HPM Superdimmer

[dan76n]

Hi all,
Im looking at getting a HPM superdimmer for a media room but have a few questions.
I have done a little research and found that the superdimmer requires that you use "Wirewound" transformers and you must wire them leading edge not trailing edge.
So how do I find out if my transformers are wirewound and wired leading edge?
I would like to work this bit out before I buy one and find out it isnt suitable then be stuck with that and a bill from an electrician for telling me this.

[cross]

Just to clarify a couple of things:

There are 2 main types of downlight transformers:

1. Wirewound "coil" type.
2. Electronic.

There are also 2 main types of dimmers:

1. Leading edge.
2. Trailing edge.

Leading and trailing edge has nothing to do with the wiring. It just describes how the dimmer actually works. They cut either the leading or trailing edge of the sine wave.

Coil type transformers only work with leading edge dimmers. And electronic transformers only work with trailing edge dimmers(although these days the majority or electronic transformers work with both types of dimmers).

So to answer your question(assuming you actually have low voltage lighting in your media room):

To check what type of transformer you have: gain access to the transfomers in the ceiling and it will most likely say "electronic transformer" or "coil transformer" on the unit. If not, the coil trannys are larger and reasonably heavy for their size compared to the electronic ones.

If you find you have coil wound trannys, then the superdimmer will be fine. If you have electronic trannys, it may still be ok, just make sure it doesnt say "use trailing edge dimmers only" on the transformer itself.

Hope this helps.

[patty]

The Atco Possum transformers will work on Leading or Trailing edge Dimmers

[dan76n]

I contacted the place I got my downlights from and they said my transformers are trailing edge, bugger.. Looks like im up for another 4 transformers.
I was thinking of going for the 240v halagon downlights, will they work with the superdimmer?

I also had a look at my transformers first to see if it said anything and while looking I noticed that 2 of the transformers are wired different to the other two ( red wire to "L" and black wire to "N" on on set and the opposite on the other set. Is this normal????

[dan76n]

Ok guys, I have gone and bought 4 transformers (Leading edge) and a superdimmer. I was thinking of installing myself, the transformers would be just a matter of swapping over but the actual superdimmer im not so sure.
It says it is a 2 wire device, so a neutral is not required.
how is this to be wired?
I have 1 red wire
2 reds together.
3 black together.
3 earth together, earth is not attached to current switch.

super dimmer has 3 holes
Active.
Load.
Loop.

[silentC]

You need to contact a licensed electrician to install that for you.

The transformers are a bit of a grey area. Technically, if they are terminated by plugs and connected via a socket in the ceiling, I believe you can swap them with the same. If they're hard wired, you cannot touch them.

That's assuming you don't want to break the law :)

[dan76n]

I guess I will get an electrician then...
Just out of curiosity, how does the Superdimmer work? I mean it has no spot for an earth yet it has a metal plate that you touch to adjust the dimmer.. And not using neutral seems weird?
Im not fishing either, I am just curious..

[patty]

The cover late on the dimmer is no different than many of the metallic finishes you can get from Clipsal or Hpm cover plates these are obvioulsy deemed/passed forAust standards as being a no risk of becoming alive in during operation and are not exposed as such to live parts and no risk to the user..in a nut shell Dimmers dercrease and increase RMS (root mean square) voltage to the Lamp or the Load!!

And Rms does no stand for in this case Royal Mail Ship

[Benjamen]

Went to have a look at HPM Dimmers and their site only has 'Website Suspended' on it and that's it. Does anyone know what the go is, are they going to rebrand HPM to it's french parent Legrand?
How long has the main site been off for? Who will be the next coach of the Bronco's??

[dan76n]

I also had a look at my transformers first to see if it said anything and while looking I noticed that 2 of the transformers are wired different to the other two ( red wire to "L" and black wire to "N" on on set and the opposite on the other set. Is this normal????

Does anyone know why this is the case?
I had a look at all my other downlights and its the case with all of them.
Its obviously ok as they all work but I would like to understand how this works...

[cross]

Does anyone know why this is the case?
I had a look at all my other downlights and its the case with all of them.
Its obviously ok as they all work but I would like to understand how this works...

Most things still operate(even if they are not designed to) when connected reverse polarity.

[dan76n]

So does that mean there is no particular reason that the electritian did it this way, just too lazy to put them all the same?

[cross]

So does that mean there is no particular reason that the electritian did it this way, just too lazy to put them all the same?

Most likely.