Dimming Fairy Lights

[wirralmatt]

Hi All,

 

If I plug some normal Christmas Tree lights into my dimmers (maybe through some sort of multi-plug so I can get more than one set going) will it wreck my dimmers? I was reading on here about dimming fans and how it needed to be paired to a lamp so that the dimmers weren't ruined. I didn't really understand so I wanted to make sure I understood if it applied to fairylights too. Any help gratefully received,

 

Thanks

 

Matt

[Blaize110]

This will depend on if youre fairy lights are running from a transformer. If they are then you should not dim them. If they are just straight from the plug then it will depend on the power they draw. Some dimmers will encounter problems with low power loads. However if you are running a few chains from the same channel, I doubt you will get into this area. If you do, the dimmer may not switch on that channel or may stick on. In this case then that channel will need an extra bulb or lamp added to it to increase the load. Something such as a 60W household bulb would do the trick, although people often use parcans due to them being easily accessable.

[PhilB]

Will be fine to do this, stick a fresnel (500w) or similar on the same channel as a 'dummy' and you'll be fine.

 

Phil

[KevinE]

Try it wothout a dummy load first, most dimmers are fine with very small loads, but the bigger the dimmer, the larger the RC leakage and effect on small loads. I can successfully test most theatre dimmers on a 15W pigmy test lamp (though I do load them up when I know theyre working ok).

[Davethsparky]

It will not wreck your dimmers, I think you may have mis interpreted the other topic there. A dummy load is added in parallel with some loads because the dimmers require a minimum load to operate correctly, if you connect your fairy lights to it and they are below the minimum load then you will probably find that they will be lit even when the channel is set to zero. If you are connecting multiple sets then you are unlikely to have this problem since the minimum loads are normally below 100 watts.

 

You can connect as many sets as you like to one dimmer as long as the total load is below the maximum rating of the dimmer, and it would take a huge number of sets of fairy lights to get anywhere near the max rating of a regular theatrical dimmer.

 

You can connect transformers to dimmers if they are of the hard wired or dimmable electronic type, the majority of fairy lights tend to have plug transformers of the hard wired type, but do check first.

[karl]

This will depend on if youre fairy lights are running from a transformer. If they are then you should not dim them.

I have dimmed fairy lights which run through a transformer without any problems. I thought it was the new switch-mode power converters that shouldn't be dimmed.

[springgrove]

I have dimmed fairy lights which run through a transformer without any problems. I thought it was the new switch-mode power converters that shouldn't be dimmed.

 

I know there are reasons that you should not do it, but, like Karl, I have done so, without any smoke or other ill effect. Put a 100W/150W GLS lamp in parallel somewhere if you want to be sure.

 

Nigel

[wirralmatt]

Thanks very much for all the help and advice. I think I will pair the fairy lights with a PAR can and play it safe.

 

Matt

[adam2]

Yes, mains voltage incandescent Christmas lights will dim fine, just like any othey incandescent lamp.

If several sets are to be used, then the total load should ensure correct dimmer operation.

For one or two sets, an additional load such as a 60 watt GLS lamp will be required.

 

Many christmas lights are wired in very thin wire, and it might be prudent to use a 13 amp plug with a 3 amp fuse, and an adaptor, rather than an unfused 15/16 amp plug.

 

Incandescent Christmas worked from a transformer can usually be dimmed, provided that the dimmer will accept an an inductive load, most can.

 

LED Christmas lights seldom dim correctly since at much less than normal voltage they tend to go out entrirely rather then dim.

[Vickie Bull]

Hi.

 

I am thinking of using strings of light bulbs to light up a marquee for a touring production of 'The Secret Garden' and was thinking of using fairy lights and maybe rope lights and dimming them.

thanks for the advice this was really useful

[the kid]

I know the last post was a bit of necromancy for Halloween, but lights4fun is great for 240v chains.

[dbuckley]

Incandescent fairy lamps (with bulbs in series) dim no problemo on a standard dimmer, but watch out for dimmer minimum load requirements, you may need a 60W lamp stashed away somewhere if you only have a couple of strings of fairies. LEDs require a specialist dimmer.

 

Series mains fairies getting a bit hard to come by these days, what with the march of LEDs, but you can get 110V fairies easily from 1000bulbs.com and run them from a building site tranny.

[mutley]

The ones you are most likely to encounter problems with are the ones with a built-in sequencer in the transformer unit. Not to mention the fact that even if they do dim OK, you still can't be sure what sequence style they'll adopt when you start them up.

 

LED lights need a minimum voltage to work, so dimming them is very unlikely to cause any problems apart from a very non-linear dimming curve.

 

Dimmable electronic transformers and ordinary iron core transformers (eg; "wall warts") will not have a problem dimming when accompanied with a dummy load. (The older your dimmers, the bigger dummy load you are likely to need. (eg; Strand Tempus minimum load is about 150W for a smooth reliable dimming curve).

 

Beware of regulated transformers, as these will likely stay at full brightness until at say 60%, then give a steep dimming curve to zero.

 

Fluorescent, metal halide, and sodium lights should not be dimmed unless they are specially designed to be dimmable. Doing so may cause damage to your dimmer. This is because of the inductive nature of the ignitor circuit, and the large pulse needed to make the initial arc.

[leighleeds]

new member here, but have been reading and digesting posts for quite some time, I think wha I want to ask fits in this thread.

 

A friend has an young autistic child who adores fairy type lights, to the extent she has a permanent fake christmas tree in her bedroom all year around that is permanently lit as she is fascinated by the lights.

 

I had an idea, that theer could be a way of using some sort of LED lighting garland (low voltage so should she pull a wire out it would not harm her), that could be used with a control box of some sort on which she could press various buttons to make colour changes, lights flash different sequrnces etc as she desires, reather than the commercial ones that play christmas music along with teh light changes.

 

I realise this forum is more for proffessional applications, but that if anybody would know of a way of doing this you guys would.

 

Thanks for any help given

 

Leigh