UPB Dimmer for Low Voltage LED Track Lighting

[pgray007]

I have a TechLighting-branded monorail track system in my office that I'd like to control. The instructions for the transformer (
http://www.techlighting.com/Products/Fixtures/MonoRail/MonoRail-Mini-Surface-Transformer-300w-EL-LED) state that "This product may only be dimmed with a low voltage electronic dimmer." and that use of a standard dimmer will void the warranty.
 
Doe​s anyone know where I could source a UPB-controllable "Low voltage electronic dimmer?" Nothing that fits this description seems to come from HAI. The world won't end if I can't dim the lights and can only do on/off, so if that's the case, should I use a UPB relay switch or is it possible to configure a standard UPB switch in a "non-dimmable" mode without any ramp in order to preserve the transformer? If I use a non-HAI switch does that cause any problems with my Omnipro-based UPB setup (currently I'm 100% HAI switches).
 
Thanks!​
 
 
 

 

[ano]

You bring up some interesting questions, and from what i have found, the answers aren't always as obvious as they seem.   First, you didn't say if you are using HLC or UPB.  If you are using all HAI switches, I will assume HLC, although it doesn't completely matter. 
 
If you don't really care about dimming, then the best solution is the HAI relay switch. It will match the others, and the problem is solved.  On the dimming side, PCS does make a low-voltage dimmer. Its a bit pricey, and the LED's won't match the HAI LED's.  Also it doesn't support HLC directly, in that the panel can't program the switches like it can for HAI switches, but if you use UPStart, you can program the switch to work fine with HLC.  But if you never use UPStart, you may not want to run UpStart for one switch.
 
Having said all that, are those the only options?  Actually probably no.  In 99% of the times I have tried, you should be fine controlling the light with a regular HAI dimmer.  I would recommend the 35A001 and NOT the 35A001CFL.  These two switches are actually the same hardware, but the CFL has a bit buggy.
 
So, if you are going to go the dimmer route, you should be fine controlling one low-voltage fixture, just i wouldn't dim it to below about 35%.  Do you know if your fixture has a transformer ballast or an electronic ballast?   In other words, is it pretty heavy or does it feel like nothing is in it?  If electronic you may need to provide some UPB filtering, but you can cover that if it happens.
 
So if you do want the dimming, i would at least try the regular UPB dimmer switch first. The PCS low-voltage switch is probably not worth the cost and aggravation for the slight difference in performance it will provide. 

 

[ChrisCicc]

Wholeheartedly disagree with Ano's advice. DO NOT dim a low voltage load with a regular dimmer unless you've confirmed with the manufacturer it will work.
 
Here's some more info: http://www.lutron.com/en-US/resourcelibrary/362219.pdf
 
Pay special attention to the difference between magnetic and electronic low voltage dimming, as well as leading edge and trailing edge power. 

 

[ano]

Wholeheartedly disagree with Ano's advice. DO NOT dim a low voltage load with a regular dimmer unless you've confirmed with the manufacturer it will work.
 
Here's some more info: http://www.lutron.com/en-US/resourcelibrary/362219.pdf
 
Pay special attention to the difference between magnetic and electronic low voltage dimming, as well as leading edge and trailing edge power. 

Chris, I certainly hear what you are saying.  But let me provide some more background.
 
First I should say that I work for a company that analyzes the worldwide lighting market, especially LED lighting, and we put on one of the largest lighting shows in the US. We also put on lighting shows in Europe and Japan.  I've spoken to many lighting companies and have written a report on worldwide LED lighting. 
 
While it seems very logical to use one type of dimmer for one type of lighting, and that was very true maybe 10 years ago, it isn't today.  There was incandescent, CFL, low-voltage, etc. and it was natural to use the "correct" dimmer.
 
Then about 10 years ago things changed. Electronic parts became very cheap, and LED lighting arrived. At first, LED lights were all basically built the same, then companies started patenting various technology in LED which cause different LED manufacturers different designs.  CREE has patents, Philips has patents, etc.  Today there are MANY ways to build an LED bulb. 
 
But its not only LED bulbs that vary from one manufacturer to another. CFLs, low-voltage supplies, electronic fluorescent ballasts, etc. all started using different designs from one manufacturers to another. Today the TYPE of bulb (LED, CFL, low-voltage, etc.) has very little effect on the load experienced by the dimmer.  Some LED dimmers work great with some LED bulbs, in other cases, other types or manufacturers work better. It has been a big mess for dimmer manufacturers, but we are no longer in a situation where LED dimmers are only for LED bulbs, low-voltage dimmers for low-voltage supplies, etc.  In fact, many LED fixtures "look" like a low-voltage supply to the dimmer. And this makes perfect sense, LEDs are low-voltage devices, so why not use a low-voltage power supply design. 
 
So it is NOT true that a "low-voltage dimmer" can't be used with an LED bulb, or an "LED dimmer" can't be used with a low-voltage fixture.  HAI makes "CFL/LED dimmers", and "incandescent dimmers" that both use the EXACT same hardware, but they are just calibrated differently because 35% brightness is just a different place on each bulb's lighting curve.
 
The good news is your house will NOT burn down if the dimmer "type" doesn't match the bulb type, because a bulb may act many different ways, so the dimmers need to be robust.  My LED bulbs work better with HAI's incandescent dimmer than with their LED dimmer. You just have to try it out.
 
But NEVER overload a dimmer. Some dimmers are rated different depending on the type bulb/supply they are designed for.  A dimmer for a low-voltage power supply needs to take into account the BULB wattage AND the Power Supply wattage. I would never run a dimmer at more than 50% rated power. Period. 
 
Sorry for the long post, but its a pretty complex issue, and I've only covered a small part of it.

 

[ChrisCicc]

Thanks for the further clarification Ano. What you say is certainly true...my initial response was more about the blanket "it's okay" statement. If the OP knows the specs for the model he has and they check out, go for it... 

 

[pgray007]

I'm likely going to just use the relay. The manufacturer (TechLighting) seems to indicate that a standard dimmer will cause premature failure and void the warranty. The transformer on this sucker is a few $100 and I generally want full light in my office anyway, so that seems to check all the boxes.

Thanks for an interesting discussion!

 

[ano]

I'm likely going to just use the relay. The manufacturer (TechLighting) seems to indicate that a standard dimmer will cause premature failure and void the warranty. The transformer on this sucker is a few $100 and I generally want full light in my office anyway, so that seems to check all the boxes.

Thanks for an interesting discussion!

A relay is really the best solution is you don't need a dimmer, especially if its just an "old-fashioned" transformer.  Those are becoming an endangered species in this day and age.  I just bought an outside landscape power supply and even those don't use transformers anymore.

 

[pgray007]

It's probably more "advanced" than I've made it out to be. It's an LED specific unit and a brand new model, but in any event, it's now automated and turns on when I walk into the office and my 2 and 5 year old are incredibly amused that they can walk in, say "abracadabra" and see the lights turn on, so mission accomplished!
 

A relay is really the best solution is you don't need a dimmer, especially if its just an "old-fashioned" transformer.  Those are becoming an endangered species in this day and age.  I just bought an outside landscape power supply and even those don't use transformers anymore.