Dummy load with no light

[gafftaper]

Re: What's inside of this?

So two topics here.

First of all electronic devices don't like the way dimmers disassemble and reassemble the electrical wave for dimming. The result of running any electronic device through a dimmer is shortening of the device life (possibly immediate failure) or you might get lucky and it doesn't hurt the device at all. There is no way around that.

The second problem is ghosting. Devices that use small amounts of energy can cause low electric leaks when they are "off". I think that's what this device does. A cheaper option is to just to plug a small incandescent lamp on the same circuit.

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[gafftapegreenia]

Re: What's inside of this?

Essentially its just a modern ghost load that allows you to turn LED affects on and off with the dimmers you already have. I doubt it has much more than some large resistors inside of it.

 

[Robert]

Re: What's inside of this?

When I had trouble with "odd" loads on a dimmer I always wired two incandescent lamps to the load. Just in case one lamp burned out.

 

[JD]

Re: What's inside of this?

The device in question is called a "snubber." (A true "ghost load" would heat up too much.) The concept is to use one of these if you are connecting up a passive LED string like a rope light. They basically contain a diac, capacitor, and a resistor balance out the leakage that is in the firing circuit in the dimmer pack. As to if they actually work in real life, I have not had the opportunity to find out.

What they are not designed for is allowing you to operate a DMX LED fixture off of a dimmer pack. Shouldn't do that.

 

[ship]

Recommending linking this "Dummy Load" post to the "Ghost Load" post as it's the same subject and answer's Derek's question on that post of another name for the subject.

I have some of the American DJ/Elation plug adaptors on order and a Lutron simulated loading on order as per the ghost load post. Play testing both next week on various dimmers as per small club touring needs. This much less creating a few of some concept of them in sending out to other larger tours having LED loadings active and interested. Lately everyone is doing LED lamps and having problems even in doing LeD dimmers.

In reading about both, the plug adaptor seems like more or a choke (better description above) - use to control warming current from a dimmer in making LED's slightly working while it should be off. Doesn't seem to add a resistance load to that dimmer in wanting about 60 watts of load to work properly. This or make it work properly with LED sensor dimmers which are also problematic in making the workings work - but often better. The Lutron product I proposed for a quote this week and in reading it's manuals, note it's rated for 250 watts per channel - two channel. That rating and dual channel made it into a decent price and cheap enough price I'll probably make lots of them in all forms. Thanks for the simaulated dummy load link!

As on the other post, my Soco six channel 60w incandescent dummy load that's inside a three space rack panel and light shielded is on hold a few months - fans were not powerful enough to work for the moment and onto other projects. The Lutron simiulated dummy load is quoted for a paid project and in this case will be mounted to the rear of the sign - each letter for a two channel chase with new dimmable 2 Watt G-16 LED lamps at 17 to 30 lamps per letter.

Spoke with Derek today in trying to find the link to the Lutron Simulated load - given I was searcing for dummy load instead of ghost load...

His further notes:
Somewhat reminds me of a device I saw many years ago at the long defunct HiLites shop: an “ACL eliminator”, a big honkin’ 3ohm resistor with huge heat sink and male plug that could replace one 250W 28V lamp in series in an ACL harness.