This interesting DIY IR Light Dimmer project allows you to make your light into a remote controlled dimmable system, best of all it uses one you your existing remote controls. Have a look at the schematic below and notice that there is no low voltage transformer for the microcontroller. The board layout, schematic and microcontroller code is available so that you can build your very own.
Thanks Muris
"Dimmer is connected to existing home wiring installation inside a junction box, which is usually located above the light switch. In order to properly connect the dimmer to installation one should follow the schematics provided for that purpose. If connected differently there is a very big chance of some freaky side effects such as burned PIC microcontroller, serious fire and who knows what else."
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any one else noticed that the new “energy saver” bulbs won’t work with a normal dimmer switch…
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If you’re talking about the fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, then, yes. They aren’t designed to run on dimmers, as the packaging and labels (at least in the US) clearly state.
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Would it work with LED based lighting? ie one of the multi-Luxeon Star or equivilant setups that run off a small transformer.
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It should work with LEDs but with resistors instead of transformer. It will not work with fluorescent bulbs because they have their own electronic transformers that do similar thing as this dimmer does. So it can’t be combined… The load must be a simple resistant type, not induction type.
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You really ought to use an opto-isolator to avoid a direct connection between the PIC and the mains line.
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If I want to avoid a direct connection between the PIC and the mains line than I would have to use transformer too. And that means a very big device that couldn’t fit into the “junction box”. This works just great, as suggested by Microchip 🙂
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