Does anyone make a dimmer switch with only two fixed settings (high and low)?

[Dan Friedrichs]

Remodeling a bathroom, and would like a dimmer for nighttime, but I feel like a standard infinitely-variable dimmer is not very useful: who needs that full range of control? I want two settings: full and dim (or, daytime and nighttime). Ever seen a dimmer switch like that?

[Maurice Mcmurry]

We have a bath fan, light, night-light combo. The night light is a 2nd tiny bulb under the dome along side the regular bulb.

Some outdoor motion detector lights have a dual bright feature.

[Jim Koepke]

Years before the variable dimmers, circa 1960s, there was such a dimmer for incandescent lamps.

Up would be full brightness. Center position was off, there was an internal neon lamp to light the switch's toggle. Down would be dimmed.

These were basically a single pole switch with a diode in the circuit of the dim position to deliver only half of the AC sine wave to the lamp.

jtk

[Bill Howatt]

...9, 8,7,6,... This is the countdown time before your wife tells you the second setting is still too bright or too dim! :)

Years ago I bough a dimmer that had a remote. The remote had a preset button for s fixed setting which I think you could configure. No idea if you can still get it and it does need the remote but it may give you some idea of what you can search for.
What about just getting a little plug-in night light for the dark times?

[Lee Schierer]

The Meross Smart Dimmer switch (https://shop.meross.com/products/smart-wi-fi-dimmer-and-remote-kit) can be set for several fixed levels.

[roger wiegand]

Any of the fancier "smart" dimmer switches will let you set different "programs" that allow different discrete light levels.

[Bill Dufour]

You could wire up a three way switch with a diode. I have a feeling led bulbs will not like the diode power.
Bill D.

[Mike Henderson]

Not on point, but Levitron makes a GFCI outlet that includes a night light (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013OVC61C/?th=1). I have that in my bathroom. Gives enough light for night and has a light sensor so it turns off during the day.

Mike

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I see several light fixtures with built in night lights.
https://www.amazon.com/Matane-Ceiling-Fixture-Selectable-Dimmable/dp/B0BV28759Y/ref=asc_df_B0BV28759Y/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=674267876821&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=12431399256309997761&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9112979&hvtargid=pla-2254575423487&psc=1&mcid=d2e90891190935d9b8b911a76f0fedf4

[Jim Koepke]

With incandescent lamps, there used to be a lesson/experiment where a 100w bulb would be wired in series with a lesser wattage bulb (10-60w) with the question being which would be brighter when power was applied. The lessor wattage bulb would always be brighter.

Something like that might work for you. There are switches that can be doubled in a switch box. they fit in like a wall outlet. Then you could have one switch to supply power and the other to select which bulb would be on.

jtk

[Earl McLain]

Our range hood has a toggle that is low-off-high, so the animal exists in the wild. I replaced the original halogen bulbs with LEDs a few years ago, but i don't recall if i checked to see if the replacement LEDs were dimmable. They've worked well though. Fixture is rated for 2 60 watt mini halogens, so the switch has to have at least that much capability. If you find that kind of toggle (McMaster-Carr maybe?) you might have to fabricate a switch cover good woodworking project!!

[Alan Rutherford]

...: who needs that full range of control? ...

You do, the first time you want to take a closer look at something in the middle of the night. I think you'd regret the one-option choice sooner than a conventional dimmer.

[Dan Friedrichs]

Hmm, interesting thoughts, but nothing quite like what I'm looking for.

There are dimmer switches where the on/off toggle is prominent, and the dimmer control very small. These make good sense to me for applications like mood lighting where you tweak the dim level once then rarely/never touch it again:

https://www.prolighting.com/media/catalog/product/cache/14201fead59070678904726505de830a/d/v/dvrf-6l-la_nowallplate_2.jpg

But the other configuration (dimmer control prominent, on/off control smaller) doesn't make much sense. When do you need infinitely variable control? Why place the dimmer function so prominently, when the on/off function is far more commonly used?

https://mobileimages.lowes.com/productimages/cb540ed0-1823-4624-b6f9-318da2ce3be3/00576876.jpg?size=pdhism

All the "smart dimmers" I'm seeing are some variation on this (dimmer controls very prominent).

I would think there would be a market for a Off/Low(adjustable)/Full dimmer. Either two switches or a 3-position switch. I'm just surprised such a thing doesn't exist. It seems like the obvious use case for most dimmers.

[Mike Henderson]

The other thing I've seen done is to put some "tube lights" - the ones that look like a transparent hose and have LED bulbs in it - under your sink overhang and put that on a separate switch/dimmer for a night light.

I have the Lutron dimmers like you showed. They're nice but the minimum dim is still fairly bright. I think it has some adjustments but that may limit the brightness of the high setting. It was quite a while ago that I installed them.

Mike

[Jim Koepke]

…
I have the Lutron dimmers like you showed. They're nice but the minimum dim is still fairly bright. I think it has some adjustments but that may limit the brightness of the high setting. It was quite a while ago that I installed them.

Mike

I haven't worked with dimmers since before incandescent lamps went out of style.

Different dimmers use different circuitry to do their thing. I recall one of the characteristics of the lamp/dimmer relationship is the lamps had a minimum ignition point before the filament would begin to glow. Once this was reached, the dimmer could be lowered and maintain a lesser glow until the power was shut off and one would have to start all over again.

Okay, just did a consult with Dr. Google > Hi - lo light switch < and found this > https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5685-W-Double-Throw-Center-OFF-Single-Pole/dp/B07DVHR12B/ref=asc_df_B07DVHR12B/

That may do the job for you.

Looking closer at this it may be a single pole double throw switch. This could work for wiring with your own diode if you are using incandescent lamps. You would have to make sure the diode can handle the load and it may need heat sinking.

jtk

[Ken Fitzgerald]

We use this. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B7974IO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1 It's a rechargeable battery emergency light. We plug it in to a receptacle where one might plug in their electric shaver. During the day, it's off and is charging. At night it puts out an angled down horizontal light. When removed from the charging station you can select it to work as a regular flashlight, or hold it vertically and have it put out a horizontal light. It has selectable bright or dim.

[Tom M King]

Add another lighting circuit.

[Jim Becker]

Okay, just did a consult with Dr. Google > Hi - lo light switch < and found this > https://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5685-W-Double-Throw-Center-OFF-Single-Pole/dp/B07DVHR12B/ref=asc_df_B07DVHR12B/

That's a fan control so it may or may not work for lighting.

[Bill Howatt]

I think this is just a double-throw, center off switch with nothing inside to regulate high or low; if so, it assumes you have a high lead and a low lead from your device to select. This wouldn't be the case from a regular light fixture.

[Bill Dufour]

I just realized he actually needs a three position switch. I think he needs high low and OFF.
BillD

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I like my tiny bulb. A dimmed 10 watt bulb still uses 10 watts, the dimmer or resistor turns a portion of the current into heat. Our tiny bulb is less than 1 watt.

[Jim Koepke]

That's a fan control so it may or may not work for lighting.


I think this is just a double-throw, center off switch with nothing inside to regulate high or low; if so, it assumes you have a high lead and a low lead from your device to select. This wouldn't be the case from a regular light fixture.

The switch description and the diagram indicates it is a Single Pole Double Throw with a Center-Off position.

513853

This is what led me to include an edit (Looking closer) on the possibility of wiring a diode across the outputs of this switch to create a home made two position dimmer switch. Also note this may require a heat sink and some knowledge of electrical workings.

There are multiple ways to do this. However I am reluctant to advise on such things since the end user and environment is unknown to me. An improper installation of such a set up could cause a dangerous situation.

As mentioned earlier this was a method that worked with incandescent lamps years ago. For all I know it would work with todays LED lamps. For my own purposes it would be easy for me to spend about a half hour to gather the parts and set up an experiment in my shop. It would either work, or it wouldn't. My suspicion is different LED lamps would react differently. Some may have internal circuitry that would negate the effect of half wave AC power, others may flicker most annoyingly.

This switch would also be useful if the OP wants to consider two separate lamps controlled by a single switch. If a second wire is easily run to the light fixture, it could have two bulbs of a different wattage, problem solved.

jtk

[Dan Friedrichs]

Jim, that "style" is exactly what I was thinking, though!

With LED bulbs, I'm suspicious that the diode approach might not work, although I love the idea.

Certainly many ways to do this, I was just surprised that there isn't a commercial switch with this option.

[Jim Becker]

For this application...I'd likely use a smart switch with "scenes" that can be addressed by discrete buttons on the faceplate. Of course, that's a bigger commitment and also involves "picking your system" since they are not necessarily compatible across brands. On the advice of a good friend, I've been using YoLink when I need a smart switch application.

[Jim Koepke]

Jim, that "style" is exactly what I was thinking, though!

With LED bulbs, I'm suspicious that the diode approach might not work, although I love the idea.

Certainly many ways to do this, I was just surprised that there isn't a commercial switch with this option.

The commercial switch with this option lost favor when the adjustable dimmer switch came on the market. Some dimmer switches do not work with LED lamps. Some LED lamps do not work with dimmers.

An LED lamp made to work with a dimmer could possibly work with a simple diode in the circuit.

Like mentioned in an earlier post, if it was my project, a test set up would be built as proof of concept. This would be done using the same lamps as are to be controlled in the finished project.

Another approach, if this were my project, would be to look up > dimmer switch circuit diagram < and build my own unit to a set level to incorporate with a Hi-Lo switch to accomplish the desired result.

There are multi-level switches in ceiling fans that use capacitors to vary the motor speed. That might be another consideration. Though with motors it might be more of how a capacitor acts like a resistor in AC circuits. It could also be due to a capacitor having phase shift characteristics opposite of a motor. One of my college instructors wanted me to stay for his course on motor controls, but I needed to graduate and get a job.

jtk

[Maurice Mcmurry]

As Bill posted, a 3 way switch (SPDT) and resistors could be made to work. DIY will likely not pass inspection.

https://electronzap.com/how-to-learn-basic-electronics/bipolar-junction-transistor-basics-bjts/npn-bjt-switch-circuit/light-controlled-npn-bjt-switch-ldr-high-and-low-side/

513891

[Alex Zeller]

My solution was to just add a cheap large LED clock. One with 5 levels of brightness so you can set it to however bright you want and leave it. Also one with a battery so if the power goes out you still have a light. The one I have has a USB C power cable. When the power was out for over a day I used a battery pack to charge a phone to keep it going. I don't mind having a clock in the bathroom so it works well for me.