What Everybody Ought to Know About 0-10V Dimming

Dimming provides a flexible and intelligent lighting control. Dimming also contributes to energy saving and creating different ambient atmospheres. Nowadays, LED lighting makes up a huge part of the lighting market and it is expected to achieve higher capability for dimming. Although there are various dimming methods used with LEDs, 0-10V dimming is one of the most widely used lighting control methods in commercial and industrial applications. AGC is a professional outdoor and industrial lights manufacturer that provides lighting fixtures with 0-10V dimming options. Not sure whether 0-10V dimming is suitable for your application? This post will show you the answer.

What is 0-10V dimming?

0-10V dimming is a method of controlling the brightness of LED lights by varying the voltage between 0 and 10 volts. It is one of the most common and widely used dimming protocols for LED lighting, as it is simple, reliable, and compatible with many LED drivers and fixtures. 0-10V dimming allows users to adjust the light levels according to their needs and preferences, creating different moods and atmospheres in various settings. It also helps to save energy and extend the lifespan of LED lights, as dimming reduces the power consumption and heat generation of the LEDs.

0-10V dimming controls the lighting intensity by adjusting the DC voltage provided for lighting fixtures ranging from 0V to 10V. Generally speaking, the lighting fixture reaches the highest intensity at 10V while the lowest at 0V with the control of low voltage DC signal provided by 0-10V dimmer.

There are two standards for 0-10V dimming that are not compatible with each other, IES Standard 60929 Annex E, and Standard ESTA E1.3. The primary difference between the standards is to generate or carry the control voltage. In other words, the 0-10V control type is the current sink or current source.

IES defined Standard 60929 Annex E for current sink controls, which was used for dimming ballast lighting at the beginning, but also used for LED drivers recently. Current sink control means the device under control sources the voltage to the controller, but the controller reduces the returned voltage to lighting fixtures. In this standard, the light will be the highest intensity at 10V and minimum intensity if the returned voltage is less than 1V.

Current source control, standardized by ESTA E1.3, was used for dimming theatrical lighting. Conversely, controller sources (generate) the low voltage to the controlled device in current source control. The device under control adjusts the lighting intensity according to the voltage, scaling to maximum intensity at 10V and minimum at 0V.

How a 0-10V dimming system works

A 0-10V dimming system consists of four main components: a dimmer, a power supply, an LED driver, and an LED fixture.

• The dimmer is a device that sends a low-voltage signal (between 0 and 10 volts) to the LED driver, which controls the brightness of the LED fixture.
• The power supply is a device that converts the high-voltage AC current from the mains to a low-voltage DC current for the dimmer and the LED driver.
• The LED driver is a device that regulates the current and voltage for the LED fixture and also responds to the dimming signal from the dimmer.
• The LED fixture is the light source that emits light according to the dimming level.

The wiring of a 0-10V dimming system is simple: the power supply is connected to the mains, the dimmer is connected to the power supply, the LED driver is connected to the dimmer and the power supply, and the LED fixture is connected to the LED driver. The dimmer and the LED driver are connected with two low-voltage wires, which carry the dimming signal.

Advantages of 0-10V dimming

Reduce power consumption

LEDs are driven through the current. When you decline lighting intensity through a dimmer that utilizes 0-10V dimming protocol, the power through LEDs is also reduced. Therefore, light dimming can reduce power consumption. Reducing power consumption can not only save energy but also cut down the electricity cost. Furthermore, reducing power consumption is beneficial for the environment, under the burden of resource shortage.

Creating different atmospheres

Different lighting intensities can create different atmospheres. For places like hotels, restaurants, and plazas, low lighting intensity lets people feel relaxed and slow down from heavy stress to have a break at night. If you want to hold activities that need higher lighting intensity, you just need to simply dim the lighting fixture without any complex operation. 0-10V dimming enables lighting intensity controllable according to the specific needs of different activities.

Disadvantage of 0-10V dimming

Poor compatibility

The main disadvantage of 0-10V dimming is the two standards(IES Standard 60929 Annex E and Standard ESTA E1.3) are not compatible with each other. It means that dimmers may not work properly with drivers. Additionally, dimming performances may vary between lighting fixture manufacturers and drivers due to the poor compatibility of standards. If a dimmer emits a 5V signal, the result may not be the standard 50% of initial lighting intensity, but 30% or even 80%. Although judges of dimming performance differ from people, poor compatibility of standards is still a big problem for unconcerned lighting effects.

Possibility of needing an additional switch

As mentioned before, lighting intensity is dimmed by 0-10V control signals through drivers and dimmers. Some drivers will dim to off at 0V while others may dim to minimum lighting intensity like 10% or 1% of maximum lighting intensity at 0V. As a result, some lighting fixtures applied with 0-10V dimming may need an additional switch or relay to completely turn off the light. More dimmers are capable of turning off lighting fixtures without additional switches or relays in recent. However, it is still chaotic for consumers and they are not sure whether the dimmer can dim off the light. The option of a 0-10V controller should be carefully considered if you would like to install the 0-10V dimming system.

How to solve the problems with 0-10V dimming

Driver and dimmer issues

If the lighting fixture cannot work well with the dimmer, there may be a problem with the dimmer or driver. Firstly, check whether the driver functions normally. There are two low-voltage control wires connected with a dimmer and LED driver. Disconnect the wires from the circuit, and then touch two wires together for a short time. If the fixture dims to the lowest lighting intensity, the driver is right and there may be something with dimmer or wires. If not, the driver is bad. Replace the driver would help you solve the problem.

Noise due to wire issues

If it sounds noisy when you dim the lighting fixture, please pay attention to the wires issues. It seems that 0-10V DC wires are affected by nearby AC power cables and result in noise. Except for the noise, improper wire installation will also cause a dimming fault. The problem may be caused by the 0-10V DC wires running near AC cables or they are installed with AC cables in a conduit. The noise is a common issue associated with wrong installation, so we had better inspect whether the light dimming system is working normally after the first installation.

Improper dimming range

Not all 0-10V dimmers are capable of providing a full 0-10V range to drivers because dimmers may not be compatible with drivers. Make sure that the dimmer is applicable to the driver through the lists that indicate the compatible dimmers provided by of driver and lighting fixture manufacturers. Combining 0-10V dimmers with a 1-10V driver will cause problems like flickering, stumbling, and flashing in low dimming control. The problems are more perceivable under an on-off setting. The lighting fixture is unable to turn off completely until cutting the power supply.  

0-10V dimming is a simple and effective way to control the brightness of LED lights, save energy, and create different moods and atmospheres. If you are interested in our high-quality LED products with 0-10V dimming or other smart controls, please contact us. We are happy to provide you with the best solutions for your lighting needs.