Which dimmer works with LED lighting?
You hang a new lamp, turn up the dimmer and the light flickers, hums or only comes on halfway. It is almost never the lamp, but the dimmer.
Why old dimmers do not work with LED
Most dimmers in homes were made for incandescent bulbs. Those drew forty to sixty watts; an LED draws five. An old dimmer needs a minimum load to work stably, and with LED it simply does not reach it.
The result: flickering at low power, a buzzing sound, or a lamp that will not dim beyond halfway.
What to look for
Check three things. First, whether the dimmer is explicitly suitable for LED. There is usually an LED logo or a note on the packaging. Second, the range: a good LED dimmer works from about 1 watt, instead of from 20 or 40.
Third, the type. For LED you usually need a trailing-edge dimmer, also called RC. Leading-edge dimmers, or RL, were meant for incandescent bulbs and transformers.
The lamp itself must be dimmable too
This is often forgotten. Not every LED lamp is dimmable, and a non-dimmable LED on a dimmer will always flicker, however good the dimmer. If nothing is stated about dimming, assume it is not dimmable.
For our lamps this is shown on the product page. If in doubt, ask us before you order.
Several lamps on one dimmer
If you connect three lamps to the same dimmer, add up the wattage and check that it falls within the range. With LED you rarely reach the upper limit, but you easily fall below the lower limit, and that is exactly the problem.
Why dimming gives more than you think
Dimmable light is not a luxury but the core of a pleasant living room: bright during the day, low in the evening. That is why we would rather recommend a few more lumens with a dimmer than just enough without. See how many lumens you need per room and why one lamp in the living room is not enough.
Unsure?
Check with your electrician before you buy a dimmer, or bring the details of your current dimmer to our showroom in Arnhem. We are happy to look at which combination works.
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