Frequently Asked Questions

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WHAT MAKES THE LIGHT DIM ? The triac is the key to dimming. This dimmer component actually turns light 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.

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. Compare dimming to movie projection. A movie is actually 35 individual frames per second projected so quickly that you never detect a break in the action.

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, they are considered "ganged". To install ganged dimmers, simply remove the dimmer side sections from the heat sink. The maximum wattage capacity for each dimmer is reduced (derated) so that the dimmer does not overheat. See also Ganging and Derating

QUIET OR FULLY VARIABLE FAN CONTROLS, WHAT'S THE RIGHT CHOICE ? Quiet Fan Control- If the application is one ceiling paddle fan, a quiet (step) fan control is the best choice. Quiet fan-speed controls will not cause fan-motor hum, making them ideal for bedrooms, children's rooms, media rooms, and other locations where noise is particularly important. Fully Variable Fan Control Although fully variable (full range) fan-speed controls are an option for controlling one single ceiling paddle fan, they are the only choice for controlling more than one ceiling paddle fan, bathroom, whole-house/attic, range hood, agricultural fans and heat exchangers.

CAN NEON/COLD CATHODE LAMPS BE DIMMED ? Yes. By using the proper equipment neon/cold cathode lamps can be successfully dimmed. Lutron Nova_{?/sub> low voltage dimmers and GRAFIK Eye_{?/sub> controls are UL listed for neon/cold cathode loads. All Nova_{?/sub> low voltage dimmers require a neutral wire. For more details, contact the Lutron Hotline and request Application Note #25.}}}

DOES DIMMING AFFECT HALOGEN LAMP LIFE ? Yes, dimming increases incandescent lamp life. Halogen lamps are incandescent lamps with a tungsten filament. Lutron's pilot test data suggests that halogen lamps will have an expected lamp life similar to other incandescent lamps when dimmed. As an example, one type of halogen lamp with a rated life of 2000 hours dimmed to 80 volts has a life extension of at least 5 times. Lutron is continuing testing with various halogen lamps.

WHAT DO I DO WHEN I NEED MORE WATTAGE THAN THAT FOR WHICH THE PRODUCT IS RATED ? Hi-Power 2-4-6_™ dimming modules can be added to any incandescent dimmer to increase the load capacity up to 30,000 watts. Lutron also provides GRAFIK Eye_{?/sub> dimming panels for load capacity up to 144,000 watts in one panel. See page 33 in the Wallbox Lighting Control Catalog for more information.}

YOUR CUSTOMERS MAY NOTICE THAT THEIR DIMMERS SOMETIMES FEEL WARM TO THE TOUCH. 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 dimmer is run to full output and the higher the load (watts) on the dimmer, the warmer it will feel. Your customers need to know. This is perfectly normal and safe. Lutron dimmers are designed to the strictest UL safety standard, and can handle their full rated load (a 600 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 or call the toll-free Lutron Hotline at (800) 523-9466 for more information about ganging and derating.

WHY DO I HAVE TROUBLE DIMMING MY SYLVANIA CAPSYLITE_?AND PHILIPS MASTERLINE_™ LAMPS ? These lamps contain a diode which may interfere with proper dimming performance. Lutron Electronics does not recommend dimming these lamps. Dioded lamps possess either negative or positive polarity, however, the lamps are not marked to indicate whether they are positive or negative. Unsatisfactory dimming performance can occur if the dioded lamps in a circuit have the same polarity (i.e., all positive or all negative). Under these conditions, the lamps will flicker and will not dim below approximately 50%. We recommend that you try one of the following suggestions: Replace one lamp in the circuit with a lamp of opposite polarity. As long as there least one positive lamp and one negative lamp in the circuit, no problems will occur. Since the lamps are not marked as to their polarity, some trial and error may be required to find a combination of lamps that works properly. Use a dimmer with neutral connection, such as our Nova_{?/sub> low voltage series (NLV-600, NLV-1000, NLV-1500). The neutral connection allows the dioded lamps to dim normally. This solution is also suggested for circuits with only one dioded lamp.} The Sylvania trade name for this bulb is Capsylite_{?/sub> and Philips' is Masterline_™. Both manufacturers have plans to remove the diodes in the near future.}

WHY DOES MY LAMP BUZZ ? Occasionally, customers may tell you that their 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, suggest that the customer use rough service lamps (sometimes called garage door opener lamps), physically smaller lamps, or lower wattage lamps. The most effective way of reducing lamp buzz is to install a lamp debuzzing coil (LDC) in the lighting circuit. When an LDC is wired in series with the dimmer, it slows down the inrush of current during the rapid switching cycle of the dimmer. As the current inrush is slowed down, the lamp filament vibration and lamp buzz are reduced. Lutron has two LDC models available to help reduce lamp buzz. The type of LDC required depends on the total wattage of the dimmer's lighting load. Listed below are the model numbers and their respective capacities.
ĄĄ		Model#: LDC-10-TCP LDC-16-TCP		Rated Capacity: 600-1200W 1201-1920W
Note: For loads under 600W, consult the toll-free Lutron Hotline LDCs may be wired in series with the dimmer on its line side or load side. Each dimmer requires its own LDC. LDCs themselves make an audible buzz, and therefore, should be mounted in an area where the noise will not be objectionable (e.g. an electrical closet, a basement, or above a drop ceiling.) The LDCs are UL listed and thermally protected. For further information, contact the Lutron Hotline and ask for Application Note #3.
WHY DO MY LIGHTS FLASH OR SUDDENLY CHANGE LEVELS ? You may be experiencing a common neutral interaction. Common neutral interaction is cross talk between dimmers that share the same neutral wire. This may couse the lights to flicker, flash or suddenly change intensity. When solid-state dimmers are operating, voltage spikes occur and are transmitted onto the neutral wire. Normally this is of little concern, except when the neutral wire is common to two or more phases of a 120/208V, 3-phase, 4-wire system. Under this condition, the voltage spikes may feed back to the dimmers via the common neutral wire, causing interacting between the dimmers. Recommendations: Lutron recommends the following methods to avoid common neutral interaction:
	A. Separate neutrals		B. Filter choke		C. Special Lutron dimmers
Filter Chokes If it is not possible to run separate neutrals for each phase (e.g. an application with existing wiring), you can use filter chokes to "clean up" the voltage spikes creating the interaction. One filter choke is required for each dimmer. The filter choke makes an audible buzz, so care should be taken to mount it in an area where the noise will not be objectionable. Filter chokes can be wired in series on either the line side or the load side of the dimmer. Special Dimmers If it is not possible to run separate neutrals or use filter chokes to correct the interaction, the following special dimmers are available from Lutron to accommodate common neutral applications:
		Model# NCN-600 NCN-1000 NCN-1500 NCN-2000		Max. Load Capacity 600W 1000W 1500W 2000W
Note: All models are for incandescent lighting and are available in Nova_{?/sub> style only.}

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 filtering 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 radiated RFI: Physically separate the RFI-sensitive equipment from the dimmer and its wiring. Run dimmer wiring in its own metal conduit. Use a lamp debuzzing coil (available from Lutron) to filter the RFI. See below for more information. 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 wiring 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 4"x4" junction box. They are UL listed and thermally protected. The following LDCs are available from Lutron:
		Model # LDC-10-TCP LDC-16-TCP		Rated Capacity: 600-1200W 1201-1920W
Note: For more details on LDCs, contact the Lutron Hotline and ask for Application Note #3.

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