5 Different Types of Dimmer Switches Explained

Dimmer switches allow you to easily control the dimness or brightness of the lights inside your home. Basically, this electrical device is used for halogens and incandescent light bulbs, but soon even fluorescent lights can be used with a dimmer switch. Apart from helping users save on energy costs, this type of light switch can also set the right ambiance in any room. Here are the most common types of dimmers available in the market.

1. Touch Dimmer Switches

If you want a modern and elegant way to adjust the dimness of your lights, you cannot go wrong with touch dimmers. This device can turn the lights on or off and increase or decrease the brightness in your room simply by touching the lights. These dimmers also come in switch plates that can be attached to walls. By tapping the switch pad, you can easily set the lights in your room. Some touch dimmers use microprocessors that allow users to turn lights on with just two taps and to set a delay timer when turning the lights off.  

2. Remote Dimmer

These dimmer switches are typically available as a switch plate that can be attached to the wall. What makes it different is that it can be worked on using remote control. Apart from giving you the convenience of controlling the lights in your room from a distance, another big advantage of a remote dimmer is that it can be programmed to remember your favorite light settings.

3. Switch Dimmer

This type of dimmer can be attached to the floor or wall. It can also be used directly on table lamps. Switch dimmers can be controlled either by hand or foot, so they are typically used in hotels and audio-visual rooms. When used as wall switch, this type of dimmer can have a rotating knob that allows the user to adjust the light by simply turning the dial to attain the desired level of brightness or dimness. There are also switch dimmers that are fitted with a large paddle switch for turning the lights on or off and a small linear slide control on the side for adjusting dimness.

4. Slide-Type Dimmer Switches

This type of dimmers uses a large handle that can be slid up and down the switch pad to control the dimness of the lights. This device offers smoother action compared to one with a rotating knob. The switch pad in most models comes with a tiny built-in locator light so users can find the dimmer switch even when all the lights in the room are turned off.

5. Automatic Dimmer

This type of switch is among the most high-tech dimmers in the market today. It has an automatic setting that adjusts indoor lighting depending on the amount of natural light that gets inside the room. Thus, for a bright sunny day, this dimmer switch will dim the lights accordingly, while during gloomy days or at nights, it will deliberately increase the brightness of the lights in the room. You can easily and directly pre-program the maximum and minimum brightness levels on this type of dimmer switches.