Phase Dimmer Control using Triac

Submitted by Dinesh on Thu, 08/29/2019 - 15:10

Hello Sir/Madam,

I am engineering student making phase dimmer control using triac

The schematic is as attached

What I have observed that many times attached circuit stop working due to failure of triac

I am not sure is it because of di/dt or dv/dt failure.

In order to avoid this I have used triac of much higher rating (10A) even though current needed can be as low as 1A.

However the problem continues. I have observed that the failure is for transformer powered halogen lamp (inductive load?) and for ceiling fans.

It works satisfactorily for incandescent lamps.

Also I am sharing one more observation that if I connect glass tube fuse link in series with the load then the fuse blows.

From the various information available I realized that I need to use choke / inductor to overcome this problem. Is that right?

I need help to

1. To find out the value of the inductor for 0.5A, 1A and 2A

2. Is this a special type of inductor? if yes wish to know make

Thank you in advance

Dinesh

You circuitdiagram is missing it hard to answer the question without that, but still will try....

In order to avoid this I have used triac of much higher rating (10A) even though current needed can be as low as 1A.

This is over engineering, you probably need 25% more than peak current of yor load. 10A is more than enough

However the problem continues. I have observed that the failure is for transformer powered halogen lamp (inductive load?) and for ceiling fans.

Inductive loads like motors are the most notorious ones beacuse they induce a back EMF (reverse voltage) back into the TRIAC if there are not protection circuits the it will damage the TRIAC

Also I am sharing one more observation that if I connect glass tube fuse link in series with the load then the fuse blows.

What is the rating of the fuse and where exactly did you connect it? after the switching side? 

From the various information available I realized that I need to use choke / inductor to overcome this problem. Is that right?

Not sure because we dont know your circuit yet. Also have you considered a snubber circuit? 

 

  Joined August 27, 2018      25
Monday at 04:18 PM

jaksonlee

Permalink

TRIAC dimmers are designed for resistive loads such as incandescent or halogen lights and have a significant installed base in the United States and worldwide. Unfortunately, these phase-controlled dimmers are not readily compatible with LEDs since LEDs do not appear as a resistive load.

The circuit above shows a simple DC triggered triac power switching circuit. With switch SW1 open, no current flows into the Gate of the triac and the lamp is therefore “OFF”. When SW1 is closed, Gate current is applied to the triac from the battery supply VG via resistor R and the triac is driven into full conduction acting like a closed switch and full power is drawn by the lamp from the sinusoidal supply.

As the battery supplies a positive Gate current to the triac whenever switch SW1 is closed, the triac is therefore continually gated in modes Ι+ and ΙΙΙ+ regardless of the polarity of terminal MT2.

  Joined November 07, 2019      124
Thursday at 04:25 PM

Please attach the schematic diagram, so that we ll be able to give the best suited solution for you

  Joined August 22, 2019      125
Thursday at 12:29 PM