What Kind of Dimmer Do You Need For LED Lights
What Kind of Dimmer Do You Need For LED Lights
If you've recently switched to LED light bulbs, or you have used them for a while but now want to use a dimmer switch with them, you may encounter some problems if you don't use the correct dimmer and LED bulbs. Using the incorrect bulbs or switches could lead you to experiencing flickering and buzzing, or no dim at all.
If you've experienced that problem, it is likely to be down to one of two things: the LED lighting you have chosen or the dimmer switch.
Do you have dimmable LED bulbs?
Traditional incandescent light bulbs can generally dim without issue, so don't need to be specifically dimmable, however not all LED bulbs are dimmable, and this is due to the way that LED bulbs and incandescent bulbs dim. Analogue dimming, with incandescent bulbs involves controlling the current to dim or brighten the light, whereas LED lights use Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) which involves the light going through a cycle of being on and off, so fast that you won’t be aware of it. So for a bulb to be 20% dimmer, it would need to be off 20% of the time.
Therefore, when planning the lighting in your home or business, if you wish to use a dimmer, you'll need to use dimmable LEDs, be they bulbs or downlights.
See our range of dimmable LED bulbs.
Are you using the correct dimmer switch for LED lights?
Some LED bulbs can work with the older leading edge dimmer switches, however it's more likely that they'll work with a more modern, trailing edge dimmer switch. (Need more information on these types of dimmers? Visit our blog Trailing Edge vs Leading Edge).These can be a little more expensive than older dimmers, but are more likely to stop issues including buzzing, humming, inability to achieve full brightness or premature bulb burnout.
Better yet, choosing one of our dimmers means you can choose. All of our dimmers contain Enkin dimmers, and the PDM150 allows you to choose between Trailing Edge and Leading edge at the touch of a button. And with soft-start, flicker-free technology, our dimmers will also prolong the life of your LED bulbs.
See our full range of LED dimmer switches.
FAQs
Yes, we carry Dimming Toggle Switches that best suit traditional or period homes. These are a great alternative to the more modern style dimming knobs.
