How Do I Choose An Led 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 size LED dimmer switch do I need?

A rule of thumb commonly used to calculate a load for LED dimmers is to divide the stated maximum load by 10. For example a 400W dimmer switch should have no more than 40W of LED bulbs connected to it, which would equate to eight 5W bulbs.

What LED dimmer switch do I need?

If you wish to dim LED bulbs, you need to firstly make sure you have dimmable LED bulbs. Not all LED bulbs or downlights are dimmable. Old-style leading edge dimmers are also incompatible with most LEDs, so you’ll ideally need a trailing edge dimmer switch.

Do LEDs need a special dimmer?

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.

Is there a difference between a dimmer switch and a LED dimmer switch?

The main difference is that you have a smaller dimming range (typically 70-90% range vs. 100% with incandescent or halogen). LED Bulbs may not shut off at the lowest dim setting like traditional bulbs.In traditional dimming systems you are simply lowering the voltage/power to the bulb, which in turn dims it down.

How do I know what type of dimmer switch I have?

Determine the number of switches that control the light group. If only one switch controls the light, purchase a single-pole dimmer. If two switches control a single light or a group of lights, you will need a 3-way dimmer. Then look at the bulb type you are going to be using and pick the right type of dimmer.

How do you size a dimmer switch?

You should select a dimmer based upon your wattage requirements. The easiest way to do this is to add up the total wattage of the bulbs you wish to control. For example, a fixture with four 60W bulbs has a total wattage of 240. You can use a 600W dimmer to control this.

What does leading edge dimmer mean?

Leading-edge dimmer switches are cheaper and simpler than trailing-edge, and were used originally to dim incandescent and halogen bulbs or wirewound magnetic transformers. They use a ‘TRIAC’ (Triode for Alternating Current) switch to control power, and are sometimes called TRIAC dimmers.

How do I know what wattage my dimmer switch is?

Wattage rating is usually on a sticker on the light fixture.

1. Multiply the number of fixtures by the wattage rating of each fixture.
2. Multiply the result by 125 % (continuous load).
3. Round up to the next dimmer wattage rating.

Are there different types of dimmer switch?

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.

Do you need a special light switch for LED lights?

Generally you do not need a special switch to install LED lighting. A common single pole or 3 way 15 amp switch will do the trick. Having said that be very careful if you are permanently installing an LED light and you plan to use a dimmer. The dimmer must be rated to control LED lighting.

Why do my LED lights flicker on a dimmer switch?

LED bulb flickering can be traced in almost every instance to a non-compatible dimmer switch in the lighting circuit.LED bulbs don’t have glowing filaments. When the dimmer switch goes off and on many times per second, the LED bulb becomes a flickering strobe light.

How do I stop my dimmable LED lights from flickering?

Summary – How to stop LEDs flickering

1. Always drive LED products using an LED power supply that’s designed for the job.
2. Make sure all your LED products are compatible with the control circuits and power supply you’re using.
3. Check for loose wiring and other faulty connections.
4. Consider using a constant-current LED driver.

Can you use a dimmer switch on any light?

Most light fixtures will work with standard dimmer switches, including those with halogen and incandescent lamps.If you install line-voltage track and rail lights with incandescent bulbs, you can use dimmer switches to control their brightness. Just be sure to use a line-voltage dimmer as well.

What are three types of dimmers?

Different Types of Dimmers

• Incandescent/Halogen. These types of bulbs require resistive dimmers due to the filaments inside of them.
• Magnetic Low Voltage (MLV) Transformers that reduce higher voltages to less than 30 volts are called low-voltage transformers.
• Fluorescent.
• Light Emitting Diode (LED)

How many LED lights can be on a dimmer?

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).

What’s the difference between 250W and 400W dimmer switch?

Thanks. Hi difference is max lamp loads, go for lowest that will be more than you need! ie if dimming 1 X 100w lamp then get a 250W dimmer as thats the smallest made, if say 3x 100W lamps you need next size up, ie 400W sw.

Can you use incandescent dimmer on LED?

It’s impossible to tell whether your dimmer works with LED bulbs just by looking at it.Leading edge dimmers- these dimmers were designed to work with incandescent bulbs and most likely won’t work well with LED light bulbs. They’re the “traditional” and most common dimmer found in homes.

Does leading edge dimmer LED work?

Simply put, leading edge dimmers tend to be unsuitable for LED bulbs, so if you’re looking to switch to LED, and you use a dimmer, you’ll need to switch to a trailing edge dimmer too.

What are trailing edge dimmers?

These more modern dimmers have many benefits over the leading edge type. These improvements include smoother dimming with less buzzing and interference. Trailing edge dimmers have a much lower minimum load than the leading edge, making them far more suitable for powering LEDs.

What are triac dimmers?

TRIAC dimmers are designed for resistive loads such as incandescent or halogen lights and have a significant installed base in the United States and worldwide.Because TRIACs turn off when there is no current flowing through them, they’ve been popular household dimming solutions during the incandescent age.