Dear Reader:

On/off, stepped switching, stepped dimming, or continuous dimming .. which approach does the Facilities Manager select? The answer depends on what type of area is being illuminated, and how the Manager wants the fixtures to behave over various, changing operating conditions. Reference PNNL’s Dimming LEDs with Phase-Cut Dimmers for help in this regard.

On/Off Switching – This is just like it sounds, with the fixtures simply switched either on or off. Dimmable drives are not needed in a fixture to accomplish this.

Stepped Switching – This combines an occupancy sensor, a timer, and customizable three-step dimming switches 1) On: 100%, 2) Dimmed: 50%, 30%, 20% or 10% output, 3) Off to easily configure your desired settings during installation. When the control senses movement, it raises the fixture’s light level to 100% output and remains at full brightness as long as it senses movement...