Hi,
Newbie here so please bear with me if I haven't provided all the details. I am not an electrician but my dad was and my cousin are so I know a few things. My dad has retired now but my cousin is qualified and will do the work for me when he eventually comes round. I need to have everything ready but I don't have his help sorting out what needs to be ordered.
So..I'm looking to install led strip lights in a dropped ceiling around the perimeter of a lounge/diner (and across the middle to divide into 2 squares/zones). Both sets are approx. the same length with the largest at 15.6m.
I'm after a dimmable led driver (min 100W pref 180+W) and dimmer that will run from my standard UK lighting circuit, but this is where I have run into problems.
I've been reading about the high inrush current produced by the led drivers and subsequently found that nearly all are above the limit of my current MCB, but with that aside, every one of them are way above the max load on any dimmer I've found, which are typically 6A max.
It seems the manufacturers are expecting these drivers to be run on commercial premises where I assume there are 16A lighting circuits. Mine is currently a B6 MCB, which could be updated to B10 (same make, ashley&rock) or I believe a C6 wylex might fit. But I obviously can't stick a 16A in there.
I was also hoping to install a zwave dimmer inline, but that is looking unlikely to take the inrush current too.
I have been looking at triac, 1-10V, dali and dmx dimming. The triac and 1-10V could work with a zwave dimmer inline if I could limit the inrush. I don't see an easy way of controlling dali or dmx by zwave so they are my least favourite options.
I believe I could use a solid state relay for the 1-10V option with a varilight 1-10v dimmer module, because the dimmer switches the live seperate to the dimming signal. I don't see how I could add a solid state relay to a circuit with a triac dimmer switch and dimmable driver instead.
I have been searching for dimmable drivers with low inrush current but the lowest I've found is approx. 27A from a EUCHIPS power supply, but I am not sure I really believe it given other ones in the range (it doesn't fit the trend). I've emailed them but not had a response to that question.
It doesn't sound like that will trip my MCB, but I think it still might damage the dimmer from what I have read.
Hopefully all that makes sense without dribbling on too much?
Does anyone know how I can get round this problem? What do other people do to run this much led strip? Surely people don't leave these things permanently powered on do they?
When I started this I didn't realise it was that much of a big deal but I'm out of ideas how to get round it.
Any help appreciated...
Dan
Newbie here so please bear with me if I haven't provided all the details. I am not an electrician but my dad was and my cousin are so I know a few things. My dad has retired now but my cousin is qualified and will do the work for me when he eventually comes round. I need to have everything ready but I don't have his help sorting out what needs to be ordered.
So..I'm looking to install led strip lights in a dropped ceiling around the perimeter of a lounge/diner (and across the middle to divide into 2 squares/zones). Both sets are approx. the same length with the largest at 15.6m.
I'm after a dimmable led driver (min 100W pref 180+W) and dimmer that will run from my standard UK lighting circuit, but this is where I have run into problems.
I've been reading about the high inrush current produced by the led drivers and subsequently found that nearly all are above the limit of my current MCB, but with that aside, every one of them are way above the max load on any dimmer I've found, which are typically 6A max.
It seems the manufacturers are expecting these drivers to be run on commercial premises where I assume there are 16A lighting circuits. Mine is currently a B6 MCB, which could be updated to B10 (same make, ashley&rock) or I believe a C6 wylex might fit. But I obviously can't stick a 16A in there.
I was also hoping to install a zwave dimmer inline, but that is looking unlikely to take the inrush current too.
I have been looking at triac, 1-10V, dali and dmx dimming. The triac and 1-10V could work with a zwave dimmer inline if I could limit the inrush. I don't see an easy way of controlling dali or dmx by zwave so they are my least favourite options.
I believe I could use a solid state relay for the 1-10V option with a varilight 1-10v dimmer module, because the dimmer switches the live seperate to the dimming signal. I don't see how I could add a solid state relay to a circuit with a triac dimmer switch and dimmable driver instead.
I have been searching for dimmable drivers with low inrush current but the lowest I've found is approx. 27A from a EUCHIPS power supply, but I am not sure I really believe it given other ones in the range (it doesn't fit the trend). I've emailed them but not had a response to that question.
It doesn't sound like that will trip my MCB, but I think it still might damage the dimmer from what I have read.
Hopefully all that makes sense without dribbling on too much?
Does anyone know how I can get round this problem? What do other people do to run this much led strip? Surely people don't leave these things permanently powered on do they?
When I started this I didn't realise it was that much of a big deal but I'm out of ideas how to get round it.
Any help appreciated...
Dan
