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I just installed some indirect lighting in my parents' kitchen and thought I'd share some of the knowledge I've gained from this, since I certainly didn't know such a thing as dimmable fluorescent tube existed.
So we all know fluorescent tubes. They provide a lot of light and draw relatively low power, their light has an awful color (and color rendition), they flicker, they don't come on instantly, sometimes the ballast hums. I thought so, too. But actually modern fluorescent tubes come in nice warm white tones with quite good color rendition (Just don't get the cheapest ones). There are electronic ballasts which remove the flicker, make the tubes come on almost instantly, lengthen their life by 10%, cut power draw by 10% while providing the same light output, don't hum, just switch the tubes off when they fail (so no flickering and trying to come on all the time), and there are even dimmable ones.
Some of these are controlled via installation buses, which was of no interest to me, but others are controlled via 1-10V control (almost like the 0-10V lighting control for stage lights etc.). They provide a low current 10V voltage. If the full 10V get fed back to them, they dim the lamps to their lowest level, if none-1V is fed back to them, the lamps are fully lit (so if you just leave the dimmer controls unconnected, the lamps will work at 100%). Controlling this couldn't be easier: Just put a 100k log potentiometer (connect the left and middle (wiper) pin of the pot together) between dimmer out and in, and you're done.
I wouldn't have thought it to be this easy, and you can find electronic ballasts for cheap on ebay (though dimmable ones not so much). My parents now have nice, cosy and yet bright and glare-free light in their kitchen. Nice surprise for when they return from their vacation tonight
So we all know fluorescent tubes. They provide a lot of light and draw relatively low power, their light has an awful color (and color rendition), they flicker, they don't come on instantly, sometimes the ballast hums. I thought so, too. But actually modern fluorescent tubes come in nice warm white tones with quite good color rendition (Just don't get the cheapest ones). There are electronic ballasts which remove the flicker, make the tubes come on almost instantly, lengthen their life by 10%, cut power draw by 10% while providing the same light output, don't hum, just switch the tubes off when they fail (so no flickering and trying to come on all the time), and there are even dimmable ones.
Some of these are controlled via installation buses, which was of no interest to me, but others are controlled via 1-10V control (almost like the 0-10V lighting control for stage lights etc.). They provide a low current 10V voltage. If the full 10V get fed back to them, they dim the lamps to their lowest level, if none-1V is fed back to them, the lamps are fully lit (so if you just leave the dimmer controls unconnected, the lamps will work at 100%). Controlling this couldn't be easier: Just put a 100k log potentiometer (connect the left and middle (wiper) pin of the pot together) between dimmer out and in, and you're done.
I wouldn't have thought it to be this easy, and you can find electronic ballasts for cheap on ebay (though dimmable ones not so much). My parents now have nice, cosy and yet bright and glare-free light in their kitchen. Nice surprise for when they return from their vacation tonight
I use dimmable T5 tubes for my marine tank
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