There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to a leading edge dimmer, and the same can be said about trailing edge dimmers. Following the two will be explored briefly.
With an incandescent light bulb, domestic dimmers promote a resistance that is characterized as ideal by many. As a result, domestic dimmers are often used in support of LED lamps which act as replacements for traditional options. That said, when combining incandescent and LED worlds, designers are often confronted with challenges that were not previously anticipated. These challenges may include low current draw and a luminous response that is very quick, even in regard to minor fluctuations of power. But depending on what kind of dimmer you’re using, the kind of damper or bleeder circuits of the LED drivers in question may change; as will the necessary switching topology for operational optimization.
LEADING EDGE VERSUS TRAILING EDGE DIMMERS
The dimmer market mostly has the two kinds mentioned previously, leading edge and trailing edge dimmers. The difference between the two is that with a leading edge dimmer, after voltage increases post zero-crossing, this dimmer inhibits for a while. Output brightness is controlled as energy being transferred is properly metered. Meanwhile, a dimmer of the trailing edge variety will yet regulate output for a while, but that’s only in regard to the half-cycle’s going edge, which is negative.
WHICH DIMMER IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Leading edge dimmers usually cost less than trailing edge dimmers, causing them to be more popular more often recommended to consumers. But trailing edge dimmers are well-known for the exhibition of EMI that has been lowered, giving them preference in certain markets. Anyone who has gone to Europe should be familiar with them. Also, noise-sensitive environments are more apt to choose a trailing edge dimmer. But regular buyers could care less about things like that, they just want what they’ve purchased to work. The best way to do this is to ensure that LED bulbs are able to function properly with either sort of dimmer. In America, leading edge dimmer solutions are desirable because they are so commonplace, meaning LED solutions sold here should have an emphasis on this kind. Those LED solutions designed to work in both applications will naturally be more expensive, so except for the electrical aficionados who really need that variance, a leading edge dimmer design is going to be eminently recommendable for most consumers.