What is a dimmer?
A dimmer is an electronic device which allows you to control the brightness of your lights. It has different shapes depending on the end use. In order to dim a light consumers can either buy a control knob that can be used wireless or a switch to install on the wall. However, some light bulbs like Philips SceneSwitch, allow you to set your favourite light setting through an ordinary on / off wall switch. Thanks to recent technology advances in the field of smart lighting, now home lights can also be dimmed directly from an app on the phone, even from a different location.
What are the benefits of using a dimmer?
Light flexibility
By using a dimmer you can easily adjust the brightness of the lights in your house depending on your lighting needs. For instance, a soft light can help you enjoy the perfect atmosphere for watching an exciting movie on the tv or eating a delicious dinner with friends or family. The more you dim the light, the warmer it gets. On the other hand, by increasing the brightness you will enjoy a crispy and bright light, perfect for cooking in the kitchen, reading an interesting book or carrying out work activities.
Energy efficiency
Sometimes natural light is not enough. To this extent, light from artificial sources help us to carry out our daily activities in the most comfortable way. Depending on the degree of light during the day a dimmer will enable you to either increase or decrease the light brightness. Or better, dimmable lights will allow you to optimise energy consumptions and ultimately energy costs on your electricity bills. Make sure to have a look at the Energy Label of the lights before buying them.
Product life extension
When a light is dimmed, it is working below the maximum performance. This will help to extend the longevity of a LED lamp life. Indeed, by setting a soft light you can make your lamps last up to 3 years longer! This will also dramatically reduce the lighting maintenance costs as you will not have to replace your lights often. Moreover, dimmable lights also affect our health. A bright light prevents eye strain when carrying activities that require high concentration and can help our circadian clock.
Are there different types of dimmer switches?
There are different types of dimmers for each light technology. To this extent, only dimmable LED lamps can be dimmed and only with an LED dimmer. The different internal driver sets a minimum and maximum load that determines the dimming potential of the lamps. In order to reach the full brightness of the lamp it is recommendable to always buy well-known light manufacturers products.
Why dimmer switches make noise?
Before buying a dimmer it is important to take into account two factors: LED lights only work with LED specific dimmers; not all dimmers are compatible with the lights you have at home. Moreover, not all dimmers have a good quality. A sign of incompatibility between a light and a dimmer is when you hear an unpleasant buzz or an unexpected voltage drop. This can affect not only the quality of the light but also the performance of the lamp. Indeed, using an incompatible dimmer can shorten the life of a light source. To this extent, we recommend to always check the list of compatible light producers. Here you can easily find high quality lights from the most renowned brands, such as Osram, Philips and Sylvania.
Can I dim a light bulb without a switch?
Today the most advanced technologies enable you to set your favourite light setting even without a dimmer. With Philips SceneSwitch for instance, you will only need your wall switch. This smart light bulb has an integrated microchip which memorizes the last light setting. Find out more here. Another option is Philips Hue, which improves safety in your home, by switching on the light of a room through an app also when the house is empty.
FAQs
Trailing edge or LED ready dimmers have been designed specifically for use with LED light bulbs.
What dimmer switch to use with LED lights? ›
There are two types of dimmer switch available: leading-edge and trailing-edge dimmers. Some retrofit LED light bulbs and fittings have drivers that allow them to work with either type, but for a better chance of the dimmer operating correctly, choose a trailing-edge dimmer.
Do you need a special dimmer switch for LEDs? ›
Use an LED Dimmer switch
A standard dimmer switch cannot be used with an LED light as you will never be able to dim the LED light either completely or not very well. LED lights need their own special electronic dimmer switch to have a fully functioning and dimming light.
What happens if you use the wrong dimmer with LED lights? ›
Not all dimmers are compatible with LED lights, and using an incompatible one could cause flickering, reduced lifespan of your LEDs, or they might not even dim properly at all.
Why are some dimmer switches not compatible with LED? ›
It's due to this high wattage range that makes leading edge dimmers incompatible with modern LED bulbs, as the high wattage of the unit is likely to cause issues with your low watt LED bulbs and prevent them from working correctly.
How to tell if your dimmer switch is LED compatible? ›
Check Your Existing Dimmer
The type of dimmer switch and it's minimum/maximum load range will indicate the compatibility with LED light bulbs. Trailing edge dimmers work best with LED light bulbs and leading-edge dimmers work best with traditional incandescent and halogen light bulbs.
How to choose the right dimmer switch? ›
Choose a dimmer with a wattage rating that meets or exceeds the total wattage of all the light bulbs the dimmer will control. For example, if the dimmer controls a fixture with ten 75-watt bulbs, you need a dimmer rated for 750 watts or higher.
What happens if you use an incandescent dimmer on LED? ›
As traditional dimmers are only compatible with lights of a particular minimum power level, some of these dimmers could even fail to function altogether with LED bulbs. Hence, the onus is on you to get a compatible dimmer for any specific LED light bulb you want to give the dimmer treatment.
What happens if you use non-dimmable LEDs on a dimmer switch? ›
Dimming LED lamps can save energy and changes the visual appearance and mood of your space. You can use a dimmable LED lamp in a non-dimmable circuit. You should NOT use a non-dimmable lamp in a dimmable circuit as it may cause damage to the lamp and or circuit.
Do older dimmers work with LED lights? ›
Can You Use Old Dimmer Switches with New LED Bulbs? You can, but the results may not be what you want. Most dimmer switches were designed to work with filament lamps and incandescent bulbs. An LED bulb works differently.
Not all LED bulbs are created to dim, and if installed with a dimmer, are likely to not respond well or at all. Secondly, not all dimming controls work with LEDs. If you installed LEDs and connected them to a dimmer for your previous incandescent lighting, it is likely they are not compatible.
Why do LED lights flicker with dimmer? ›
Instead, they stay somewhere between, thus; the dimmed effect. LED bulbs, on the other hand, don't have this permanence. They stop emitting light almost right after they stop receiving current. As such, dimmers designed for older types of bulbs may cause LED lights to flicker when dimmed.
Why are my LED lights not dimming properly? ›
Typically, LED dimming problems occur because the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing or, more specifically, the LED lamps aren't in sync with the controls, or dimmer switches. In order to get LED lamps to dim, you need a proper pairing between the lamp and the controls.
Is there a special dimmer switch for LEDs? ›
There are different types of dimmers for each light technology. To this extent, only dimmable LED lamps can be dimmed and only with an LED dimmer. The different internal driver sets a minimum and maximum load that determines the dimming potential of the lamps.
Can I use a regular dimmer switch with LED lights? ›
Compatibility Considerations: Not all dimmer switches are compatible with LED bulbs. To ensure smooth and efficient operation, choosing a dimmer specifically designed for LED technology is essential.
What are the different types of dimmer switches for LED lights? ›
There are two types of dimmer switch for mains dimming in your home; leading edge and trailing edge. Trailing edge switches work best with LEDs. If your dimmer switch is old it's likely a leading edge switch and worth changing to a trailing edge version.
What happens if you put a dimmer on a non-dimmable LED? ›
If you install a non-dimmable LED light on a dimmable switch, you might have it set at 100% the entire time to ensure it operates correctly. The bulb can start buzzing or flickering once you lower the power threshold to the fixture. Those activities can damage the product or significantly reduce its lifespan.
Can LED lights be dimmable? ›
CAN LEDs BE DIMMED? Yes, all LEDs can be dimmed, but it is not always simple. If it is practical or not to dim a particular LED lamp or lighting fixture will depend on the driver that is being used to control it.
Can you use a dimmable LED light with a regular switch? ›
You can use a dimmable LED lamp in a non-dimmable circuit. You should NOT use a non-dimmable lamp in a dimmable circuit as it may cause damage to the lamp and or circuit. Integral lamps are clearly marked as dimmable or non-dimmable on the packaging and on the lamp.
Can I use a dimmer switch on recessed lights? ›
Installing a dimmer switch for your recessed lighting is one of the simplest ways to dramatically increase the flexibility of your lighting. It's also a fairly simple DIY project that almost anyone can do.
