sine wave dimmers
sine wave dimmers
(OP)
Are there any sine-wave dimmers that will be a replacement for those noisy triac-based dimmers? The load consists of incandescent lamps of maybe 1500-2000W (120VAC 60Hz). I would like to eliminate some electrical and audible noise for an audio listening room. I suppose I could use variable autotransformers, but I think they are probably too big to fit in a standard switch box.
Or are there any other solutions that I should be looking at?
Thanks in advance,
Glenn
Or are there any other solutions that I should be looking at?
Thanks in advance,
Glenn





RE: sine wave dimmers
There are Variac auto-transformers that are made to dim incandescents but they are generally limited to theater applications. They're about 8" in diameter and 3" deep.
Your best bet now is probably getting the Cree LED bulbs which are dimmable. Their filaments won't "sing". And the current will be so low the dimmer itself probably won't buzz either.
Or go out-of-the-box and use completely separate "dim lighting" like indirect rope lights or something then just turn off the bright lights altogether.
Keith Cress
kcress - http://www.flaminsystems.com
RE: sine wave dimmers
Aside - has anyone ever tried running the LED lamps from a DC supply equivalent to rectified mains? I wonder...
RE: sine wave dimmers
One might even install two parallel systems. Leave the existing bright system for non-listening periods, and a less powerful silent system.
A pure DC system offers the possibility of perfect silence, assuming that the inevitable switching power supply is installed elsewhere.
RE: sine wave dimmers
RE: sine wave dimmers
RE: sine wave dimmers
But if you absolutely have to stick with incandescent lamps, check out "reverse phase control" or "trailing edge" dimmers. Instead of varying the turn on phase and hitting the filament with a large step in voltage, they turn on at the zero crossing and vary the turn-off phase, producing much less audible noise.