TRIAC Light Dimmer


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This little circuit can be used to dim lights up to about 350 watts. It uses a simple, standard TRIAC circuit that, in my expirience, generates very little heat. Please note that this circuit cannot be used with fluorescent lights.

Schematic

This is the schematic of the TRIAC Light Dimmer

Parts

Part
Total Qty.
Description
Substitutions
R1150K Pot
R2115K 1/2W Resistor
C1, C220.068 250V Capacitor
L11Lamp To Be Controlled (up to 350 watts)
L21Neon Lamp
TR1140502 TRIAC
MISC1Case, Knob, Heatsink For TR1, Wire, Socket For L1

Notes

  1. This circuit is for 117VAC only. 220 or 240 V will burn up the circuit. L1 can be a maximum of 350 watts.
  2. The circuit must be installed and used in a case.

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Comments

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John Dickens
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, December 17, 2014 12:40:47 PM
Hi -- thanks for the video & schematic. I am new to circuitry, and there are a few things I don't understand in this schematic/video. 1. What is the purpose of the neon light? Does it do the same thing as a DIAC? 2. What does the capacitor do in this situation? What purpose does it serve? 3. In the potentiometer pot, which wires go to which port? 1, 2, 3? In a traditional dimmer switch I bought at Home Depot, it only had black wires (and a green ground). Would the 'black' go to port 1, 2, or 3 in the potentiometer (i got a 600V one). 4. If I want to make this a dimmer switch, do both the white and black wires from the plug/DC adapter need to be soldered to this circuit board? Thanks in advance, your video is really cool. J
milan
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, June 27, 2012 3:22:31 PM
it works... Although it's difficult to find 2N2222 & 2N3904 transistors

(Editor's notes: Those are the two most standard NPN transistors in the world.)

anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Monday, December 05, 2011 4:16:45 PM
has anyone modified the circuit to be used with 220V???
E. Murphy
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, December 28, 2010 7:04:12 PM
Why follow the crowd? A neon bulb is a known gas discharge voltage reference. It may well be that it doesn't do as well as a diac, but let's face it, a light bulb dimmer ain't exactly rocket science! I'd thought (yesterday) of using one to reduce 120VAC to a clipped +/- 60 V or so, rather than use a step-down transformer for a zero-crossing detector. Why? Faster changing AC voltage going in than 12VAC would be to the comparator. Get a life, folks, independent thought that doesn't always look quite right keeps the brain stimulated. Or did you come from a modern college that crushes that?
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Monday, March 08, 2010 5:50:14 AM
Much better if you will use a diac than neon lamp.
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Sunday, March 29, 2009 2:43:20 PM
The neon lamp in the circuit above (L2) can be replaced with a diac. When the diac's breakover voltage is exceeded, the triac gets fired. What do you think of this modification?
asskicker
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Friday, March 06, 2009 11:03:29 PM
this project is very bad
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Friday, January 30, 2009 10:44:42 AM
1: how can you make this use more channels (16 or so) and 2: what actually controlls the dimming of this and 3:will this work with leds and not have a flickering problem ??? If not how can you make it work with leds so there is no flickering problem as it is dimmed..
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, January 28, 2009 7:22:45 PM
Why does the circuit have a neon lamp? Can it be replaced, if so, by what?
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, August 05, 2008 9:48:59 PM
can i have circuit to dim DC by dimming AC only?
Ganesh Thenge
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, June 25, 2008 3:10:20 AM
How the phase is controlled by triac?
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, May 21, 2008 5:17:17 PM
what value is that supposed to be? .068F? or .068uF??
yasir
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, April 22, 2008 4:53:01 PM
hii, plz message the working of this circuit & how can vary the bright of the lamp (in gate of triac which element varying current , voltage or freequancy of the gate pulse)
doctorDHD
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Sunday, April 06, 2008 8:01:39 AM
Here is a link to a 220VAC dimmer http://www.electronics-project-design.com/Light-Dimmer-Circuit.html
Zanes
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 7:35:17 AM
sir, do i have to change the type of triac if i intend to use 220VAC supply?
thornz
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Monday, March 03, 2008 2:21:04 PM
sir how can i apply the circuit to a 220v power source?
dhon
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, February 19, 2008 2:56:44 AM
sir, can you please help me on how to operate this light dimmer in 220V ac source... and what altenative lamp can we use in this circuit... tnx...
ernieEErnieanonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Sunday, February 10, 2008 7:09:07 PM
How can I make this circuit work with 10.5 VAC?
saurabh sachdeva
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Monday, February 04, 2008 3:55:42 AM
circuit of light dimmer is to claer & easy to make and cheap & best. i like it
Brian
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Sunday, December 30, 2007 6:43:58 PM
Can anyone direct me to specs for an "8TA12"? I believe it's a Triac. It's used in a lamp dimmer. I'm looking for a drop-in replacement. Brian
Tom
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Monday, December 03, 2007 5:04:05 PM
I want to cntrol the spped of a small motor, 35 to 55 volts. Can any of the circuits be modified to handle this and can the pot be remote? Thanks Tom
behzad
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, November 28, 2007 4:06:42 AM
hello sir,i want a dimmer circuit that works with 220 v and 2000w ,can you help me?
Deepal
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, November 20, 2007 11:57:21 AM
We can use diac as neon bulb
Hugu
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Sunday, November 18, 2007 11:11:14 PM
How can i use your triac light dimming circuit on a 240v 100w bulb? and what's the use of neon lamp? thkx
ahmed hamdy mohammed
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 3:53:39 PM
what's the use of neon lamp here
ahmed hamdy mohammed
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 3:52:02 PM
how can we use it in 220 volts circuits
sreekumar
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, October 09, 2007 9:16:01 AM
sir please the circuite diagram of dimmer light using load 230V and output is 200w and above
feliber
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:28:47 AM
how to switching that capable up to 5000 watts
Deenanath Sahani
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, September 19, 2007 7:16:16 AM
I saw the circuit for light dimmer,but it limited for a litle load. Please tell me how to use the Traic for heavy load(100Amp.)
jenshox
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Saturday, September 15, 2007 7:36:25 AM
Is it possible for light dimmer to control the light of a halogen lamp,the one that are being used in a projector?
siva krishna
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Friday, August 31, 2007 1:56:08 AM
DEAR SIR/MADAM, I HAVE DONE PHASE CONTROL USING TRIAC AND MICRO-CONTROLLER. BUT I HAVE TAKEN FOUR KEYS,USING THAT KEYS TO CONTROL THE LIGHT INTENSITY.HOW CAN I DO. THANKING U SIR, REGARDS, SIVA KRISHNA.
norman
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, August 28, 2007 9:19:15 PM
can i use triac to control a 3phase motor up to 3hp? thanks!
mr. moose
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Sunday, August 26, 2007 2:45:04 AM
what case should i put to make it nice n simple?
hammed
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Thursday, August 23, 2007 5:43:36 AM
hello sir,i want a dimmer circuit that works with 220 v and uses romete control,can you help me?
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Thursday, August 02, 2007 2:55:08 AM
not bad
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Saturday, July 28, 2007 7:18:18 AM
very good
jessa may
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Saturday, July 28, 2007 3:43:16 AM
sir???can i control this by a remote???plz do help me..
mark
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, July 17, 2007 11:16:54 PM
sir how to operate a clocked triac
Rajagopalan
TRIAC Light Dimmer for 15V, 150Watts Halogen bulb
Friday, July 06, 2007 6:54:52 AM
Can you suggest me an easy to build circuit with Triac
Anand
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Thursday, July 05, 2007 12:59:00 AM
Sir, I have a doubt in light dimmer. I want use light dimmer in microcontroller. i have triac circuit. But it will not work in microcontroller. can you help me. is you have circuit idea for this light dimmer?
ananda
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 2:00:10 PM
How this can be modify for 230-240V
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, June 19, 2007 2:57:24 AM
i need know triac m1m2
Jesus A
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Thursday, May 24, 2007 2:40:00 PM
R1 = 50K Potenciometer, ok nice.........but how many Watts?......
anonymous
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Thursday, April 26, 2007 2:00:25 AM
Please can you explain how to connect the triac, an d if I can use a diac insted of the neon lamp, thank you very much
Ketur Patel
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, April 25, 2007 8:08:40 AM
How can i use your triac light dimming circuit on a 240v. i want to use it to dim fan. pls reply on mail address.
me
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Monday, April 16, 2007 9:58:29 AM
How can i use your triac light dimming circuit on a 240v 60w light bulb? pls reply on mail submitted
Joao
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, April 11, 2007 6:39:04 PM
I I need to build a circuit to regulates a "termic resistor". he power in is 240v and it be able to 2000w. can you help me?
romeo
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Wednesday, April 11, 2007 3:11:12 AM
What changes must be done when it is not possible to dim the light output 2 candela for a circuit with properties:input voltage 230,50 Hz and power consumption 2 watt
Viorel
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Tuesday, April 10, 2007 3:21:18 PM
How L1 will react,If C2 is in short?
romeo
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Friday, April 06, 2007 3:19:57 AM
What changes must be done when it is not possible to dim the light output 2 candela for a circuit with properties:input voltage 230,50 Hz and power consumption 2 watt
matmean
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Thursday, April 05, 2007 4:10:10 AM
how could i control using microcontroller.or pulsing
jasim
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Monday, March 19, 2007 7:08:56 AM
very good
Dharmesh Pandya
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Friday, March 16, 2007 12:07:01 PM
What changes are to be done to make this circuit working on 230 V, 50 Hz supply?
vaibhaw thote
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Thursday, March 15, 2007 2:42:27 AM
how can it works
KageKiyo
TRIAC Light Dimmer
Sunday, March 04, 2007 3:05:05 AM
How can i use your triac light dimming circuit on a 240v 60w bulb?
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