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FAQs WHAT MAKES THE LIGHT DIM? IF THE LIGHTS ARE BEING TURNED ON AND OFF WON'T THE LIGHTS SEEM TO BE FLICKERING? CAN LUTRON DIMMERS BE GANGED? WHY DOES MY LAMP BUZZ? HOW CAN I MINIMIZE RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE? HOW DO I TELL MAGNETIC AND ELECTRIC LOW-VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS APART? CAN I USE A 3-WAY DIMMER IN THE 4-WAY SWITCH LOCATION? WHY DOESN'T MY ACCESSORY DIMMER WORK? THE MASTER DIMMER OPERATES THE LIGHTS PROPERLY. CAN I DIM A 3-WAY CIRCUIT? WHAT SORT OF DIMMER SHOULD I CHOOSE? CAN I REPLACE MY EXISTING SWITCH? DO I NEED ANY SPECIAL CABLE TO INSTALL A DIMMER? CAN USING DIMMERS SAVE MONEY? HOW DO DIMMERS SAVE ENERGY? DOESN'T TURNING THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF SO QUICKLY DECREASE BULB LIFE? WHY DO DIMMERS GET WARM, AND IS THIS SAFE? WHAT IS RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE (RFI)? WILL LUTRON DIMMERS AFFECT HIGH-END OUTPUT? CAN I USE A 3-WAY DIMMER IN A SINGLE-POLE APPLICATION? CAN I USE A STANDARD 2-WAY SWITCH WITH A MULTI-LOCATION DIMMER? WHAT SHOULD I USE TO CLEAN MY DIMMERS? WHY ARE MY ENERGY SAVING OR SCREW IN FLUORESCENT LAMPS DROPPING OUT AT LOW END OR FLICKERING? WHAT KIND OF DIMMERS DO I USE WITH MY LOW VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS? WHAT ARE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE DIMMER? HOW DO I PREVENT LAMPS WITH DIMMERS FROM FLICKERING OR BUZZING? WHAT MAKES THE LIGHT DIM? The triac is the key to dimming. This dimmer component actually turns on and off very rapidly - 120 times per second. This technology is illustrated below. The longer the light is ON versus OFF (example A) the brighter the light output. By the same logic the longer the light is OFF versus ON (example B) the lower the light output. HOW DO DIMMERS SAVE ENERGY? When the light is off, no energy is being used. The longer the triac is off, the lower the light output, and the greater the energy savings. Dimming the Lights Saves electricity Makes incandescent bulbs last longer 0.1 0.1 2 times longer 0.25 0.2 4 times longer 0.5 0.4 20 times longer 0.75 0.6 > 20 times longer IF THE LIGHTS ARE BEING TURNED ON AND OFF WON'T THE LIGHTS SEEM TO BE FLICKERING? No. No matter how bright or how dim the light level is constant and smooth. the human eye has a built in persistance to see things after they go away. An example of this is in movies where the film is projected on the screen many times a second. DOESN'T TURNING THE LIGHTS ON AND OFF SO QUICKLY DECREASE BULB LIFE? No. Switching the bulb does not decrease bulb life; heat decreases bulb life. by reducing heat, bulb life is increased. CAN LUTRON DIMMERS BE GANGED? Yes. When 2 or more dimmers are in the same wallbox or under the same frame, they are considered ganged. To install ganged dimmers, simply reduce the maximum wattage capacity for each dimmer so that the dimmer does not overheat. See ganging and drating information for each product. WHY DO DIMMERS GET WARM, AND IS THIS SAFE? The technical explanation. During normal operation, solid-state dimmers generate heat. A solid-state dimmer is roughly 98% efficient-2% of the power is dissipates as heat, causing the dimmer to feel warm to the touch. The closer a dimmeris run to full output and the higher the load (watts) on the dimmer, the warmer it will feel. This is perfectly normal and safe. Lutron dimmers are designed to the strictest safety standards, and can handle their full rated load (a 500 Watt dimmer can handle a full 600W of power*. Without overheating.) *Dimmers that are ganged together in a common wallbox may need to be derated. Consult the product instruction sheet. WHY DOES MY LAMP BUZZ? Occasionally, you may sometimes notice that a lamp is buzzing. This is caused by the lamp filament vibrating as the dimmer rapidly switches the lamp on and off. Lamp buzz is generally noisiest at the mid-range (50%) dimming level. If this happens use physically smaller lamps, or lower wattage lamps. WHAT IS RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE (RFI)? RFI is a buzzing noise which may occur in some audio and radio equipment when solid-state dimmers are used nearby. Although every Lutron dimmer contains a filter to suppress RFI, additional filering may be required in some applications. Typical examples of RFI-sensitive equipment are AM radios, stereo sound systems, broadcasting equipment, intercom systems, public address systems, and wireless telephones. RFI can be transmitted in two ways: Radiated Conducted Note: The suggestions in this application note will help minimize RFI: however, they do not guarantee that RFI will be completely eliminated. Radiated RFI Any sensitive equipment that is in close proximity to dimming equipment can pick up the RFI and generate noise into its system. The following are three possible ways to minimize the readiated RFI: Physically separate the RFI-sensitive equipment from the dimmer and its wiring. Run dimmer wiring separate Use a lamp debuzzing coil (available from Lutron) to filter the RFI. Conducted RFI In some cases, RFI is conducted through the building wiring and directly into the AC power supply of the sensitive equipment To minimize the conducted RFI, follow these guidelines: Feed sensitive equipment from a circuit without a dimmer on it. Add a power-line filter to the sensitive equipment. Add shielded wire for all microphones and input cables. Also, use low-impedance balanced microphone cables, which are less susceptible to interference than high-impedance types Make sure all the equipment is grounded. Connect all shields to the ground at one point. Ground lighting fixture metal housings properly. Use a lamp debuzzing coil (available from Lutron) to filter the RFI. Lamp Debuzzing Coils Lamp debuzzing coils (LDCs) are the most effective way to reduce RFI. One LDC is required for each dimmer. Select the LDC according to the connected lighting load. The LDCs may be wired in series on either the line side or the load side of the dimmer. For maximum RFI suppression, keep the wirign between the LDC and the dimmer as short as possible. Since the LDC itself make an audible buzz, mount in a location where the noise will not be objectionable (e.g., an electrical closet, a basement, or above a drop ceiling). LDCs are designed to easily mount onto a standard 4inchX4inch junction box. Thay are UL listed and thermally protected. The following LDCs are available from Lutron: Model # Rated Capacity: LDC-10-TCP LDC-16-TCP 1201-1920W Note: For more details on LDCs, contact the Lutron Hotline HOW CAN I MINIMIZE RADIO FREQUENCY INTERFERENCE? Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) occurs when solid-state dimmers emit noise that interferes with AM radios, audio equipment, etc. Every Lutron dimmer includes radio frequency interference suppression circuitry. Additional filtering may be required in some applications. In instances where interference does occur, Lutron recommends the following: Ensure there is 6' (2m) between the dimmer and audio equipment Place the dimmer on a separate circuit than the audio equipment Run dimmer wiring separate Use a lamp debuzzing coil to filter the RFI Purchase an in-line filter for the audio equipment Use an electronic low-voltage dimmer (requires a separate neutral wire) for incandescent loads. WILL LUTRON DIMMERS AFFECT HIGH-END OUTPUT? When the Lutron dimmer is set at full, most users will not notice a difference from a switched light. A light meter will register a slightly lower high-end output, as Lutron dimmers automatically save electricity and make incandescent bulbs last longer. HOW DO I TELL MAGNETIC AND ELECTRIC LOW-VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS APART? Transformers may have magnetic (core and coil, toroidal) or electronic (solid-state) clearly indicated on the product. However this is not a required marking and will not be found on all products. The best way to determine transformer type is to contact the manufacturer. A hint of the transformer construction can often be found in the transfomer's weight Magnetic (core and coil, toroidal) transformers are often heavy for their size. Electronic (solid-state) transformers tend to be smaller and are often light for their size. Yes. If a product purchased as a 3-way control needs to be used in a single-pole application, cap off one of the traveler wires with a wire connector. CAN I USE A 3-WAY DIMMER IN THE 4-WAY SWITCH LOCATION? No. 3-way dimmers may only be located in either of the 3-way switch positions. CAN I USE A STANDARD 2-WAY SWITCH WITH A MULTI-LOCATION DIMMER? No. Multi-location dimmers do use standard 2-way wiring, but make use of one wire for communications while the other carries the load current. A 2-way switch is not compatible with this. WHY DOESN'T MY ACCESSORY DIMMER WORK? THE MASTER DIMMER OPERATES THE LIGHTS PROPERLY. Reverse the connections on the Master Dimmer. It is on the load side of the circuit. WHAT SHOULD I USE TO CLEAN MY DIMMERS? Use only a damp soft cloth. Chemical cleaners can damage plastic. CAN I DIM A 3-WAY CIRCUIT? Yes. A 2-way dimmer will replace one of the 2-way switches. A 3-way circuit can be dimmed from all switch locations by using a Multi-Location dimmer and 2 Accessory Dimmers such as RANIA, RANIA IR or MiLENYIA WHY ARE MY ENERGY SAVING OR SCREW IN FLUORESCENT LAMPS DROPPING OUT AT LOW END OR FLICKERING? This is a problem to with lamps or transformers you use and the electrical load. You will need to identify the part number of your dimmer and call the helpline. WHAT SORT OF DIMMER SHOULD I CHOOSE? See the "Choosing Your Dimmer" section for a step by step guide. WHAT KIND OF DIMMERS DO I USE WITH MY LOW VOLTAGE TRANSFORMERS? Low voltage lighting uses a transformer that is either magnetic or electronic. Use Lutron universal dimmers to control both. We recommend Lutron transformers designed specifically for electronic low voltage applications. CAN I REPLACE MY EXISTING SWITCH? Yes. You can replace a switch with a dimmer, just as you would another switch. WHAT ARE THE DIMENSIONS OF THE DIMMER? 86mm x 86mm. DO I NEED ANY SPECIAL CABLE TO INSTALL A DIMMER? No. You just use the existing two wires to make the new connection. HOW DO I PREVENT LAMPS WITH DIMMERS FROM FLICKERING OR BUZZING? This is a problem to with lamps or transformers you use and the electrical load. You will need to identify the part number of your dimmer and call the helpline. CAN USING DIMMERS SAVE MONEY? Dimmers save energy and increase the life of your light bulb so they are friendlier to the environment and to your pocket.
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