Choosing a dimming method is a trade-off between retrofit constraints, dimming quality and budget. The table below breaks six common methods down by wiring, range, pros, cautions and typical use.
| Method | Control signal & wiring | Dimming range | Pros | Cautions | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Triac (phase-cut, leading edge) | Wired in series with the AC live conductor — no extra control cable | About 10%–100% (often quoted as 1%–100%, limited in practice by minimum load) | Cheapest retrofit: replace the luminaire without rewiring; the existing wall dimmer keeps working | The driver must be explicitly marked Triac-compatible or it flickers or will not start; a minimum load applies (very small single loads stay dark); flicker risk grows with several drivers on one circuit | Residential retrofit, hotel guest rooms, projects with existing phase-cut plates |
| 0-10V dimming undefined：H01 · H02 · H03 |
Two low-voltage control wires (+ / −), routed separately from mains | 0.1%–100% (shorting the pair drives full off) | Simple analogue signal, good noise immunity, moderate cost — the most common commercial-lighting standard | Requires an extra pair of control wires, which retrofits rarely have; polarity matters and the pair must be kept away from mains; mixing 1-10V gear with 0-10V means it never reaches full off | Offices, retail, factories, any space needing group dimming |
| DALI / DALI-2 bus undefined：H01 · H02 · H03 |
Two polarity-free bus wires — addressable, groupable, with status feedback | 0.1%–100%, per-luminaire addressing | Each luminaire gets an address, enabling scenes, groups, fault feedback and energy reporting; up to 64 devices per bus; integrates with building management systems | Needs a DALI bus power supply and commissioning (addressing, grouping) — highest upfront cost and labour; bus length and voltage drop must be calculated | Hotels, offices, showrooms, hospitals — project lighting |
| Push-dim (momentary switch) undefined：H08 · H09 · H10 |
Pulse from an ordinary momentary switch — no extra wiring | About 5%–100%, press-and-hold to ramp | A plain retractive switch does the job — no dedicated dimmer or control cable; cost close to phase-cut without the minimum-load problem | Several drivers in parallel must be powered up together to stay in sync, and power-off memory positions can drift; check switch contact rating on large circuits | Homes, B&Bs, small retrofits |
| PWM dimming undefined：H06 · H09 · R04 |
PWM signal on the low-voltage constant-voltage side (commonly 5V/10V or a dedicated controller) | 0%–100%, depending on controller frequency | Smooth, colour-shift-free dimming for strips; controllers are cheap and can be cascaded | Below roughly 1 kHz the flicker shows up on camera; over long runs the voltage drop becomes the problem before the dimming does | LED strips, display cabinets, cabinets, linear lighting |
| Wireless (Bluetooth / ZigBee) | 2.4 GHz radio, controlled from a phone app or gateway | 0.1%–100%, depends on the built-in driver module | Zero control wiring — the least invasive retrofit; supports groups, schedules, scenes and smart-home integration | Depends on a gateway and app, so behaviour degrades offline; 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi interference needs channel planning; count gateways for coverage on large jobs | Smart homes, retrofits, rental spaces |
© 2026 YFX. Figures are for selection purposes; always follow the datasheet for final wiring.