Home> Help> Sockets and Switches Guides> How Do I Work Out The Load On My Dimmer?
To work out the load on your dimmer, and therefore what dimmer wattage you need to order, you will need to make a simple calculation.
The Calculation
The calculation couldn't be simpler. Add up the wattage of each light on that switch and you have your answer. If you have 4 lights that are 50W each you'll need a 200W dimmer or bigger.
4 lights x 50W=200W
What About 2 Dimmers On One Plate?
The same rule applies, but it is per dimmer, not as a total for the plate. The dimmers work independently, so if you have eight 50W lights in a room but they are split so there are 4 lights per dimmer you'll need two 200W dimmers (or above).
First dimmer: 4 lights x50W=200W
Second dimmer: 4 lights x50W=200W
Exceptions: LED Dimming
There is an exception, and it is happening more these days as people move to LED lights, a much more affordable lighting solution.
With LED lighting you need to consider both the wattage of the lamps/bulbs but also the number of lamps/bulbs on each dimmer. We would recommend Varilight's V-PRO dimmers for all your LED dimming solutions. They are, in our experience, the best in market and work with almost every LED lamps on the market - no mean feat!
Varilight recommend putting no more than 10 LED lamps on one dimmer module. You can put multiple lamps on one plate, so if you have a three gang dimmer plate you can put thirty LED lamps on the plate in total (10 on each module).
More LED Bulbs Needed
While most scenarios are covered with 10 lamps or bulbs there are certain situations where more than ten lamps are needed, but Varilight have this covered too. It is possible to get the Varilight PRO dimmer with a maximum load of 0-300w (Max 30 LEDs).
Leading Edge LED Dimmers
In most scenarios trailing edge dimmers are the best option, but some LED lamps and bulbs require leading edge dimmers. If this is required we would recommend the Varilight COM dimmer modules.
If you already have a dimmer and are looking to upgrade it to LED lighting you can just replace the module. Once again we would recommend the Varilight PRO dimmer module.
If you are confused or need any further assistance please don't hesitate to get in touch with our team on 02920 004 887.
