A Simpler Way to Dim Fluorescent Lamps

by Tom Ribarich, International Rectifier, El Segundo, Calif., How2Power Today, Sep 17 2009

Focus:
Dimmable electronic ballasts for fluorescent lamps require a control interface to allow the user to set the lamp-brightness level. To implement the control interface, one of the following steps is normally necessary: 1) install additional wiring to each ballast, 2) use a special lamp socket or wall dimmer, or 3) include an additional signal processing unit. However, these added components or wiring can be eliminated with a ballast design based on International Rectifier's IRS2530D DIM8 dimming ballast control IC. This circuit senses the on/off switching of the ac line voltage and cycles through the dimming range in four steps. The IRS2530D enables the lamp to be dimmed with any standard on/off switch without any additional wiring. This article explains how this control IC operates and presents a complete four-level switch-dimming application circuit built around the chip.

What you’ll learn:

• How to design an electronic ballast for fluorescent lamps and make it dimmable without adding special lamp sockets, wall dimmers, signal processors, or extra wiring
• How to build a dimmable electronic ballast based on International Rectifier's IRS2530D control IC

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