Lutron LED Control Center of Excellence
The
Lutron LED Control Center of Excellence is a resource devoted to providing answers to all questions about LED control solutions, from the basics of LED function through the steps necessary to successfully control LEDs.
1.877.DIM.LED8 (1.877.346.5337)
LEDS@lutron.com
Articles
Lutron is authoring articles about LED control, drivers and applications for various industry magazines.
To download an article, please click on the link below:
The Quest for Dimmable LEDs LD+A 
Controlling consumers' expectations of LED lighting: Why dimming is so important LEDs Magazine
White Papers
Controlling LEDs
Explore all aspects of LED control, from the basics of LED function through the steps necessary to select the best light source and dimming options.
Control Technologies
LED products must state the type of dimmer to be used. The options include:
- Forward phase (incandescent dimmers): Typically used for incandescent and magnetic low-voltage (MLV) light sources, this is the most common method of dimming control.
- Reverse phase (ELV dimmers): Typically used to control electronic low-voltage (ELV) light sources, these controls are designed for lower power “electronic loads”. These controls almost always require a neutral wire to power the internal electronics.
- 0-10 V: This analog control standard has been used in energy management controls, and is now becoming popular with many LED products; it is isolated and considered low voltage class 2, enabling it to be safe to the touch and allowing for simplified wiring.
- 3-wire: This standard fluorescent control type is used by dimmers that were created for fluorescent dimming; it has a separate line voltage wire that carries the phase control signal separate from the power wires.
- EcoSystem/DALI: These controls provide addressing of individual fixtures and status feedback from the drivers, making it easy to digitally assign occupancy sensors, daylight sensors, time clocks, and other controls to one or many fixtures without additional wiring.
- DMX 512: Typically used in theatrical applications, DMX remains popular with RGB LED applications where multiple channels are necessary for individual color control.