Purchased 4 LED retrofit lights (for 4″ cans at H.Depot-Commercial Electric HBR470) for recessed lighting in room. The guy in electric department said I could dim these lights with a Leviton “Electronic Low Voltage Dimmer-6615pow” rated 300w-120v ac, not to purchase the magnetic version. The led’s are known for low watt usage and appear to have a transformer box behing the led lights. I dont want to fry these lights which cost $50ea. Any input will help.
Thanks in advance Willy
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Replies
Check the manufacturer's web site
"Ask not what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive... then go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive."
Howard Thurman
Zero help, unable to discuss with informed person.....at manufacturer help line
Lights sound pretty interesting. When you say retro-fit, does that mean they slide into an existing can? Do they use the same trim as what was already there? Are they $50 for everything including the light? Could you let me know how you like them, I have a living room project coming up. Thanks.
The led lights slip into 4" recessed cans, I replaced 6" cans with the smaller 4" for a different look, so had to do some patching and mud work. The model i purchased has a nickel finish including trim, it also comes in white for $45. The lights can be used with IC on non IC cans. will keep you posted on outcome, hopefully I live long enough to benefit from the electricity savings.
willy
Thanks.
Just a follow up on the led's - did put them in and so far so good. They do throw a "blue" like light....no a problem in this room. Would have preferred the dimmable option, these lights are located in a soffit and throw just enough light. Just completed cabinets, need to hang and paint. Good luck
While I don't have any info to provide I'd be interested to hear how you work it out.
Since LEDs work on low voltage DC as opposed to the higher voltage AC that's supplied the transformer assembly you're describing is probably a DC power supply; functionally a transformer and rectifier although they may or may not be using an actual transformer. I suspect it may not matter which type of dimmer you use but you should consider the electronic type as they waste less energy. Energy efficiency is why most people buy LEDs in the first place.
Thanks.
I called the manufacturer help line this a.m. and the uniformed operator said not dimmable?!, I further asked if electronic or magnetic dimmer is possible and she stated she had no idea what those were and had no tech. background on subject....I am not considering this a dead end.....yet. Still researching and hoping for help
willy
Forrest-
any input on this topic?
I'm not familiar with these particular LEDs, but ALL LEDs are inherently dimmable - that is, the chips themselves. Each "die" has a specific design forward voltage (Vf), around 3.3 volts, and a maximum drive current - typically 350 or 700 mA, and sometimes as much as 1000 or 1500.
We can "underdrive", using a lower drive current and more LEDs, to get more lumens per Watt (the die are more efficient at low power), or, over drive them for more lumens per dollar of initial cost (using less LEDs for a given light output), but less efficacy.
As an example, I've got a high-wattage LED package on my desk now, emitter the size of a quarter, that can put out about 1600 lumens at 40 watts, for an efficacy of ~40 lumens per watt (incandescent is about 10). But, if I underdrive the package, I can get almost 90 lumens per watt (10 Watts gives me ~870 lumens), but I'd need more than twice as many packages.
However, the particular driver used to go from line voltage to constant-current DC may not allow dimming, due to being an inexpensive driver.
Forrest - lightboy
Edited 3/17/2009 12:53 pm ET by McDesign
McDesign and Shep, thanks for forwarding to someone who obviously knows the topic at hand!! Compared to other led lights on the market this is an inexpensive model at $50 and dimming might be an issue. Unfortunately the HD guy in lighting might have given me bad info about these led's dimming-(with these lights and the leviton dimmer), which is important for my application. Sometimes an honest answer "I dont know" would have been better.
If I attempt to dim one of the lights as a test, is it possible to damage the light/driver or will it just not dim??? I am willing to try if damage will not occur.
Thanx again in advance willy
That's what this forum is all about. I just forwarded this to someone smarter than me.
At least, on this topic <G> Forrest works in the LED business.
The electronics guru here at work wasn't able to find any more info on your parts from the HD site - do you have any part #s on the lights and dimmer?
Forrest
I couldn't find anything out either. I believe the LEDS could be dimmed, I think most have a transformer and diode rectifier which would work fine on a dimmer. It's a whole nother story if there is some type of switching power supply involved.
Here is a pic, COMMERCIAL ELECTRIC LED recessed light model HBR470 -on right top of the box T62 with 770 562. Levitron dimmer no.6615-pow rated 300w at 120v AC. The driver is from ESPEN TECH. called them and couldnt talk to a soul x4, left message-no return calls. Any thoughts in testing one light with the $20 dimmer I have, or is it possible to damage light/driver trying to dim?
thanx again for your help
attached is a pic
Forwarded -
Forrest,
The key is the LED driver. Can you tell me how many input wires this driver has and the colors for the wires. This will tell me if the driver is 0-10V (low voltage dimmer) or if it could work with the standard phase dimmer.
The Leviton dimmer 6615 is a standard phase control dimmer (120Vac).
Any additional info on the driver will help. Does it have a label? I went on ESPEN TECH website and couldn’t find any info on the LED drivers. Is it transformer input or electronic driver?
Thanks!
Don
After all this ha-rang, the engineer from Espen did call 5 min ago and stated it is not dimmable, they will have a dimmable light coming out later this year-the driver is not capable of dimming!? Thanks to all who put in their efforts. Will have to decide if this is the application for my room. This set up is on the lower end side of led lighting I guess.....will keep my eye out for the electrical professional in HD to update him on what he doesnt know.
Cheers Willy
As an example, I've got a high-wattage LED package on my desk now, emitter the size of a quarter, that can put out about 1600 lumens at 40 watts, for an efficacy of ~40 lumens per watt (incandescent is about 10).
Seriously? This stuff is available? I suppose it's exorbitantly priced...
The consumer LED lighting I've seen thus far has been quite disappointing.
Not available yet - but soon! That particular one trades off efficacy (what we use instead of "efficiency, for complicated reasons) for high light output.
The actual emitter is probably only $10-12, but it requires a DC driver, and packaging, and optics, so . . .
Forrest
We just installed a couple LED lights in a bathroom with a dimmer. These are Halo units but I believe they are made by Cree with a Halo tag on them.
Total cost was about $210 for the two lights and the dimmer. Expensive yes, but the light that is cast is pure white. There is not the typical blue hue of most led lights.
sully