Dimmable strip lighting ?

[richjthorpe]

Hi all,

Is there such a thing as a light bulb which is long and thin that can be dimmed ? If not, are there any light bulbs that thin that I would be able to link together like a chain and be quite bright too ?

Thanks,

Richie.

[neilball]

Flourescent lighting is dimable providing you use a dimmable ballast/control gear and compatible dimmer. Most use 1-10v, DALI or DSI signals on a separate low voltage cable connection with a switched mains supply.

[Zog]

Could be that depending upon the precise application, your best bet is Xenon Strip lighting. Its generall 12 or 24 volt, with very good lamp life >20,000 hours and is also dimmable.

LightGraphix manufacture it, amongst others. Think its about £70/m

[richjthorpe]

I want to use it in the front room. I'm going to build speaker pods to bolt on to a wall (long and narow) and want to place dimmable lights at either side of the pod.

Neil, do the dimmable flourescent lights act light a normal flourescent that flickers before coming on ?

Zog, couldn'tfind any Xenon Strip Lights on Google, have a link ?

Thanks,

Richie.

[neilball]

Originally Posted by richjthorpe

Neil, do the dimmable flourescent lights act light a normal flourescent that flickers before coming on ?

No they just come straight on.

I guess from your description of the pods that the light source is to be hidden. Have you considered simple rope lighting as an option?

[richjthorpe]

Originally Posted by neilball

No they just come straight on.

I guess from your description of the pods that the light source is to be hidden. Have you considered simple rope lighting as an option?

Yep, they'll be hidden and the light will reflect on to the wall. The pods are going to replace 60w lights which are already there, do you think rope lights would provide the same amount of light ?

Cheers,

Richie.

[Zog]

I've had a quick look on the LightGraphix web-site and it is actually pretty poor.

They do not seem to have pages for their individual products.

However, i've dealt with them regularly over the phone and they have been fairly helpful.

The 2 products you should discuss with them are XenLight, a low voltage linear sysyem, and LED Lightube, which is a linear LED system within a clear acrylic tube.

In the case of the former it is dimmable and you should be using the lower wattage (5w?) lamps.

For the LED system; I'm not sure if its dimmable, but the output should be fine. In the past I've used it illuminate bathroom alcoves, and to backlight speakers.

As for rope-lights.... you're right to dismiss this. Its inappropriate and the output is well below whatever you might need.

[stoner]

LEDS lights are not dimmable, a dimming effect is simulated buy turning off some LEDS to reduce the overall light levels. As discussed with neil the best option is a flourescent lamp as high frequecny dimmable fitting with 0 to 10 volts with a T 5 lamp

[Zog]

Originally Posted by stoner

LEDS lights are not dimmable, a dimming effect is simulated buy turning off some LEDS to reduce the overall light levels. As discussed with neil the best option is a flourescent lamp as high frequecny dimmable fitting with 0 to 10 volts with a T 5 lamp

LEDs certainly are dimmable in many circumstances, thats how they achieve the RGB colour mixing effects.

Its all down to the individual circuitary and drivers used...... hence talk to LightGraphix to confirm yeah or neigh... if you wanna go down this route.

[stoner]

that’s true Zog, LEDs respond to different inputs and output a limited amount of different colours, their simulated dimming is very effective, but IMHO I think that a T5 HF dimmable flouro with a separate simple two core control 0-10V cable linking the fittings from speaker to speaker is the most cost effective, accessible and simple way to do this.

[Zog]

Originally Posted by stoner

that’s true Zog, LEDs respond to different inputs and output a limited amount of different colours, their simulated dimming is very effective, but IMHO I think that a T5 HF dimmable flouro with a separate simple two core control 0-10V cable linking the fittings from speaker to speaker is the most cost effective, accessible and simple way to do this.

Sorry, but can't agree. RGB mixing is achieved by dimming the 3 primary colours in different combinations.

As for T5.... yes it would work fine.....

Trouble though......... colour is cr@p and the process (0-10v) is far from cheap.

Xenon strip light IF ITS TO BE HIDDEN is by far the cheapest and highest quality (from a lit effect perspective) solution.

[stoner]

You’re probably dead on Zog, I'm unsure about the cost of Xenon lighting and I want want to push something if there is a cheaper option. I got a supplier to price some lights for richjthorpe.

I would also like to add my understanding of LED lights. They are difficult to dim because they use so little power and most dimmers cant dim past 20Watts ( you might be able to get one that can cheap but I don’t know a CE marked one)
That’s why people put loads in their garden, with so many the wattage builds up and they can dim them,
Typically a small amount of LEDs is very difficult to dim, and when they dim, they just dim, they don’t change colour.
My understanding of RGB Mixing is based on ON OFF control, i.e. different batches of LEDs are switched on and off at different times. In fact most of the LED lights we install look very colourful like these
http://www.lew-host.co.uk/product_in...roducts_id=243
and the colour change types like these
http://www.loweleds.com/plazalamps.html
You can actually see the different colour LEDS. If you want blue then all the blue turn on, if you want red then all the red, and they are mixed with those colours along those lines, no frequency changes or voltage drops just plain old on/off.
I'm sure that if we went "down this route" we would find the more expensive fittings that regulate different elements but most of the standard LED colour change fittings are cheap and use ON OFF control, we have installed a a donkey load of these types of fittings.
I have priced some T5 fitting and you are correct Zog they are pricy
Fitzgerald fittings MLP14/HF/ED €65.14 up to MLP35/HF/ED @€69.98

I know these are Euro prices but these are UK products so you guys should get them cheaper, as for T5 light being cr@p that is a matter of opinion, they are specified for the display lights in Blockbuster Movie shops, many chains of bookies, Premark, B&Q etc and most cost aware office blocks use them as a working light.
They are very bright as per the request of the OP and as they all have their dimmers built into the fitting there is no buzz, when they are dimmed they save power and money as they don’t dissipate energy and heat through a
resistor.

Please nore I'm no expert on Xenon or flexi neon lights, I have however found it to be pricy when i was looking for it, but lighting is like that, if a supplier thinks hes specified he'll screw you on it, by the sounds of it Zog has good prices on the stuff, and its possible to install the stuff in curvy areas.

What ever happens I'm sure it will look the biz, best of luck with it.

[Ledlight]

LEDs are certainly dimmable , but dimming will generally be a function of the LED driver used rather than using a conventional dimmer with an LED transformer.

White LEDs have a colour very similar to fluorescent cold white, because of the way they are made, this is worth bearing in mind when deciding wether they may be appropriate for your application.

RGB colour mixing fixtures are available from a large number of vendors.

Single colour fixtures in red, green , blue, amber and white are also available.

LED lighting is generally the most expensive light source available and is not a universal solution to all lighting needs.

HTH

Adam

[compolitus]

Originally Posted by richjthorpe

Hi all,

Is there such a thing as a light bulb which is long and thin that can be dimmed ? If not, are there any light bulbs that thin that I would be able to link together like a chain and be quite bright too ?

Thanks,

Richie.

Hi

You could always buy a white or coloured mains voltage light rope. They are thin, flexible and, in certain circumstances, can be cut to length. The only drawback is that they can get hot if enclosed and this can lead to failure. The bulbs are 230v and can be dimmed.

[Zog]

The last thing you're likely to need with rope light is a dimmer

You may however need a miners hat lamp.