Lutron Electronicshas introduced two styles of dimmers, Diva/C•L and Credenza/C•L, that work not only with today’s most popular lamps such as incandescent and halogen, but also with dimmable CFLs and LEDs, which are expected to become even more widely adopted over the next 10 years. By installing one of these new dimmers, homeowners will be able to reliably control the widest range of dimmable light sources available in the market today.
Both products specifically address issues commonly found when dimming these bulbs with standard incandescent dimmers including:
• Lights dropping out: As CFL or LED bulbs are dimmed, they will sometimes turn off before the slider reaches the bottom. Referred to as “drop out,” this makes it extremely difficult to set the dimmer at the right level without bulbs turning off.
• Lights not turning on: After being dimmed to a low light level and switched off, sometimes CFL or LED bulbs will not turn on until the dimmer’s slider is moved up. This is referred to as “pop-on,” which is especially challenging in 3-way installations, where lights can be turned on/off from different locations, not just with the dimmer.
• Lights turning off unexpectedly: Dimmable CFL and LED bulbs can be influenced by line voltage fluctuations. As your incandescent bulbs will sometimes dim or flicker when a device such as air conditioning or a hair dryer is used, when dimmed to a low light level a CFL or LED bulb can actually turn off or flicker excessively in those situations.
The new dimmers use Lutron’s HED Technology, which features advanced dimming circuitry designed for compatibility with most high efficacy light bulbs to alleviate the aforementioned problems of dimming CFLs and LEDs. And with HED Technology, the dimmers can also dim a mixed load of light sources (i.e. LED and halogen or CFL and LED bulbs) on the same circuit.
The new dimmer is available in two styles:
Diva/C•L dimmer
• wall mounted; features a large paddle switch and a small slider
• suggested list price is $39.70
Credenza/C•L plug-in lamp dimmer
• plugs into any table or floor lamp; features slider control and nightlight
• suggested list price is $15
The new models is becoming available home improvement centers, lighting showrooms, electrical distributors and at www.lutronstore.com.
Lutron Electronics Co., Inc, headquartered in Coopersburg, Pa., is the world leader in the design and manufacture of light control solutions for both residential and commercial applications. The company offers a wide variety of lighting controls, whole-home and whole-building dimming systems, and electronically controlled shading solutions. Lutron products save energy, increase space flexibility, and enhance occupant comfort and productivity, making them essential to any home and building.
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