Lighting Accessories

We sell transformers, dimmers, lamp shields, UV filters, and more, so it’s no surprise that we get a lot of questions about lighting accessories. The ones we hear most frequently are included below.

Dimmers

Q: What makes lights dim?

A: An electrical component in the dimmer, called a triac, actually turns the light on and off very rapidly – 120 times per second. But with a dimmer, just like when you watch a movie and your eye “smoothes out” the rapid movement changes, your eye perceives a steady dimmed light level. The longer the light is “on” versus “off”, the brighter the lights appear. Conversely, when the light is “off” more than “on”, the lights are dimmer … read more >>

Honeycomb Louvers

Q: What is a honeycomb louver?

A: It’s a device made of thin metal with a honeycomb pattern that is placed in front of a lamp to minimize the direct glare coming from that lamp.

Q: Can you provide in a 4 1/4 square configuration? Or can I get a large sheet and field cut?

A: We can provide honeycomb louvers in 4-1/4 inch square configurations.  Please call our customer service number at 800-392-4818 to place a special order for these.

Toroidal Magnetic Transformers

Q: What is a toroidal magnetic transformer?

A: A magnetic transformer with a donut-shaped magnetic core.

Q: What is a conventional El magnetic transformer?

A: A transformer with a magnetic core shaped like the letters, “E” and “I.”

Q: Which magnetic transformer is more efficient, a toroidal magnetic transformer or a conventional El magnetic transformer?

A: A toroidal magnetic transformer is generally 94%-95% efficient while a conventional EI magnetic transformer is 87%-88% efficient. This means more of the electrical energy that is being used to operate the toroidal transformer is coming out as useable electrical energy and less is being wasted as heat energy.

Q: Which magnetic transformer operates cooler?

A: Because the toroidal magnetic transformer is more efficient less of its incoming energy is wasted as heat energy. This, in turn, means that toroidal transformers operate cooler.

Q: Which magnetic transformer weights less?

A: A toroidal magnetic transformer weighs up to one-half as much as a similar EI magnetic transformer.

Q: Which magnetic transformer is quieter?

A: A toroidal magnetic transformer is much quieter because it does not vibrate or hum like an EI transformer.

Q: Which type of magnetic transformer can operate at full capacity? 

A: A toroidal magnetic transformer can by loaded 100%. That is, a 300-watt toroidal magnetic transformer can power 300 watts of lighting load, 600-watt toroidal magnetic transformer can power 600 watts of lighting load, and so on. By contrast, a conventional EI magnetic transformer can power only about 80% of its rating. That is, a 300-watt conventional magnetic transformer should power only about 240 watts (300 x 80%) of lighting load and a 600-watt conventional magnetic transformer should power only about 480 watts (600 x 80%) of lighting load.

Q: Which magnetic transformer minimizes stray magnetic fields?

A: A toroidal magnetic transformer has very low stray magnetic fields, which may be of importance in certain environments.