Blog: LED lighting and lighting design
Exploring the relationship between LED lighting, lighting design and the characteristics of LEDs
Precise LED control
Lighting control systems are the best way to manage and dim LED lighting.
The growth of LED in residential lighting schemes has highlighted one of the massive benefits of lighting control systems. Lighting control systems are the best way of managing and dimming LED lighting.
LEDs and conventional dimming don’t sit comfortably together. Conventional dimming has improved considerably but people can still enounter issues. Problems can include erratic dimming performance, flickering and popping. Conversely a properly designed and specified control system can dim LEDs smoothly down to low levels.
Dimming Protocols
The best systems offer a range of dimming protocols, including mains trailing-edge, 0-10v, DMX and DALI, the last three offering the most flexibility. DALI has traditionally been used more in commercial environments but we’ve increasingly used DALI in residential projects. With the right light fittings it delivers smooth, trouble-free dimming down to 1%, while requiring a simpler wiring infrastructure with lower hardware costs.
If all this talk of dimming protocols is a bit intimidating, don’t worry. Properly designed and installed you need never know how your lights are being dimmed. You’ll just enjoy predictable, smooth, flicker-free dimming. If you do want to understand more about the underlying technology, we’ve produced a beginner’s guide to choosing, specifying and designing with LED lighting that covers the different dimming types.
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