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Do Amatis devices work with all LED lamp types?
Do Amatis devices work with all LED lamp types?
Sebastien Gouin-Davis avatar
Written by Sebastien Gouin-Davis
Updated over a week ago

YES, but choose carefully!

There are 3 types of LED Lamps: Type A, Type B, Type C.

LED Operation

LEDs require low voltage DC (direct current) to operate, but line voltage in buildings is typically 120-277V AC (alternating current). That means that LEDs require a conversion device, called a driver, to convert the line voltage in a building to low voltage DC in order to operate correctly. There are 3 types of LED tubes, differentiated by the location of this driver.

Type A

This LED lamp is a direct replacement for Compact and Linear Fluorescent lamps, requiring no re-wiring of the fixture to install. That is possible because these lamps have drivers built into the tube which accepts the output from the already installed Fluorescent ballast. These replacement lamps are the least efficient and most prone to failure. They are not dimmable with any control system. To control 1 or more of these lamps, Amatis recommends the use of an Advanced Load Controller for on/off control.

Type B

This LED lamp is sometimes also called a ballast bypass lamp. During installation, the ballast is removed and line voltage is wired directly to the LED tube. Just like in the Type A above, the driver is internal to the LED tube, but in a Type B LED, the driver is converting from line voltage to low voltage DC. These tubes are not 0-10V dimmable but can be controlled on/off with the Amatis Advanced Load Controller (ALC).

Type C

Unlike Type A and Type B LED tubes, a Type C LED tube uses an external driver to provide low voltage DC to the LED tube. The external driver is the most efficient, reliable driver type because it does not have the same space and heat dissipation constraints as the internal drivers built into a Type A and Type B tube. Type C lamps work brilliantly with the Amatis Smart Driver which allows on/off, and full dim control.

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