Dimmers

What to Check Before Buying a Brass Dimmer Switch

Every brass rotary dimmer switch in this range is machined from solid brass rather than plated, and uses leading edge TRIAC dimming. Whether it performs the way you expect once it is in the wall comes down to the bulbs on the circuit and how that circuit is wired, so confirm both before ordering.

• Dimming technology: Leading edge, also called TRIAC or phase cut. These are not 0 to 10V, ELV or trailing edge units, and they do not control smart bulbs, fans or motors.

• Bulb compatibility: Bulbs must be marked dimmable. Non dimmable LEDs buzz, flicker or fail on any dimmer, whatever the dimmer is rated for.

• Wattage rating: Match the rating to the total load on the circuit. LED loads sit far below incandescent, so a run that once drew 400 watts of halogen may now draw under 40.

• Single pole or 3-way: A single pole dimmer is the only control on its circuit. For two control points, pair one dimmer with one standard 3-way brass light switch. Two dimmers cannot control the same load from two locations.

• Gang count and plate opening: Count the devices in the existing box. Rotary dimmers need a round knob aperture rather than a Decora or toggle opening, so the plate and the device have to come from the same format.

• Lacquered or unlacquered: Lacquered brass holds its tone. Unlacquered brass darkens with handling and humidity. Hand finished brass varies slightly between batches, so order a full room together where you can.

Gang Layouts, Combination Plates and Matching Hardware

Entryways, living rooms and bedside walls usually run a dimmed circuit and a switched circuit next to each other. Combination plates handle both from one box, pairing a brass light switch with dimmer control on a single faceplate. The wider brass outlets and light switches range covers those mixed runs, and brass electrical outlets cover the sockets on their own in standard, GFCI and USB formats for kitchens and bathrooms.

The same finish carries from the wall to the joinery. In a kitchen, the dimmer by the door and the cabinet fronts opposite it sit in the same view, so brass cabinet pulls and a matching brass cabinet knob in the same alloy and finishing process keep the room consistent. For period properties and darker schemes, antique brass cabinet hardware runs deeper and warmer than polished brass while keeping the same profiles and centre to centre sizes.