A: No. The majority of CFL bulbs sold today are not dimmable. A CFL bulb that cannot be used on a dimmer will have the statement not for use with dimmers or do not use with dimmers marked directly on the bulb.Recently, dimmers have been introduced designed specifically for CFL (and LED) bulbs.
Can fluorescent lights be put on a dimmer?
Where fluorescent lighting is used in kitchens or dining rooms or family rooms, it is possible to install it on a dimmer. However, altering fluorescent lighting is not as simple as just changing the switch, such as with incandescent bulbs. A special fixture and compatible dimming control are necessary.
How do I know if a bulb is dimmable?
#1 If you bought a finished LED fixture or bulb, check to make sure the packaging specifically states that it is dimmable. This should be stated in the description or the technical specifications of the light.
What is a CFL dimmer?
Dimmable CFL bulbs are available, and they can be dimmed down to about 20 percent of full light output without problems. These bulbs come in packaging that states their compatibility with dimmers. Because dimming CFL bulbs are designed to work with dimmer switches, they will not harm the bulb or the dimmer switch.
What are two disadvantages of using compact fluorescent light bulbs?
Cons of CFLs:
Some CFLs are not dimmable. You can buy dimmable fixtures and even dimmable bulbs, but they cost more. CFLs contain trace amounts of mercury, so if you break one, you have to handle it carefully so you don’t contaminate your environment or yourself.
How do you make a fluorescent light dimmer?
The best way to dim a fluorescent is to use a dimming ballast. The dominant manufacturer of dimming ballasts at present is Lutron, which makes several types: the best ones are the Hi-Lume series, which dim from 1 to 100%, and the Eco-10 series, which dim from 10 to 100% of maximum brightness.
Why are my fluorescent lights dim?
Dim light or low lumen output is almost always the cause of one of two things: an old fluorescent lamp or an aging, bad ballast.
What bulbs are dimmable?
The most common bulbs that can be dimmed are:
- Fluorescent light bulbs.
- LED light bulbs.
- Incandescent and halogen light bulbs.
What determines if a light is dimmable?
What makes a light fixture dimmable is the dimmer controlling it and the light bulb. So it is the light bulb that determines whether you can dim or not (and not the fixture).
What happens if you put a non-dimmable bulb in a dimmer?
?If you install a non-dimming LED bulb in a circuit with a dimming switch, it will likely operate normally if the dimmer is at its 100% or fully on. Dimming the bulb, will likely cause erratic behavior such as flickering or buzzing and ultimately may cause damage to the bulb.
Do CFL bulbs dim over time?
Another reason you need more lumens is that a CFL will dim over time. It will lose 20 to 25 percent lumen power after 4,000 hours (40 percent of a CFL’s 10,000-hour-rated life). Incandescent bulbs also lose lumens, but the life of these bulbs is extremely short compared with that of CFLs.
Why can’t you use LED bulbs with a dimmer switch?
The downside is that LED bulbs are extremely low-wattage (they use up very little energy), which means leading edge dimmers can’t read or control their circuitry very well. Trailing edge dimmers, on the other hand, have a much lower wattage range and can read and control LED bulbs easily and effectively.
Can I use my old dimmer switch with LED bulbs?
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.
Which is better LED or compact fluorescent?
The LED bulbs last longer and therefore will save you time and money in the long run. CFL’s use 25-35% less energy than traditional light bulbs, or incandescent bulbs, use.LED’s, on the other hand, use 75% less of the energy than incandescent bulbs use. This means that LED bulbs are incredibly energy efficient.
What are the benefits of using compact fluorescent light bulbs?
Because CFLs use less electricity than traditional light bulbs, they reduce demand for electricity; that reduction means less greenhouse gas emissions (including less mercury) from power plants. CFLs contain a very small amount of mercury an average of 4 milligrams in each bulb.
Are compact fluorescent bulbs hot?
Incandescent and CFL bulbs get so hot because most of their energy is being released as heat, not light, making them much more ineffeicient. Proprietary tests show 100W incandescent lights burning at 335.4 F, CFL lights burning at 179.2 F and LED bulbs burning at 87.2 F.
What are the different types of ballasts for dimming a fluorescent fixture?
Fluorescent ballasts use three different types of starting technologies: rapid, instant, and programmed.
Are T5 bulbs dimmable?
It is possible to dim T5 lamps with dimming ballasts. In the United States, several dimming ballasts for T5 high output (T5 HO) lamps are available.The manufacturers claim that these ballasts can dim from 100% to 1% of full light output.
Are CFL bulbs fluorescent?
A compact fluorescent lamp (CFL), also called compact fluorescent light, energy-saving light and compact fluorescent tube, is a fluorescent lamp designed to replace an incandescent light bulb; some types fit into light fixtures designed for incandescent bulbs.
Do fluorescent lights get dimmer as they get older?
All fluorescent bulbs get dimmer as they age, but the human eye doesn’t notice it. If I have bulbs with 90% lumen maintenance (near the end of life they have 90% of their initial brightness), then I would not pay extra for bulbs that have 95% lumen maintenance.
Do fluorescent tubes dim with age?
Light levels decrease over time because of aging lightbulbs and dirt on fixtures, bulbs and room surfaces.Common bulbs, especially incandescent and fluorescent lamps, lose 20 to 30 percent of their light output over their service life.
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