Voltage regulator for incandescent lamp. Diagram and description. Download Touch control of the brightness of a lamp (chandelier) Power control circuit for a table lamp

It all started after I installed halogen lamps for lighting at home. When turned on, they often burned out. Sometimes even 1 light bulb a day. Therefore, I decided to make a smooth switching on of the lighting based on a brightness control.

In the store, the factory ones are expensive - about 10 dollars, and they are not very reliable. I had one, and after a couple of months it burned out so that it could not be restored, and I decided to make my own circuit that would not cost more than $1. Here is the diagram of the BT136-600 itself:

And this is the connection diagram to the lamp and network:

Or, more simply put, you can connect it instead of a switch. About the details of the brightness control: C1-0.1uF(104), dynistor DB3, thyristor (triac), you can use another one, depending on the load current. Variable resistor in the range 500kom-1mohm, any LED.

The adjustment consists in selecting the resistance of the variable resistor so that the brightness changes smoothly throughout the entire rotation position of its handle. Material provided by ansel73.

Touch control of the brightness of the lamp (chandelier).

At the input of the microcircuit you see a divider, in one arm of which there is a sensor plate; the output of the microcircuit through transistor VT1 controls the regulating triac VS1.

A short touch to the touch plate turns on the lighting device. A long touch (more than 2...3 seconds) will lead to a smooth change in brightness; when the required brightness is reached, the touch is stopped, and this level is remembered by the microcircuit.

There is also a second control method, in which instead of a touch plate you can use a non-fixed button, but the control principle remains the same. The connection diagram for such a button is shown in the following figure.

In order to ensure correct operation of the regulator, correctly supply phase and zero to the device. There is no need to configure anything in the circuit; if assembled correctly and the elements are in good working order, it works immediately. When selecting elements for a circuit, carefully look at the power (resistors) and voltage (capacitors) indicated on the circuit.

We would like to draw your attention to the fact that the regulator is powered by a 220 Volt network, so be careful and follow electrical safety rules.

On the Internet you can find another similar circuit, which, like the above, is implemented on the K145AP2 chip, but you can see the differences for yourself, the circuit is below:

Transistor VT1 is reverse conduction, you can install KT312, KT315, KT3102.
Instead of those indicated in the diagrams, you can use a triac KU 208.

Addition to the article - circuit of the touch controller on K145AP2 with a field-effect transistor at the input:

The description of the K145AP2 microcircuit can be downloaded from our website via a direct link.

Or a power regulator - a device that regulates power (usually lighting lamps or heating devices). In our case, power reduction is achieved by lowering the voltage.

This dimmer is interesting because it does not have a single moving part (there is nothing to poke or twist), and control is carried out by touching the lamp body.

Description of the process of installing this power regulator in a table lamp and minor difficulties when working with it under the cut.

This power regulator looks like a matchbox with four wires. Exact dimensions: 4.5cm x 3.5cm x 1.4cm. The length of the wires is about 10 cm. By the way, they were immediately stripped.

The connection diagram is embossed on one side of the case (I don’t like it because it has three wires going to the light bulb).

And on the other hand, the operating parameters of the device.

On one side it is written about the network frequency of 50Hz, on the other it is allowed to be used with a frequency of 60Hz. In any case, I don’t have friends in Japan, so I won’t be able to test the performance at 60Hz. The situation is similar with the input voltage (most likely, it will start from 110V).

The case is secured with a couple of latches and is very easy to disassemble.

The dimmer is controlled by a packageless microprocessor, which for some reason sticks out from the main board (saving space?).

The power regulator is designed so that all the load current flows through the output transistor. It is this detail that limits the maximum permissible power of the light bulb.

On one of the sites I found a picture that assures that if the transistor is rectangular, then the dimmer will withstand currents of up to 3A.

We take 3A at a voltage of 220V and get a maximum power of 660W. Now we think why it is needed. The dimmer has no indication of operation. This means that it makes sense to connect only lighting devices to it, which themselves will be indicators. Incandescent lamps with a total power of more than half a kilowatt will ruin the owner at the first attempt to pay the electricity bill, and LED floodlights of such power can easily illuminate an entire hangar (and there is no need for touch control of power). So I didn’t even try to connect more than 100W (namely, this figure is indicated in the product description) and didn’t look for the characteristics of the transistor according to the markings.
But let's get back to the insides.

On the reverse side there is normal soldering but with a small amount of flux that has not been washed off.

The wires are kind of strange. They indicate a cross-section of 0.5 mm^2, but wires of the same cross-section produced by Podolskkabel are clearly thicker. I soldered these wires, and when I installed them in the lamp, I soldered them on.

Later, it was necessary to quickly connect the speakers to the amplifier in the “robot” on. There was nothing except these unfortunate four wires. At the fair, one of the wires managed to break (I still don’t understand how) and the robot spoke at half capacity.

First start

When the package first arrived, I began to wonder how this dimmer works. An unnecessary lamp was found in the closet (the stand from that lamp had long since turned into a microphone stand) and experiments were started.

I really don’t like the diagram of the body, so I drew my own:

I didn’t immediately realize that the ring on the yellow wire could be put on the cartridge securing screw.

Installation

There is nothing complicated here, just solder the wires correctly and hide this dimmer somewhere. To be honest, I messed up here. It was necessary to replace the E27 cartridge with E14 and place the black box in the free space. For some reason I was sure that the dimmer should get very hot, but it doesn’t, and it would be quite comfortable hanging over the LED lamp.

We can only hope that the black electrical tape is as strong as the blue one, and that the ties do not burst (although it would be better to redo it).

Lamp selection

At first there was an ordinary Ilyich light bulb, but then it was replaced with an 8W one. 479 rubles offline and 2 weeks of delivery of goods to the point of issue are offset by honest parameters, a Samsung driver and a two-year warranty.

This is where an unpleasant surprise awaited me. Instead of three operating modes, this light bulb works in only two (the driver counts the middle and maximum modes as one). Those. doesn't work --> low light --> bright light --> bright light --> doesn't work. Most likely, the lamp is made for a dimmer with smooth adjustment, hence the jamb.

Underwater rocks

This dimmer only works with incandescent or dimmable LED lamps;
the lamp body must be a conductor (even paint can interfere with the operation of the touch sensor);
Now your animal can also control your lamp (if it touches it with hairless skin, such as its nose).

Staged photo. In fact, the lamp hangs on the wall and the cat doesn’t particularly bother with it.

Conclusion

While finishing the review, I realized that I had lost the results of voltage measurements, and now I won’t be able to measure them, because the design turned out to be non-removable (the socket in the lamp is disposable, and I had to drop hot-melt adhesive into the dimmer body to securely fix the lid).
It only remains to say that this dimmer can be found for prices starting from $1. I bought it at BIK when they made the track mandatory, but it was a little short of it.

Go for it!

I'm planning to buy +46 Add to favorites I liked the review +37 +64

Dimming in English is translated as “darkening”. What a dimmer is, what they are and where else they can be used we will tell you in this article. From origins to final implementation. The most important question is: can LED lamps be used with a dimmer?

What is a dimmer and why is it needed?

A dimmer is an electronic device capable of regulating power by regulating the voltage supplied to the load. The definition is very dry and boring, let's explain the principle of operation in simpler language.

Power depends on the voltage and current in the load. This means that if you reduce one of the components, the power will also decrease. Voltage and current are related by Ohm's law, which means you can reduce the power of your device (brightness of the lamp) by increasing the total load resistance. That is, use ballast resistors, chokes or capacitors.

Ballast power absorbers - convert excess energy into heat and have low efficiency. To regulate the power of the device, in our case the brightness of the light bulb, you need another device - a dimmer.

Is it possible to connect LED lamps via a dimmer? Can. But not everything will be consistently regulated. Here you need special LED lamps for dimmer.

LED lamps, dimmable , Suitable for use with any regulator. But there are some nuances in the difference between the type of voltage regulation. This is determined by the dimmer's circuitry; the differences will be described in detail in the following sections of the article. The type of dimmer determines how well the LEDs will be regulated.

Which LED lamps can be used with a dimmer? In this matter, everything is extremely individual. It all depends both on the circuit of the light bulb itself and on the circuitry of the regulator. In general, the so-called dimmable LED lamps.

What types of dimmers are there?

Power regulators can be divided into two large groups:

For work in alternating voltage circuits (220V);
for operation in constant voltage circuits (for 12V LED strip).

Drills also need a regulator to adjust the speed; it is located in the button.

It can be used for a variety of purposes, listed in order of popularity:

Light brightness adjustment, dimming of LED and incandescent lamps;
adjusting the heating element temperature in various heaters;
adjusting the speed of the commutator motor.

What are the differences between dimmers?

If you are going to use a switch with brightness control, you first need to find out what they are. And in general, can all LED lamps be dimmed?

Dimmers differ according to the following criteria:

By type of installation;
on execution and method of management;
according to the method of regulation.

Let's take a closer look at each of them.

By installation type

For outdoor installation– surface-mounted switch with dimmer for LED lamps. To install such a device, you do not need to drill a niche in the wall; it is simply mounted on top of the wall. It is very convenient to use in cases where the interior is not a priority or external wiring is installed.

For indoor installation– will fit perfectly into any interior, such as this one.

For DIN rail mounting are very specific and at first may seem that they are not practical. However, this dimmer for LED lamps works with a remote control, and is hidden from prying eyes in the electrical panel.

By execution

According to the design, the light controller for LED and incandescent lamps can be:

Rotary;
rotary-push type;
push-button;
sensory;

Turning- one of the simplest options for dimming an LED lamp, it looks unpretentious and has the simplest functionality.

Turn-push looks almost the same as the rotary one. Thanks to its design, when you press it, the light turns on with the same brightness as it was set the last time you turned it on.

Push-button regulator for LED lighting it looks more technologically advanced and will fit organically into a modern apartment. Like this switch with a dimmer for LED lamps.

Touch models and can be completely different - from luminous circles to smooth one-color panels for adjusting the voltage of LED lamps.

According to the adjustment method

Dimmers vary not only in their design, but also in their operating principle. E This applies specifically to AC dimmers.

The first type of dimmers is more common and cheaper, due to the simplicity of its circuit - this is leading edge cutoff dimmer(English) leading edge). A little further on, its operating principle and circuit will be discussed in detail; for comparison, take a look at the type of voltage at the output of such a regulator.

The graph shows that the remainder of the half-wave is supplied to the load, and its beginning is cut off. Due to the nature of the load switching on, interference is generated in the electrical networks, which interferes with the operation of televisions and other devices. A voltage of the set amplitude is applied to the lamp, and then it fades out when the sine wave passes through zero.

Can a leading edge dimmer be used for LED lamps? Can. LED lamps with a dimmer of this type will only be well adjustable if they were originally designed for this. This is evidenced by the symbols on its packaging. They are also called “dimmable”.

The second type works differently, creates less interference and works better with different light bulbs - this trailing edge cutoff dimmer(English) falling edge).

LED lamps with this type of dimmer adjust better, and its design better supports non-dimmable light sources. The only drawback is that these lamps can adjust their brightness not from “zero”, but within a certain range. At the same time, dimmable LED lamps are simply superbly adjustable.

The best solution is to use a Falling Edge LED dimmer.

A special word can be said about ready-made LED lamps with adjustable brightness. This is a separate class of lighting devices that do not require the installation of additional regulators, but have them in their design. Their adjustments are made using buttons on the case or from the remote control.

Dimmer circuits

Dimmer for 220V voltage, with leading edge cut-off, works on the principle of phase-pulse voltage control. During operation, the elements of such a dimmer supply voltage to the load at certain moments, cutting off part of the sinusoid. This is depicted in detail and more clearly in the graphs.

The area of the sinusoid shaded in gray is the area of the voltage or its effective value that is supplied to the load (a lamp or any other device described above).

The red dotted line shows the voltage waveform at the dimmer input for LED lamps. In this form, it is supplied through a regular switch without adjustments .

How to connect LEDs via a dimmer?

Component ratings and all information are indicated on the dimmer diagram.

The device is installed in a break in the wire going to the light source, motor, heating element or any other device.

The logic of the circuit is as follows: capacitor C1 is charged through chain R1 and potentiometer R2. Depending on the position of the potentiometer, the capacitor is charged to the opening voltage of the dinistor VD1.

The circuit used a DB3 dinistor, which is approximately 30V. Through an open dinistor, a control pulse for opening a triac (bidirectional thyristor) is supplied to its control electrode.

The greater the resistance set by the potentiometer knob, the longer it takes for the capacitor to charge, respectively, the later the dinistor-triac circuit will open, and the voltage will be lower, since most of the sine wave will be cut off. And vice versa - less resistance means more voltage at the output of the regulator.

There are many options for circuits on the Internet with all sorts of modifications, all of them are good. Here is a simple diagram; the figure shows the installation of this version of the scheme.

How to adjust LED lighting

What light bulbs can be used with a dimmer? When mainly incandescent lamps were used for lighting, everything was simple - a regular dimmer could easily cope with adjusting the brightness.

Incandescent light bulbs were replaced by energy-saving fluorescent light bulbs and could not be dimmed at all. Of course, there were electronic ballasts for tubular fluorescent light bulbs with dimmable capabilities, but they were extremely rare and they were expensive.

Now energy-saving lamps are being replaced by LED lamps. The process of emitting light quanta, although complex, is, from a regulatory point of view, perhaps simpler than regulating gas-discharge light sources.

Dimmable LED lamps - what are they?

What does dimmable LED lamp mean? This is a light bulb that can be dimmed using ANYONE dimmer, which is designed for alternating or direct current (depending on the type).

Its power circuit includes functions for changing brightness, depending on the supply voltage. Dimmable LED lamps work with dimmer circuits like the one shown above.

The network dimmer regulates the supplied voltage. This means that at any voltage values, within the range specified by the manufacturer (it is indicated on the light bulb box), the lamp circuit will strive to maintain the specified current. Brightness in turn depends on current.

Regular LED lamps cannot be adjusted; at best, they will simply turn on and off; at worst, they will burn out at low values set on the dimmer.

The cheapest LED lamps have a quenching capacitor. Even if they are regulated, it will be only within very narrow limits, which means they are also not suitable. For an example of dimming conventional LED light bulbs, watch the video.

Dimmable LED lamps 220 Volt

Adjusting the brightness of 220V LED lamps is difficult because there is a current stabilization circuit installed on a specialized driver. Its task is to stabilize the output current to ensure a uniform and long-lasting glow of the LEDs, regardless of the supply voltage.

Conventional LED lamps are not very dimmable. To choose the right LED lamp for a dimmer, you need to carefully study the description and symbols indicated on the box and body of the light bulb.

LED lamps with dimming can be recognized by the inscription: “for dimmer”, “adjustable” or something similar; perhaps a conventional image of a dimmer will simply be drawn, as in the examples below.

Is it possible to adjust the brightness of LED lamps running on DC?

The photo shows a led dimmer for a 12V LED strip. Let's figure out how such a dimmer works with LED lamps.

For DC circuits, the operating principle of the regulator is different. Here, a bipolar or field-effect transistor is used as a metering element, and a pulse generator with a variable duty cycle is used as a metering element.

The method of this control is called pulse width modulation (PWM). To understand how this works you need to look at the graphs.

Vcc is the voltage at the DC dimmer input, Vaverage is the output voltage. You can see how the average voltage changes. As the pulse duration increases and the pause length decreases (we increase the duty cycle), the output voltage increases.

Above is a circuit diagram of a “PWM dimming controller for LED lamps on NE555.” It can act as a device for dimming LEDs. It works like this:

NE555 is a timer, connected here in the pulse generator mode, the frequency and duration of which is set by an RC circuit consisting of R2, potentiometer R1 and capacitor C5, as in the previous circuit, the potentiometer regulates the charging rate of the capacitor, and the pulse width is formed in accordance with the charging speed.

Initially, the circuit produces symmetrical pulses, that is, the pause length is equal to the pulse length. But thanks to the presence of a potentiometer and a chain of two diodes VD1 and VD2, the capacitance is charged and recharged through different resistances of the potentiometer, or rather through different pairs of its contacts.

Therefore, PWM adjustable pulses are generated with a constant frequency, but a variable duty cycle.

If you use it in a car or for dimming an LED strip, you can eliminate the additional 9 volt power supply based on the 7809 linear regulator and supply power to the first point after it in the circuit.

But here are photos of a homemade dimmer for LEDs, if necessary, you can copy the location of the tracks and repeat it. Or assemble it on a breadboard.

A video of how dimming LED lamps works using this circuit, using a side-glow strip as an example, is located below.

Using this circuit, it is possible to dim 12V LED circuits and any other DC load. For example, adjust the speed of revolutions of a PC cooler, brushed motors, heaters, in general, anything you can think of. In one of the articles we already talked about.

What dimmer is needed for LED light bulbs?

To select a dimmer for LED lamps and ensure their compatibility, you must first decide which lamps you will use. If you are planning to buy 220V LED light bulbs, phase-pulse devices, which were discussed at the beginning of the article, are suitable for this. Take models with trailing edge cut-off.

For low-voltage DC lamps (for example, 12V, which are used in spotlights, table lighting or car lamps), any PWM controller or dimmer for LED strips will do. They all work on the principle of pulse-width modulation; linear regulation is already a thing of the past.

It is also better to buy special LED lamps for dimmer. Although they are more expensive, there will be no problems with their adjustment. You will create the desired lighting solution only if you choose the right dimmer and LED lamps for it.

Share your experience in adjusting the brightness of LEDs and LED lamps in the comments!

To adjust the brightness of incandescent lamps, special controls are used. These devices are also called dimmers. They exist in different modifications, and if necessary, you can always select the required model in the store. They basically replace the switch in an incandescent lamp. The simplest modification includes one rotary controller with a knob. When adjusting the brightness, the electricity consumption indicator also changes.

If we remember the old days, we didn't use knobs to adjust the brightness. Instead, special rheostats were installed. With their help it was also possible to regulate fluorescent lamps. In general, they coped with their duties well, but they had one drawback. It is connected with As mentioned earlier, modern regulators consume less electricity if they are not used at full capacity. In the case of rheostats, this rule does not apply. At minimum power, electricity is consumed in the same way as at maximum. The excess in this case is converted into heat.

Conventional regulator circuit

A simple dimmer circuit involves the use of a linear-type potentiometer, as well as a pair of low-power transistors. To suppress high frequencies, capacitors are used in the system. Cores in devices of this type are needed only of the ferrite type. A dinistor with a thyristor is installed directly in front of the terminals.

How to install a rotary control in a lamp?

In order for a table lamp with a dimmer to work properly, you should check the voltage on the semiconductor. This can be done using a regular tester. Next, you should inspect the incandescent lamp board. If it is installed as a single-channel type, then everything is quite simple to do. It is important to connect the output semiconductors to output ports that have negative polarity. In this case, the maximum resistance should be 3 ohms. To check the device, you need to turn the controller and monitor the brightness of the incandescent lamp.

Installing a push-button regulator into a lamp

In order for the incandescent lamp brightness control to work properly, it is important to carefully familiarize yourself with the control board of the device. Next you need to connect all the contacts. If a multi-channel circuit is used, then the voltage on it is checked with a tester. Direct connection of contacts is carried out using soldering. It is important not to touch the resistors during operation. Additionally, care must be taken to insulate the wiring. Before turning on the regulator, you need to check the reliability of all connections. After turning on the power, you should try changing the brightness by pressing the button.

High Voltage Dimmers

High voltage dimmers are typically found in theaters. There, incandescent lamps are quite powerful, and the devices must be able to withstand heavy loads. High-voltage triacs (marked KU202) are used for this purpose. Bipolar transistors are used, but conventional modifications are also installed.

They are soldered near the thyristors and are necessary for fast signal transmission. Zener diodes can most often be found marked D814. They are quite expensive in the store, and this should be taken into account. in the system are capable of withstanding at 60 ohms. At this time, conventional analogues are fused with only 5 Ohms.

Models with precision resistors

A dimmer with resistors of this type is designed for medium-power incandescent lamps. Zener diodes in this case are used at 12 V. Variable resistors in regulators are quite rare. Low frequency modifications can be used. In this case, the conductivity coefficient can be increased by increasing the number of capacitors. Behind the triac they must be located in pairs. In this case, heat losses will be minimal. Negative resistance in a network can sometimes be a serious problem. Ultimately, overload leads to breakage of the zener diode. Electrolytic capacitors cope with low-frequency interference quite successfully. The main thing is not to apply a sharply high voltage to the lamp.

Regulator circuit with high-megaohm resistors

This type of dimmer can be used to control different types of lamps. Its circuit includes high-ohm resistors as well as a regular zener diode. The thyristor in this case is installed next to the capacitor. To reduce the limiting frequency, specialists often use fuses. They are capable of withstanding a load of 4 A. In this case, the maximum output frequency will be a maximum of 50 Hz. General purpose triacs can withstand an input voltage of 15 V.

Switches with field-effect transistor regulators

Switches with a brightness control are not characterized by good protection. Short circuits in the system occur quite rarely, and this is undoubtedly an advantage. Additionally, it should be taken into account that zener diodes for regulators can only be used with the KU202 marking. In this case, they are able to work with low-frequency resistors and cope well with interference. Triacs in circuits are located behind resistors. The maximum resistance in the system must be maintained at 4 ohms. The resistors keep the input voltage at approximately 18 V. The limit frequency, in turn, should not exceed 14 Hz.

Regulator with trimmer capacitors

A dimmer with trimmer capacitors can be successfully used to adjust the power of fluorescent lamps. The switches in this case should be located behind the diode bridge. Zener diodes in the circuit are needed to suppress interference. Variable type resistors, as a rule, have a maximum resistance of 6 ohms.

When used exclusively to maintain voltage at the proper level. Triacs are capable of passing current through themselves at a level of approximately 4 A. Fusible type fuses in regulators are quite rare. The problem with electrical conductivity in such devices is solved using a variable resistor at the output.

Model with a simple thyristor

A dimmer with simple thyristors is most suitable for push-button models. As a rule, there is no protection system. All contacts in the regulator are made of copper. The maximum input resistance of a conventional thyristor can withstand 10 V. They are not suitable for rotary controllers. Precision resistors are not capable of working with such regulators. This is due to the high level of negative resistance in the circuit.

High frequency resistors are also installed quite rarely. In this case, the level of interference will be significant and will lead to overload of the zener diode. If we talk about ordinary table lamps, then it is best to use an ordinary thyristor paired with wirewound resistors. Their current conductivity is at a fairly high level. They rarely overheat, the average power dissipation fluctuates around 2 W.

Using variable capacitors in a circuit

Thanks to the use of variable capacitors, it was possible to achieve a smooth change in the brightness of incandescent lamps. However, electrolytic models work completely differently. Transistors for such capacitors are most suitable for 12 W. The input voltage must be maintained at 19 V. The use of fuses should also be considered. Thyristors are usually used with the marking KU202. They are well suited for rotary modifications. To increase the conductivity coefficient, potentiometers are used with network switches.

Single-junction regulator device

The single-junction dimmer is renowned for its simplicity. The resistors in it are usually used at 4 W. At the same time, it is capable of maintaining a maximum voltage of 14 V. When using it, it is important to take into account that the light bulb may flicker during operation. Fuses are rarely used in devices.

At the input, the maximum rated current can be 4 A. Thyristors of the KU202 type are capable of operating in such a system only in conjunction with a diode bridge. The triac in the device must be connected behind the resistor. To connect the dimmer to the lamp, you need to clean all contacts. It is important to use a dielectric housing for the device. In this case, work safety will be guaranteed.