected to the switch, the second – to the chandelier.

Installing the control device

The dimmer is installed in the box from the old switch:

1. Carefully study the diagram given in the instructions for the dimmer or on the cover of its housing.
2. To disassemble the device, unscrew the locknut and remove all decorative trims.

Disassembled dimmer:
Wiring diagram:

When installing the dimmer, strictly follow the connection procedure recommended by the manufacturer.

Dimmer installation:

1. Insert the dimmer into the mounting box.
2. Carefully bend the wires, insert the regulator into the socket, tighten the spacer screws, attach the decorative frame, fix it with screws and install the adjusting wheel.
3. Check the operation of the installed dimmer by first turning on the power supply. To check, turn the handle of the device until it clicks in a counterclockwise direction – the lamps will not light. Gently turn the regulator clockwise – after a similar click on the lamps, the voltage will gradually increase, as evidenced by a gradual increase in the brightness of the light.
4. Tighten fasteners.
5. Put on all the decorative trims and the swivel wheel.

Dimmer operation

Often a dimmer is purchased to significantly reduce electricity bills. Big savings are not obtained, but it is still possible to reduce costs by 15-17%. The mechanisms of the regulators are sensitive to any excess of temperature in the apartment. Usually there is a limit from +27 to -28 ° C. For the normal functioning of the device, a minimum load of 40 W is required, otherwise the working mechanism quickly fails. If you connect the dimmer to lighting devices not listed in the manual, it will not work. The power of the device must necessarily correspond to the total power of the lamps.

How to change a fuse in a dimmer?

If an incandescent lamp burns out, a low-current fuse often blows along with it, thus protecting the electronics in the dimmer. Instead of a low-current fuse, here you can consider a conventional fuse or circuit breaker for the corresponding electrical circuit in the switchboard. Check this before you remove the rotary knob and switch housing. You will need:

• low current fuse;
• control lamp;
• electrical tester;
• pliers;
• working tweezers;
• narrow pliers;
• screwdriver.

Instruction:

1. Loosen the flat nuts with pliers.
2. Remove the rings with working tweezers, and the body with narrow pliers.
3. Some small parts are difficult to hold and larger parts often require a tool.
4. The corded regulator has a fuse and a spare fuse in the plug.
5. If the lamp is on, then everything is in order with the fuse.

Connecting a dimmer to an electric motor

To regulate the speed of rotation of single-phase electric motors for a supply voltage of 220 V, triac speed controllers are used. The dimmer (triac dimmer) is designed to control a resistive load and is used only as a lamp dimmer.

Passports and instruction manuals usually indicate the inadmissibility of using a dimmer to control the engine.

For example, in the description of a 300W dimmer from Eljo (Sweden), it is indicated that inductive and capacitive loads (conventional transformers, fluorescent lamps and electric motors) cannot work with these dimmers.

Connecting a dimmer to a fan

If you will connect a dimmer to control a ceiling fan, do not install a standard one, because the fan will burn out and the life of the dimmer itself will be significantly reduced. Typical types of adjustable switches that are installed with ceiling fans:

• with a fully variable fan speed, which is used to control paddle fans or smoke exhausters;
• quiet 3-speed or 7-speed for no fan motor noise;
• to control four ceiling fans with one module for each.

How to replace a dimmer with a regular switch?

The dimmer receives phase and zero from the junction box. After removing the dimmer:

1. Connect the phase wire from the junction box to the switch.
2. From the switch, connect the second wire to the chandelier cartridges.
3. From lampholders, connect the neutral wire directly to the neutral wire in the junction box.
4. Connect the ground wires directly as well.

If the switch is two-key, the circuit is almost the same. At the output, distribute which cartridges the wires will go to. Scheme for a single-gang switch:
For
a two-gang switch: To change a regular switch in the house to a dimmer, you need to know which device is more convenient and more suitable. Since there are many varieties on the market, choose according to the price-quality ratio.