Lighting – Dimmers

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Dimmer technology has evolved consistently since the harnessing of electricity. 

Resistance Dimmers (varying the electrical resistance introduced into a circuit between power supply and lighting equipment). These can be lever operated, or by a wheel, or can be motorised. Wasteful of energy because as the resistance increases, the amount of power going to the lamp in the lantern is reduced, and the excess is lost as heat. 

Electronic Dimmers – The electrical power is reduced by chopping the electrical waveform – far less wasteful of energy, but introduced interference on the electrical supply due to the rapid switching on and off of the current. 

  • Thyratron Dimmers
  • Thyristor Dimmers

Digital Dimmers (Strand 1990)

Sinewave Dimmers – The electrical power is reduced by changing the amplitude of the alternating current sine wave. 


Technology Brief - Sinewave Dimmer Technology 230V 
[163kb PDF]

Technology Brief - Sinewave Dimmer Technology 110V 
[163kb PDF]
From Strand Archive

Archive

Any undated equipment is listed first with a grey background. If you can help us by adding dates please Contact Us!

8 channel dimmer board
ADB
95622 Dimmer
Furse Theatre Products
A21
Strand
Big Stik
EDI
C21
Strand
CD80 Single Dimmer
Strand
CD80 Supervisor
Strand
CD90 Dimmer Rack
Strand
Channel Master 3 Preset
Malham
Chilli
Zero 88
Command 2
CCT Lighting
Command 6
CCT Lighting
DC1-10
ELTEC
DC2-10
ELTEC
DC6-1000
ELTEC
DDII Dimmers
AVAB
DPX
Botex
DR6-1300
ELTEC
DR6-2000
ELTEC
Environ 2 Modular Dimmer
Strand
F&D Multiplex Interface
Strand
H.A.Car Portable Dimmerboard
Strand
Interlocking Slider Dimmer
Strand
Interlocking Sunset Dimmer Board
Strand
Junior Interlock Dimmerboard
Strand
Junior Sunset Flexible Dimmerboards
Strand
LD24 Dimmer Rack
Strand
Mark VII Dimmer Rack
EDI
Micropack
Green Ginger
Mini-Punchlite
Strand
Multimux 48
Strand
MVP 6/12 Pak Dimmer
EDI
Non-Interlocking Slider Dimmer / Switchboard
Strand
Pac-9
Kliegl
Permus Demultiplex Unit
Strand
Power Cube
Avolites
Q Pack / QPack
Light Processor
Regal Dimmer
CCT Lighting
Regal Portable Dimmer Pack
CCT Lighting
Regent 1 Followspot Dimmer
CCT Lighting
Regent 4 way dimmer unit
CCT Lighting
Resistance Dimmers - Electro-Magnetic Mechanical Type
Strand
SCRimmer Stik Dimmer
EDI
SD6 Digital Dimmer
Strand
Self Release Sunset Type Combined Switch & Dimmer Board
Strand
Series 2 Dimmer
Celco
SmartRack
Arri
TDM Dimmer
Dynamic Technology Ltd / DTL
TU Thyristor Unit Dimmer
Strand
Unidim
Strand
Versa Dim Master Stage Switchboard
Gaumont British
Liquid Dimmers  (1915)
Strand
Portable Teak Dimmer Board  (1925)
Strand
Early Metallic Dimmers  (1925)
Strand
Early Resistance Dimmers  (1925)
Strand
Portable Interlocking Dimmer Board  (1930)
Strand
Bordoni Transformer Dimmer  (1930)
Siemens
Plate Resistance Dimmers  (1945)
Strand
Slate Type Slider Resistance Dimmers  (1945)
Strand
Sunset Resistance Dimmers  (1945)
Strand
Tubular Resistance Dimmers  (1945)
Strand
Automatic Dimmers  (1945)
Strand
Transformer Dimmers  (1945)
Strand
Junior Slider Switchboard / Junior H A Slider Dimmerboard  (1950)
Strand
Chromolux (v2)  (1953)
Strand
SR / System SR  (1953)
Strand
DT14 Slider Dimmer  (1955)
Furse Theatre Products
Portable Dimmerboard (PS.8 Type)  (1957)
Strand
SCR Dimmer (?name)  (1958)
ADB
KTV / System KTV  (1959)
Strand
SD/WH  (1959)
Strand
LC / System LC  (1961)
Strand
CRD / System CRD  (1963)
Strand
CRD Dimmer Rack  (1963)
Strand
Junior 8  (1963)
Strand
Slider Dimmers (A.C. only)  (1963)
Strand
Thyristor Dimmer  (1964)
Electrosonic
JTM  (1965)
Strand
TEN/20 Lighting Control  (1968)
Strand
PTM  (1968)
Strand
Q-Master  (1969)
Century
Mini T Dimmer Rack  (1970)
Strand
Furse Electronic Traveller Switchboard  (1970)
Furse Theatre Products
Mini 2 Dimmer Rack  (1971)
Strand
Threeset  (1971)
Strand
DDM / System DDM  (1971)
Strand
Astral  (1973)
Skirpan Lighting Control Corporation
LD Dimmers  (1976)
Avolites
Perma 12  (1977)
Strand
Portable High Power Dimmer Pack  (1977)
Strand
FD Dimmers  (1978)
Avolites
MCM (Modular Crate Mounted)  (1978)
Strand
Minipak  (1978)
Strand
K Series dimmer  (1979)
Skirpan Lighting Control Corporation
D Range Dimmer  (1979)
Thorn Lighting
CD80 Dimmer Banks and Modules  (1980)
Strand
Tempus  (1980)
Strand
AVAB 201  (1982)
AVAB
CCD/CWD Dimmers  (1982)
Dynamic Technology Ltd / DTL
Staka Pak  (1982)
Dynamic Technology Ltd / DTL
Permus  (1982)
Strand
Act 2  (1983)
Strand
Act 6  (1984)
Strand
Intelligent Interface  (1985)
Pulsar
Delta 5  (1986)
Zero 88
PIP  (1986)
Strand
DC90 Dimmer Racks and Modules  (1987)
Strand
Impact  (1987)
Strand
Act 3  (1987)
Strand
Microdimmer  (1988)
Strand
Permanent Dimmer Rack  (1988)
Arri
Portable Dimmer  (1988)
Arri
Portapak 3  (1988)
Pulsar
PDD Digital Dimmers  (1988)
AVAB
CD80 1.2kW Pack  (1989)
Strand
Betapack 1  (1990)
Zero 88
24 channel demultiplexer  (1990)
Strand
EC90  (1990)
Strand
Andi  (1990)
Strand
Digital Environ / DE90  (1994)
Strand
ID Dimmer  (1994)
Zero 88
System 6  (1994)
Strand
Act 6+  (1994)
Strand
ART4000 Dimmer  (1995)
Avolites
Digital Dimmer  (1995)
MA Lighting
Freedom Range  (1996)
CCT Lighting
Apollo  (1996)
Electro Controls
Sensor  (1997)
Electronic Theatre Controls / ETC
Dig 6  (1998)
Strand
SLD Dimmers  (2000)
Strand
EC21  (2005)
Strand
3 Pack  (2006)
Strand
6 Pack  (2006)
Strand
Betapack 3  (2006)
Zero 88
S21 IGBT Dimmer Box  (2008)
Strand
1210  (2011)
Strand

This archive is still under construction, so please bear with us while we add more items. If you have specific information or documents that we don't have, and would be willing to share, please contact us!

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Keywords: history lighting controls and dimmers, history of dimmers, dimmer technology, history of lighting dimmers