What is an ELV type dimmer?

What is an ELV type dimmer?

Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) Dimmers were originally designed to control Electronic Low Voltage Transformers used in low voltage (12V) MR16 type fixtures. ELV dimmers and transformers are more expensive but offer quieter operation, better control and tend to last longer than Magnetic Low Voltage Transformers (MLV).

Are all LED dimmers ELV?

While most integrated LEDs require an ELV dimmer, some European brands do use the 0-10 volt system.

What is an ELV or triac dimmer?

Forward Phase: Forward phase-cut dimming (commonly referred to as incandescent or Triac dimming) is the most common dimming method. It usually uses a MOSFET dimmer that phase cuts the trailing edge of the AC sine wave. ELV dimmers are generally very compatible with LED loads, offering smoother dimming to low levels.

How do I know which dimmer switch to buy?

Choose a dimmer with a wattage rating that meets or exceeds the total wattage of all the light bulbs the dimmer will control. For example, if the dimmer controls a fixture with ten 75-watt bulbs, you need a dimmer rated for 750 watts or higher.

How does ELV dimmer work?

An ELV dimmer works like this: the electrical load is turned off at the end, or trailing edge, of the Alternating Current (AC) waveform. Resistive and capacitive loads are compatible with an ELV dimmer precisely because of its trailing-edge functionality.

How does an ELV dimmer work?

Is ELV dimming forward or reverse phase?

Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) loads generally require reverse phase controls and are not suitable for forward phase dimming. Reverse phase controls modulate the input power by turning ON in the beginning of the cycle and turning OFF in the middle of the cycle.

What is an ELV switch?

ELV stands for Electronic Low Voltage. ELV dimmers are also called simply “electronic dimmers”, as well as “trailing edge dimmers”. These names come from the way in which this dimmer transitions your LED’s luminosity.

How do I know what wattage my dimmer switch is?

Wattage rating is usually on a sticker on the light fixture.

1. Multiply the number of fixtures by the wattage rating of each fixture.
2. Multiply the result by 125 % (continuous load).
3. Round up to the next dimmer wattage rating.

Why do dimmer switches hum?

Dimmer switches work by chopping up the AC current flowing between the switch and the light. The interrupted current can produce a vibration in the electromagnetic field within the light bulb filament or within the switch itself, which can cause a humming or buzzing noise.

Can a ELV dimmer be used with LED bulbs?

Electronic Low Voltage (ELV) dimmers incorporate reverse-phase dimming control, which tends to provide enhanced performance with dimmable LED bulbs. Before using an ELV dimmer with LED/CFL bulbs, ensure the dimmer indicates that it is listed for use with these bulb types.

What do you need to know about Leviton Universal dimmers?

Leviton Universal Dimmers feature an easy to use selector switch for choosing bulb applications. It is pre-configured to the LED/Incandescent mode which is optimized for a wide range of LED applications. In CFL mode the dimmer provides a “kick start*” feature for harder to start bulbs.

Can a universal dimmer be used with an incandescent bulb?

The universal dimmer is preset to the LED/Incandescent mode. Under most conditions, the dimmer can be used with all compatible bulb types in this mode. If you experience flicker in the low end range of dimming, the low end trim adjustment can be used to improve performance.

Which is an example of a 3 way dimmer?

An example of a 3- way is the ability to control the same fixture from a switch at the top of a staircase and from another switch at the bottom of the staircase. The Decora Rocker Slide Universal Dimmer can only be dimmed from a single location and turned ON and OFF from the second location (to the current dim level).