DESIGN A DIMMER
CIRCUIT
• Submitted to : • Submitted by:
• MD. Tariq Hasan • Md.Azizul Haque
• Associate Professor • ID : 180235
• Electronics & Communication • Computer Science & Engineering
Engineering Discipline
Discipline
• Khulna University • Khulna University
DIMMER CIRCUITS:
THIS ELECTRONIC LIGHTING DIMMER CIRCUIT IS USED TO CONTROL THE LAMP FOR
ARBITRARY BRIGHTNESS. THIS ELECTRONIC LAMP DIMMER CIRCUIT WORK FOR
INCANDESCENT LAMP, NOT A FLUORESCENT ONE. THE DIMMER CIRCUIT HERE WORK
FOR BOTH 110V AND 220V AC.
THE DIMMER CIRCUIT IS WIRED IN SERIES WITH THE LAMP, YOU CAN SAY THE
DIMMER CIRCUITS IS INSTALLED IN SERIES WITH THE LAMP. BE CAREFUL THAT THE
CIRCUIT IS NOT ISOLATED FROM HIGH VOLTAGE, SO THE POTENTIOMETER SHOULD
BE INSTALLED WITH PLASTIC KNOB. DON’T TOUCH THE CIRCUIT OR YOU’LL BE
SHOCKED BY THE ELECTRICITY.
THE LIGHTING DIMMER CONTROL IS DONE BY THE POTENTIOMETER, YOU NEED TO
TURN RIGHT OR LEFT TO ADJUST THE LAMP’S BRIGHTNESS.
THE LAMP DIMMER HAS NO SWITCH, YOU CAN SEE ONLY A FUSE FOR SAFETY. YOU
CAN ADD A SWITCH IN SERIES WITH THE FUSE, OR JUST INSERT THIS DIMMER
CIRCUIT BETWEEN THE EXISTING SWITH AND THE LAMP.
COMPONENTS LIST FOR A LIGHT DIMMER CIRCUIT:
1. DIAC(DB3)
2.TRIAC(BT136)
3.CAPASITOR(0.1uF)
4.A 500 KΩ VARIABLE RESISITOR
5.A 10 KΩ RESISTOR
6.A 60 WATT BULB
7.220 V,50 HZ AC SOURCE
TRIAC:
THE TRIAC IS AN IDEAL DEVICE USED FOR THE AC SWITCHING APPLICATIONS.
THIS CAN CONTROL THE FLOW OF CURRENT OVER BOTH HALVES OF AN
ALTERNATING CYCLE. ONLY THE THYRISTOR CAN CONTROL OVER THE ONE-
HALF OF A CYCLE. THE OTHER REMAINING HALF NO CONDUCTION OCCURS
AND ACCORDINGLY ONLY HALF THE WAVEFORM CAN BE UTILIZED.
DIAC(DB3):
The DIAC is a full-wave or bi-directional semiconductor switch that can be turned
on in both forward and reverse polarities.
The diac gains its name from the contraction of the words diode alternating current.
The diac is widely used to assist even triggering of a triac when used in ac switches.
Diacs are mainly used in dimmer applications and also in starter circuits for
florescent lamps.
THE TWO TERMINALS OF THE DEVICE ARE NORMALLY DESIGNATED EITHER ANODE 1 AND
ANODE 2 OR MAIN TERMINALS 1 AND 2, I.E. MT1 AND MT2
WORKING OF LIGHT DIMMERS:
MODERN LIGHT DIMMERS WORK BY CHANGING THE DUTY CYCLE OF THE AC
VOLTAGE WHICH IS APPLIED TO THE LIGHTS BEING CONTROLLED. FOR INSTANCE, IF THE
VOLTAGE IS APPLIED TO HALF OF THE AC CYCLE, THEN THE LIGHT BULB WILL APPEAR
WITH LESS INTENSITY WHEN IT GETS THE FULL AC VOLTAGE. BECAUSE IT GETS THE LOW
POWER TO HEAT THE FILAMENT. THESE LIGHT DIMMERS USE THE BRIGHTNESS KNOB TO
CONTROL AT WHAT POINT EACH CYCLE TO SWITCH THE LIGHT ON AND OFF.
TYPICAL LIGHT DIMMERS ARE BUILT WITH THYRISTORS AND THE FIXED TIME WHEN THE
THYRISTOR IS ACTIVATED VIRTUAL TO THE ZERO CROSSINGS OF THE AC POWER IS USED
TO DETERMINE THE LEVEL OF POWER. WHEN THE THYRISTOR ACTIVATES THEN IT KEEPS
DIRECTING UNTIL THE CURRENT PASSING THROUGH WHEN IT GOES TO ZERO. THE PHASE
CAN BE CHANGED WHEN THE TRIAC IS ACTIVATED, YOU CHANGE THE DUTY CYCLE AND
THUS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THE LIGHT.
HERE IS THE SINE WAVEFORM OF THE NORMAL AC POWER GET FROM THE RECEPTACLE.
Fig: working of light dimmer
CHANGING THE TURN ON POINT, THE POWER FLOWING TO THE BULB IS VARIABLE AND HENCE
THE O/P OF THE LIGHT CAN BE CONTROLLED. THE BENEFIT OF THYRISTOR OVER VARIABLE
RESISTORS IS THAT THEY WASTE VERY LITTLE POWER EITHER THEY ARE ON OR OFF. TYPICALLY
THYRISTOR CAUSES 1 TO 1.5 V VOLTAGE DROP WHEN IT PASSES THE LOAD CURRENT.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT WHAT IS TRIAC, LIGHT DIMMER CIRCUIT USING TRIAC,
WORKING OF LIGHT DIMMERS. WE HOPE THAT YOU HAVE GOT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF
THIS CONCEPT. FURTHERMORE, ANY QUERIES REGARDING THIS TOPIC OR
POWER ELECTRONICS PROJECT IDEAS, , PLEASE GIVE YOUR VALUABLE SUGGESTIONS BY
COMMENTING IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW. HERE IS A QUESTION FOR YOU, WHAT ARE THE
APPLICATIONS OF LIGHT DIMMERS?
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM:
TEST: After implementation the dimmer circuit properly, then we connect it with AC
line.By increasing or decreasing variable resistor(R) we can control the brightness of Bulb.
References:
www.radio-electronics.com
www.edgefx.in
www.eletroschematics.com
THANK YOU.
