Scribd
Upload
21 views

Lighting Controllers

Lighting controls like dimmers, motion sensors, and timers can help save energy by automatically turning lights off when not needed or reducing light levels. Dimmers provide variable indoor lighting and can be operated manually or with sensors. Motion sensors turn lights on with motion and off after, while occupancy sensors detect indoor activity to turn lights on and off. Photosensors prevent lights from operating during daylight hours.

Uploaded by

antonycj454
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
21 views

Lighting Controllers

Lighting controls like dimmers, motion sensors, and timers can help save energy by automatically turning lights off when not needed or reducing light levels. Dimmers provide variable indoor lighting and can be operated manually or with sensors. Motion sensors turn lights on with motion and off after, while occupancy sensors detect indoor activity to turn lights on and off. Photosensors prevent lights from operating during daylight hours.

Uploaded by

antonycj454
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

Lighting controls can help save energy – and money – by

automatically turning lights off when they're not needed, by


reducing light levels when full brightness isn’t necessary, or
otherwise controlling the lighting in and around your home.

Common types of lighting controls include:

 Dimmers
 Motion sensors, occupancy sensors, and photosensors
 Timers.

Before purchasing and using any lighting controls, it's a good idea
to understand basic lighting terms and principles. Also, it helps to
explore your indoor and outdoor lighting design options if you
haven't already. This will help narrow your selection.

Dimmers
Dimmer controls provide variable indoor lighting and can be
operated manually, or with timers or sensors.. When you dim
lightbulbs, it reduces their wattage and output, which helps save
energy.

Dimmers are generally inexpensive and can increase the service


life of certain types of light bulbs, as well as provide some energy
savings when lights are used at a reduced level. However, with
incandescent lighting, dimming reduces lumen output, or
brightness, more than wattage, which makes incandescent bulbs
less efficient as they are dimmed.

Dimmers and LEDs

Many light-emitting diode (LED) lightbulbs can be used with


dimmers, but they must be designed for dimming. The packaging
or accompanying instructions will indicate if the product is
dimmable.

Dimmers and CFLs

Unlike incandescents, CFLs do not become less efficient when


dimmed. Some CFLs are compatible with standard dimmers,
which will be indicated on the package. Others require special
dimming ballasts and bulb holders. Fluorescent dimmers are
dedicated fixtures and bulbs that provide even greater energy
savings than a regular fluorescent bulb. Dimming a CFL that is
not designed to work with a dimmer switch is not recommended,
as this can shorten its life significantly.

You can change the lightbulbs in fluorescent lighting


fixtures rather than replace them.

Motion Sensors
Motion sensors automatically turn lights on when they detect
motion and turn them off a short while later. They are especially
useful for outdoor security and utility lighting.

Because utility lights and some security lights are needed only
when it is dark and people are present, the best way to control
might be a combination of a motion sensor and photosensor.

Occupancy Sensors
Occupancy sensors detect indoor activity within a certain area.
They provide convenience by turning lights on automatically when
someone enters a room, and save energy by turning lights off
room or reducing light output when a space is unoccupied.
Occupancy sensors must be located where they will detect
occupants or occupant activity in all parts of the room.

Ultrasonic sensors detect sound, while infrared sensors detect


heat and motion. In addition to controlling ambient lighting in a
room, they are useful for task lighting applications such as over
kitchen counters. In such applications, task lights are turned on
by the motion of a person washing dishes, for instance, and
automatically turn off after the person leaves the area.

Photosensors
You can use photosensors to prevent lights from operating during
daylight hours. This can help save energy because you don't have
to remember to turn off your lights.

Photosensors sense ambient light conditions, making them useful


for all types of outdoor lighting. These light-sensitive controls can
be less effective inside the home because lighting needs vary with
occupant activity rather than ambient lighting levels. Many LED
nightlights, however, have this feature built in which makes them
effective and easy to use.

Timers
Timers can be used to turn lights on and off at specific times.
Manual timers plug into an electrical outlet for controlling objects
such as lamps or light strings. Programmable digital timers, which
can look like digital thermostats, automate indoor or outdoor
lighting.

Programmable timers are not often used alone for outdoor


lighting because the timer may have to be reset often with the
seasonal variation in the length of nighttime. However, they can
be used effectively in combination with other controls. For
example, the best combination for aesthetic lighting may be a
photosensor that turns lights on in the evening and a timer that
turns the lights off at a certain hour of the night (such as 11
p.m.).

For indoor lighting, timers are useful to give an unoccupied house


a lived-in look. However, they may have limited use in an
occupied home because they do not respond to changes in your
day-to-day activities.

Using Timers with CFL and LED Lighting

Timing controls work well with LED and CFL light bulbs, as they
do not interrupt the circuitry. This is especially true with manual
timers that use pins for setting the on and off times. When using
a programmable digital timer, check the package label to be sure
it’s compatible with the type of lighting you want to use.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy