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MK Electric Adds Life-Saving Control For CFLs
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MK Electric, the UK’s leading manufacturer of wiring devices and accessories, has added dimmers suitable for use with dimmable Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFLs) to its Logic Plus range. A response to changes in European legislation regarding lamps, the dimmers are primarily intended for use in domestic environments; but will similarly perform in small offices and commercial buildings.
The ability to dim CFLs not only provides the user with additional lighting flexibility within the home; but also assists in prolonging lamp life. MK claims that the dimmer is suitable for use with dimmable CFLs from a wide range of well-known manufacturers.
The company has also exploited commercial research that shows that dimmable CFLs should be initially switched on at maximum brightness in order to ensure optimum lamp life. Consequently, the new MK K1525 WHI dimmer has an integral function which causes the lamp to be switched on at its full rating and then dim down to the pre-set level after ‘warm up’.
While standard intelligent dimmers may well work with dimmable CFLs, there is – given the variety of individual manufacturers’ performance characteristics – no guarantee that optimum lifetimes will be maintained. For instance, when controls are set at minimum lamps may not come on or, if a lamp is already on and the control adjusted to minimum, could flicker or go out; while still consuming power. The MK K1525 WHI dimmer switch has the minimum output set at a level that means lamps should always remain on.
Similarly, dimmer switches typically have a minimum rating of 40W, while dimmable CFLs are generally available rated at 20W. The MK K1525 WHI dimmer switch, however, has a minimum output rating of 11W; meaning lamps will ramp up and down smoothly over the control’s full range without flicker.
The immensely popular Logic Plus range is designed to complement contemporary interiors and is probably the largest selection of wiring accessories available in any single range on the market today. Technically, they exceed British Standard requirements with patented features that make the products the most advanced and safest available.
