Control

The Lighting Control System

Components

Lighting control systems are linked by communications networks and power supplies.

They contain three components:

  1. Sensing Device - Provides information to logic circuit
  2. Logic Circuit - Decides whether to supply lighting, and how much
  3. Controller - Changes the output of the lighting system

What it does

A lighting control system is a device or apparatus that:

Some examples:

  1. Occupancy sensor
    • Sensor detects presence or absence or people
    • Decide whether to turn on or shut off lights
    • Sends signal to relay, which closes or opens circuit
  2. Control station and dimming panel
    • User presses button to recall preset scene
    • Control station recalls scene from memory and sends signal to dimmer at dimming panel
    • Dimmer adjusts light output to desired level
  3. Dimmable ballast
    • Controller provides signal to dim
    • Ballast is instructed to dim, and by how much
    • Ballast alters the current to the lamps, dimming them

What it contains

A lighting control system can incorporate:

A lighting controller may be a switching panel, dimming panel, colour controller or an interlinked mixture of these. The controller controls the lighting load with a variety of outputs based on decisions made by the logic circuits.

Different control strategies may have overlapping device requirements. Overall control can still be gained by building a system of simple components.

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