E26 Dimmable LED Bulb

[kenact]

I know this subject has been briefly discussed, but no one has come up with the answer I need.

The theater I'm at acquired several scoops with an E26 base. They came with incandescent bulbs, which I'd like to switch to LED. I got a dozen "dimmable" 100w equivalent LEDs. They look great, but there's a problem. I have them connected to MBT DMX2X4 dimmer packs. They turn on and they dim, BUT, when brought to zero, they don't go completely out. Switch the Elation lighting board off, there's still a faint glow. Even when I switch off the dimmer packs, they don't go out. They're very dim, but not out.

It seems the only way I can get them to go completely out is to unplug the dimmer packs, or unplug the fixtures from the dimmer packs. I've seen similar problems with other consumer grade dimmable LEDs.

Are there any theatrical grade E26 LED that are dimmable and will go out when brought to zero?

 

[Les]

Try a different brand of LED bulb, adjust the "trim" setting on your dimmer pack (if possible), or put a "ghost load" on that circuit. Many dimmers have a minimum load they will support and you're probably below that threshold.

Unfortunately, I know of no theatrical grade E26 LED bulbs. I wish there were, because I'd be all over that. Most E26 'dimmable' lamps are total crap insufficient for stage use.

 

[kenact]

Try a different brand of LED bulb, adjust the "trim" setting on your dimmer pack (if possible), or put a "ghost load" on that circuit. Many dimmers have a minimum load they will support and you're probably below that threshold.

There's no Trim setting on the MBT dimmer packs. I thought about increasing the load with 40w LEDs, but finding dimmable 40w LEDs is also a wild goose chase. I don't even know that that would work, given that one channel has 2 fixtures on it, making it 36w, and I doubt taking up to 40w will make a difference. The other issue is, I have these 5 fixtures, with 18w LEDs, on the same 15A circuit with 6 - 200w Par46s, so at all up full, I'm already drawing over 10A. I'd like to keep away from that "magic" number.

It's nice that someone thought to donate these fixtures, are they are miles above the clip lights the space manager had in there, but I hate banging my head against a wall.

 

[Les]

Do you mean 40w equivalent LEDs or 40w actual? I believe for these dimmers to work properly, you need between 65-100w of resistive load on the same channel as your LEDs. I would test with a 65w incandescent bulb on the same channel as one of your LEDs and see if that makes a difference. Some manufacturers make a "dummy load" you can plug in, but you'd might as well use something that produces actual light in one or two of your scoops.

 

[jtweigandt]

I have had success taming various LED lights with a load as small as a 15 watt appliance bulb in the same circuit.. or in one case string of LED edison lights.

 

[almorton]

Don't ADJ make an edison plug and socket with a small 15W or so resistive dummy load? You just plug it in to the dimmer outlet and then plug the LEDs in to the dummy loads output. Helps to tame things a little. They still won't dim nicely, but they will at least go out at the bottom.

Here you go - found it.

 

[Morte615]

ETC makes a dimmable bulb, I have not seen them in person but I know people who speak highly of them. They also say they are expensive lol.

ArcLamp Features

Retrofit your facility with the smooth-dimming Arclamp, perfect for energy savings in chandeliers, sconces, wall lights, proscenium lights, and more.

www.etcconnect.com

 

[almorton]

We use "arc" lamps in our theatre and they work very well, but they're not a line dimmable lamp; they need a specific, dedicated driver.

Basically everyone needs to accept that they can't just swap out their halogen lamps for LED and expect them to just work. It's not going to happen.

 

[kenact]

Don't ADJ make an edison plug and socket with a small 15W or so resistive dummy load? You just plug it in to the dimmer outlet and then plug the LEDs in to the dummy loads output. Helps to tame things a little. They still won't dim nicely, but they will at least go out at the bottom.

Here you go - found it.

They're discontinued, but I found 9 on eBay. I need 5, and I like to have spares.

 

[Morte615]

They're discontinued, but I found 9 on eBay. I need 5, and I like to have spares.

You can make your own, and I'm sure find them around the Christmas sites, it's just a resister across the two terminals. Here's a Wiki post about them: https://www.controlbooth.com/wiki/snubber

 

[kenact]

You can make your own, and I'm sure find them around the Christmas sites, it's just a resister across the two terminals. Here's a Wiki post about them: https://www.controlbooth.com/wiki/snubber

Since I bought a few spares, I can afford to take one apart to verify.