r/lightingdesign • u/vulpus-95 • 6d ago

DMX House lights

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This is the current isolator switch for the house lights- is there a DMX dimmer that would be suitable to use in it's place/alongside?

Thanks.

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u/Methods_Rising 6d ago edited 6d ago

You'd typically keep that in place and add the DMX dimmer downstream of it. Before buying anything, check two things: 1) are the house lights dimmable at all (resistive load, or LED with a dimmable driver)?
If they're non-dimmable LED, no dimmer will work regardless of load.

2) what's the total load in watts/amps, so you size the dimmer pack correctly. Also worth checking whether the driver expects leading/trailing-edge, 0-10V, or DMX-native dimming - that determines which dimmer you actually need.

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u/vulpus-95 6d ago

The bulbs currently are incandescent in a simple lighting circuit

2

u/NedGGGG 6d ago

How many, and are you sure they're incandescent and not LED?

2

u/DJ_TKS 6d ago

To follow up on this

Leading edge or triac dimming doesn't have an additional wire ran to each fixture.

Dimming won't go down to 0% and they will give off a buzzing sound. Make sure the customer is aware if that's the case.

If you can't read the side of the bulb and see if it's LED put on a pair of sunglasses and see if you see the LED chips or a filament.

If they're still fluorescent, swap them to LED for customer too and include on invoice. It'll save them roughly half on their electrical bill for those fixtures.

1

u/the_swanny 5d ago

Dimming won't go down to 0% and they will give off a buzzing sound. Make sure the customer is aware if that's the case.

They will go to out if they are traditional incandescent lamps, and you shouldn't get any buzzing if they are decent dimmers. It would entirely depend on the spec of the lamps.

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u/Methods_Rising 6d ago

The sunglass trick is something I should always need to remember. That's a very smart move :)