Company News • 09.04.2010

„Dimming of the future“

Worldwide millions of standard incandescent lamps are used which work inefficiently compared to other lamps and thus cause a CO2 pollution which could be avoided. Therefore, according to the European Eco design guideline 2005/32/EG (Energy-using Products - EuP) various incandescent lamps are being banned from the market. They are being replaced by alternative, energy-saving lamps, often equipped with an integrated ballast and E27 or E14 socket.

The problem starts when it comes to dimming the new lamps, for customers often experience negative effects like flickering, unsteady dimming, etc. Furthermore, often legal regulations with regard to current harmonics and radio interference voltage are infringed. Inadmissible device combinations often even lead to lamp defects.

The dimmer manufacturers Berker, Gira, Jung and Insta and the lamp manufacturer OSRAM are looking for a remedy. In their opinion the currently available dimming technologies cannot be optimized to such an extent to be able to dim the new lamps satisfactorily and according to the standards. They have developed a completely new dimming technology under the brand name LEDITRON™, which they will be presenting to the public for the first time in April 2010 at the „light+building“ fair in Frankfurt under the slogan „Dimming of the future“.

Basic idea of the new technology is to replace dimmers by LEDITRON™ control devices, which give control information via the mains cable to the connected LEDITRON™ lamps. Existing cables can be used. LEDITRON™ lamps – focus is on compact fluerescent lamps and LED lamps – with their integrated ballasts are able to receive this information and to convert it into action. Here not only the brightness but – in case of suitable LED lamps – also the light colour must be controlled comfortably and according to the standards. This system is also open to future supplements, e.g. radio interfaces, bus connections or new innovative operating concepts. This underlines the sustainability of this new technology.

The advantages:

Existing cables can be used
Easy installation, immediate restart of operation possible
Comfortable and standardized operation
Brightness and light colour of suitable lamps can be controlled
Safe operation also in combination with inappropriate components
Sustainablility of the system

Berker, Gira, Jung, Insta and OSRAM see this new technology as open industrial standard and offer all manufacturers on the market to cooperate on this new solution. Standardization of the new DdZ process is in preparation, currently the manufacturers are aligning in this matter.
The development of first LEDITRON™ control devices and lamps is making good progress and it is planned to launch first products end of 2010.