Education
01/28/2016
RBW
What used to be a fairly straight forward proposition dimming incandescent fixtures has been made more complicated by the fact that the new LED technology is different about how it is dimmed.
Education
02/25/2015
RBW
AC LED technology and light engines connecting directly to high voltage AC power infrastructures which provide a both lower maintenance, and ease of dimmablity.
Education
12/11/2014
RBW
Although many LED lights offer a dimmable range, (such as 100% to 0%) there is a difference between the measured value of light and the perceived value of light. For instance, an LED light that is dimmed to a measured value of 10% will be perceived by the human eye as a value of 31%. This difference is important to keep in mind when buying and specifying LED lights and dimmers.
Education
12/03/2014
RBW
Leading Edge Dimming (TRIAC dimming) utilizes a current that is turned off as the AC waveform begins, right after it crosses zero. Leading Edge Dimming is typically used with incandescent bulbs, and produces a rush of voltage every half cycle, resulting in a rush of current to the light source.
Education
11/26/2014
RBW
TRIAC dimming relies on adjustable timing of power at the start of each AC half cycle, which alters the voltage waveform to dim a light source. TRIAC dimming is almost instantaneous and wastes very little power. 0-10 V dimming utilizes a DC voltage that varies from 0 V to 10 V to dim a light source. 0-10 V dimming typically runs at a low current with little voltage drop.
Education
11/20/2014
RBW
Although the Watt is a very common unit of measurement for light sources, it does not actually measure how much light a source gives off. Watts measure how much energy is required to power a light source, whereas Lumens measure the ammount of light emitted by a light source. The more you know!
Education
11/19/2014
RBW
CRI, or Color Rendering Index, is a measure of how accurately a light source is able to reveal the intrinsic colors of what it is illuminating. Established in the 1960s, CRI is an extremely important measurement for assessing the color performance of a light source.
Education
05/29/2013
RBW
Many of our customers are now familiar with the idea of a "warm" white or a "cool" white being offered by fluorescent and other light bulbs. LED light sources are based on the Kelvin system of measure. A warm color temperature is typically 3,000K or less. A "cool" white bulb commonly has a color temperature of 4,000K and higher on the Kelvin scale. Most of our fixtures range from 3000K-2500K, which provides a good source of warm light for home or office use. Below is a basic scale that gives a good indication of the range offered by LED sources.