Basics of Dimming

ISC Learning Centre

July 2009
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

Contents

What is a dimmer?
Dimmers & customer benefits
Dimmers at home
Dimmers at the office
Dimmers: technical choices
Overview of the Schneider Electric offer

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 2

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

What is a dimmer?
It's an adjustable transformer used
to vary the level of lighting from 0 to
100% of lighting power
0 100%
Fields of application

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 3

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

Customer benefits
Provide comfort & energy savings in day-to-day life
Step-less adjustment of lighting level
Consumption proportional to lighting level
(Dim your light by 25% and save 20% of your energy)

Extended lifetime of filament lamps

Soft start eliminates inrush current
Decreasing line voltage by 10% doubles lifetime

Optimise working comfort & efficiency

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 4

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers at home

Create a pleasant
atmosphere in the
living room
Easily improve a two-
way switch installation
Create
a lighting
atmosphere for each
situation!
Lighting plays an increasingly important role in
modern living
You're having friends over for a drink
You're watching TV
You're having a nice dinner
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 5
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers at home

Reduce discomfort
during the night or when
you wake up
by switching on
with soft light

When you get home late,

get up early or go to the toilet during the night,
minimise inconvenience to other people by using
dimmed lights!
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 6
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers at home

Save energy by reducing

the level of lighting

Up to 20%
energy savings without losing your living comfort!
Reduce brightness while you are watching TV (living room, corridor,
kitchen)
Use the energy reduction function offered by our dimmer range (20%
savings)
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 7
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers at home

In summer, improve comfort

and energy savings

Save energy by
controlling
the speed of a fan
instead
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 8
 Basics of Dimming
> Examples of dimming at home

Remote Dimmers to control sofa,

eating area and kitchen lights
separately
Push-Buttons for
living room lights
On Off + Dim near each door

Kitchen light
control
Dim in the room
to work properly
on the computer

Push-Buttons
for living
room lights
On Off +
Dim

Dim in the bedroom

near the door
Double Dimmer unit at the head
- for outdoor lights Push-Buttons for
of the bed
- for living room light living room lights
On Off + Dim near each door
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 9
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers at the office

Focus attention
at conferences
By dimming the light
in the room!

Create scenes to be more efficient by focusing your

participants' eyes on the screen!

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 10

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers at the office

Save energy in corridors,

entrance halls, etc.

Keep just the necessary lighting level!

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 11

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers at the office

Improve your working

comfort

Adapt the level of light in your room and on your screen

to work without tiring your eyes!

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 12

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers: technical choices

Technically, dimmers depend

on the type of lights or loads 1/3
Technically, dimmers depend on the type of lights or
loads
Ohmic loads: incandescent lights, bulbs or 230 V AC R
halogen
Inductive loads: Low voltage halogen lights with
ferromagnetic transformers or some fluorescent tubes
(linear or lamp) with ferromagnetic transformers L

Capacitive loads: Low voltage halogen lights with

electronic transformers C
Fluorescent tubes with electronic ballast (1-10 V DC)
Halogen fluo-compact lights are not dimmable yet. +

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 13

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers: technical choices

Technically, dimmers depend

on the type of lights or loads 2/3
Dimming is performed by varying the incoming voltage of the light

Closing phase control Opening phase control

Adapted to Ohmic loads & Adapted to

Inductives loads Capacitive loads

For ohmic loads For capacitive loads

& inductive loads
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 14
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers: technical choices

Technically, dimmers depend

on the type of lights or loads 3/3
Fluorescent tubes
L
N
Ballast 1 Ballast 2 AL
+ + E NT I ON
Dimmer V
CON
100% Output

10% 1-10Vdc

Tube Tube

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 15

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers: technical choices

Technically, dimmers depend

on the type of lights or loads 3/3
Fluorescent tubes
Alternative Dimmer + Gateway KNX/DALI used in stand-alone

DALI bus

Dimmer
100% Output
Dimmable Fluorescent
10% tubes
1-10 Vdc

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 16

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmer selection parameters

Parameters
Technical parameters
Type of light (Incandescent, Halogen 230 V AC, Halogen low voltage,
Fluorescent tube)
Power (in Watts = number of lights)
Neutral wire available or not (in case of refurbishment)
Combination with other functions (shutter control, heating control, etc.)
Customer parameters
Touch, rotary dimmer,
remote

Design & Colors

Light variation from several locations (depending on room layout)

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 17
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmer technologies

Schneider Electric's technical portfolio

for dimming
We provide dimmers compatible with R, L, C loads and 1-10 V DC
fluorescent tubes
You can get these solutions with:
Residential Small Buildings Buildings
Stand-alone dimmers
Wired wall- Infra-red Radio-frequency DIN rail dimmer
mounted
Intelligent
Home Control

BUS solution: IH
C KNX, LON
KNX, LON

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 18

Basics of Dimming
> Wired dimmers

Wired wall-mounted dimmers Light

Dimmer
Principle: The product includes the dimming function L- 230Vac

Several types of control:

Rotary Dimmers N- 230Vac

For all lighting loads* & motors (fans, etc.)

Step-Step rotary resistance
Memory function

Comfort Rotary Dimmers

Add-on functions (energy saving function = 80% of max. power,
Position indicator, etc.)

Touch Dimmers
With or Without memory function
(*except FLC= FLuo-Compact lights)
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 19
Basics of Dimming
> Wired dimmers

Wired wall-mounted dimmers

Dim the light from several locations (doors, entrances, stairs, etc.)

1 Essential solution
- Adjust the light level from several location
- All Push-Buttons can dim the light!!!

Living room
Super Dimmer ceiling
L- 230Vac

Alternative
- Rotary with 3 MTN577099
memories In hall entrance

T I ON
Push-Buttons
OVA
PB1 Kitchen entrance REN
PB2 Sliding glass window
PB3 Garage door, etc.
N- 230Vac

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 20

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmer components

MERTEN International
How to order rotary and touch dimmers? Three parts!
Complete Dimmer
Mechanism Function plate Deco.
Frame
(Insert)

+ + =
I.E MTN577099 MTN567719 MTN489119

- For R load - Standard rotary plate, - Range

- For L load - Comfort rotary plate - Color
- For C load - Standard sensor cover - Single, double, etc.
- Super Dimmer - Remote sensor cover
- With/without memory
- Power 400W- 600W-1000W

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 21

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

Our offer
Universal Comfort Rotary Dimmer Segments to indicate the light level
2 segments always ON for people
to find their way in the dark

1-key memory
(ON/OFF + brightness
saving)
2-key memory
(ON/OFF +
brightness saving)

Indicator light key

On/off by pressing Energy function key 80%
Enable or disable the circular indication light
Activated when the key is pressed
+ Rotary dimmer for >5s with the light on.
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 22
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

Infra-red control L
Infra-red devices
Principle:
An IR emitter and one (or more) IR receiver(s)
are associated R

For all lights (loads)

One or more receivers in the walls
One emitter (remote)
E
N
Main advantage:
control the light(s) without moving
(from the sofa, etc.)
More info? ISC Training
- Discover Merten
International range of
Dimmers
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 23
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

Infra-red control
Example of association - Control lights
and shutters from the same remote!! MTN577099

Shutter 1 Outdoor light

MTN573998
(Living room TV)
MTN58641
9 Living room light 1
Channel 3 (sofa)
Channel 4
Channel 1
Living room light 2
(dinner table)
Channel
5
Group Shutter 2
(Living room) Living room light 3
Channel 6 (lights on outlets)

MTN570222
Kitchen light
Channel 2 Channel 7

Channel 3 can be used several times as theChannels 9 & 10:

receivers are not in the same room Up & Down
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 24
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

Wired dimmers
L
Dimmers in control cabinet on DIN rail
Principle:
Push-button(s) give the information to the module.
The module controls the light.
For all lights (all loads except FLC)
Main advantage:
Usually more powerful than wall-mounted products
Can be controlled by many push-buttons in parallel
Good for renovation and maintenance due to location
in the control cabinet

More info?
- Discover Merten International range of
Dimmers

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 25

Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

Radio-frequency control
RF system R
Principle:
An RF emitter and one (or more) RF receiver(s)
are associated
Each receiver can be controlled by several
emitters
Each emitter can control several receivers E
For all loads
One or more receivers in the walls
Main advantage:
Control of light through walls
Control of several light circuits
Control of scenes or scenarios More info?
- Discover Unica RF
Wide range of receivers (mobile socket outlet, - Discover Connect RF on
receiver for ceiling, in walls) TSG
- Understand Unica RF (in-
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date
class)
26
- Understand Connect (in-
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

Intelligent home control

System principle:
Central programmable unit located in the control cabinet
Several push-buttons and lights are connected to the
central unit
Programming of function blocks to create the dimming
function
For all loads (except FLC)
For residential market or small offices
Main advantage:
Flexibility of programming
Can manage many lights and other functions such as
shutters, heating, etc.

More info?
- Discover IHC on TSG
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date
- Understand IHC (In- 27
class)
Basics of Dimming
> Dimmers

KNX or LON field-bus

System principle
Intelligent components are connected together
(push-buttons, touch panels, output modules, etc.)
A software tool is used to create the dimming function
For all loads (except FLC)
For medium to large size buildings (and high end
residential)
Main advantage:
Flexibility of programming
Can manage many lights and other functions such as
shutters, heating, etc.

More info?
- Discover our KNX training
modules
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date - Discover our Lon training 28
module
Basics of Dimming
> Building - Fluorescent tube - Control ways

Connection to our KNX System through

our DALI Gateway
L
N
DALI bus
Push
Buttons
Dimmable Fluorescent
tubes

KNX Bus

More info on buses?

- See our KNX and LON courses
More info on DALI?
- See training module Basic of
Lights
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 29
Basics of Dimming
> Building - Fluorescent tube - Control ways

Connection with our LON DALI Gateway

DALI DALI
Gateway Power DALI
Supply Controller
LON LON
Other Option
DALI DALI

Power 3

DALI 2 max. 300m

DALI Slaves
max.
64 EVGs

More info on buses?

- See our KNX and LON courses
More info on DALI?
- See training module Basic of
Lights
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 30
Basics of Dimming
> Intranet

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From Swebi
- Select "Operating Divisions
- Select "Europe
- Select "Installation Systems & Control
Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 31
Basics of Dimming
> Intranet

ISC Learning Centre

Then choose what you need in the menu

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 32

Basics of Dimming
> Intranet

Where to get more info?

On the left, you have several choices:

Communication tools
Catalogue
Training

Schneider Electric - Division - Name Date 33

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