ELECTRONIC

LIGHT DIMMER
An innovation of bulb circuits
What is a light
dimmer?

The electronic light dimmer circuit

continuously control the brightness of an
incandescent lamp bulb from completely
OFF to maximum brightness simply by
means of a knob-as if controlling the
volume level of a radio.
Good features:
Why is light dimmer?

A litle reduction of electrical consumption results from toning

down the light.

Does not produce inherent static spikes which can interfere with
nearby AM radios and amplifiers.

At maximum setting, the bulb appears just about to pop up and

slight adjustment can start the lighting immediately.
About the circuit
How does it work?

If potentiometer R1 is at maximum setting, i.e., with almost

zero resistance, when the 220-Volt AC voltage is applied,
capacitor C1 will immediately start charging up.

This process happens so fast that the break over voltage of

the internal diac is reached in almost no time at all. So C1
discharges through the gate of the quadrac, which in turn,
triggers it ON. Thus, very little energy is lost and the load
turns ON at almost full intensity.

Setting R1 to some intermediate value causes C1 to charge

up slowly, thus changes the trigger time of the quadrac and,
therefore, indirectly controls the intensity of the load lamp.
Construction
CHECK AND ALIGNMENT

The PCB foil layout and corresponding parts place- ment

guide are both provided in this pictures. Actually the
components may also be soldered on a terminal strip
and wired according to the schematic diagram but the
PCB method gives a better or safer look.

Recheck all the connections before starting any test.

Initially use a 50 to 100-watt lamp bulb for the load.
Construction
HOW TO MAKE A LIGHT
DIMMER SWITCH?
Initially prepare coil L1, it is 70 turns of no.22 AWG magnet wire
neatly wound at a 3.2 centimeter ferite core with a one centimeter diameter.
A ready-made coil L1 can also be purchased from selected dealers.

Don't substitute a ceramic capacitor for C2 because it changes value at

varying temperature.

The Q4010LT Quadrac should be mounted on a heat sink or to a metalic

junction box using a suitable 1/8 - diameter screw.
 A RECTIFIER DIODE IS A TWO-LEAD
SEMICONDUCTOR THAT ALLOWS CURRENT TO
RECTIFIER DIODES PASS IN ONLY ONE DIRECTION. GENERALLY, P-
N JUNCTION DIODE IS FORMED BY JOINING
TOGETHER N-TYPE AND P-TYPE
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS.

A CAPACITOR IS A PASSIVE ELECTRONIC

COMPONENT THAT STORES ENERGY IN THE
FORM OF AN ELECTRIC FIELD. IN ITS SIMPLEST
CAPACITOR FORM, A CAPACITOR CONSISTS OF TWO
CONDUCTING PLATES SEPARATED BY AN
INSULATING MATERIAL CALLED THE
DIELECTRIC. IT ALSO PLAY A MAJOR ROLE ON
NOISE REDUCTION.
 A POTENTIOMETER (ALSO KNOWN AS A POT OR
POTMETER) IS DEFINED AS A 3 TERMINAL
POTENTIOMETER VARIABLE RESISTOR IN WHICH THE RESISTANCE IS
MANUALLY VARIED TO CONTROL THE FLOW OF
ELECTRIC CURRENT. A POTENTIOMETER ACTS AS
AN ADJUSTABLE VOLTAGE DIVIDER.

A RESISTOR IS AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT THAT

LIMITS OR REGULATES THE FLOW OF ELECTRICAL
CURRENT IN AN ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT. RESISTORS
RESISTOR
CAN ALSO BE USED TO PROVIDE A SPECIFIC
VOLTAGE FOR AN ACTIVE DEVICE SUCH AS A
TRANSISTOR.
 COIL WIRE (L1)

IS A PASSIVE TWO-TERMINAL ELECTRICAL

COMPONENT THAT STORES ENERGY IN THE FORM OF
MAGNETIC FIELD WHEN ELECTRIC CURRENT FLOWS
THROUGH IT. ITS FUNCTION IS TO HELP CAPACITOR
REDUCE AND FILTER NOISE MORE EFFECTIVELY.
QUADRAC THYRISTOR

QUADRACS ARE A SPECIAL TYPE OF THYRISTOR WHICH

COMBINES A DIAC AND A TRIAC IN A SINGLE PACKAGE.
THE DIAC IS THE TRIGGERING DEVICE FOR THE TRIAC.
THYRISTORS ARE FOUR LAYERED SEMICONDUCTOR
DEVICES THAT ACT AS SWITCHES, RECTIFIERS OR
VOLTAGE REGULATORS IN A VARIETY OF APPLICATIONS.