Silicon Chip Online - Remote-Controlled Automatic Table Lamp Dimmer

Features

Remote control operation
Uses commercial pre-programmed remote control
On and off control with soft start for long lamp life
Fast and slow dim up and dim down control
Automatic dim up and dim down
Programmable minimum and maximum dimming levels
Programmable automatic dimming rate
Dimming level and dimming rate kept even after a blackout
Remote control acknowledge indication
Automatic dimming indication
RFI suppression
Four remote control codes available

Do you want more features from a plug-in lamp than just boring old on and off?

This multi-featured Automatic Lamp Dimmer provides total control via an infrared remote. Use it for mood lighting, home theatre lighting or even as a night light.

Wall-mounted lamp dimmers (ie, those that control the fixed lamps in homes) are common, used to great effect to adjust the brightness levels to suit the occasion.

However, it is not very common to find a dimmer for a table lamp or other portable lamp. But these lamps can also benefit from being able to be dimmed.

For example, you may wish to dim the lights in your lounge room and you can do this with the dimmer that controls the main ceiling lights.

Until now, though, you’ve had only on and off control of any other lamps.

For a home theatre room, being able to dim the ancillary lights is important if the full visual impact of the large screen is to be realised.

Our new Automatic Lamp Dimmer is housed in a 4-way power board, modified to suit the inclusion of the PC board. Three of the outlets are not used and are blanked off by the "front panel". At right is the commercial infrared remote control we used, a "Big 3" from Jaycar Electronics. Most "universal" remote controls would be suitable for use with the Automatic Lamp Dimmer and can probably replace a couple of your existing remotes into the bargain!

In fact, if you only use ancillary lighting that plugs into the Automatic Lamp Dimmer, the lighting can be dimmed automatically over the period of a few seconds, resulting in a "professional" theatre experience.

And as the dimmer functions are remote controlled, all the brightness adjustments can be made from the comfort of your lounge chair. Bring on the popcorn and choc-tops!

As a night-light, the Automatic Lamp Dimmer can be set to slowly dim from full brightness (or from a dimmed brightness) down to a preset level over an extended time period.

The slow dimming function is ideal for use in a child’s room. It provides such a slow reduction in light over a period of time, that the children probably won’t even notice before they fall asleep!