How Dimming Works

How Dimming Works

This diagram shows how dimming is implemented using the Renard system (and many of the other [systems | Electronics Hardware] that hobbyists are using).

The top waveform is the AC powerline voltage.
The second waveform shows the timing of the SSR trigger signal (non-pwm case).
The third waveform shows the timing of the SSR trigger signal in the pwm case.
The last waveform is the voltage that appears across the load (lights).

Reference: Dimmers Dave Fansler has a nice write-up on dimming at his site, and almost all of the information there is directly applicable here.