Can you dim LED lights

 Can you dim LED lights

A romantic evening for two.

It is time to turn the lighting back slightly.
But is this possible with LED lighting? Will I still keep my atmosphere? And which dimmer do I need?

In this article, I deal with the 8 most frequently asked questions about dimming LED.

Something many people wonder when buying LED lighting. Can I dim LED?
The answer: Yes & No. Yes; LED can dim & no; not all led lamps are dimmable.

Because LED is not always standardly dimmable, it is important to take a number of points into account when purchasing. To help you with this, I answer the most frequently asked questions below.

1. Which LED lamps are dimmable?

In principle, all models of LED lamps are available in a dimmable variant. But .. please note, they are not always standardly dimmable. Therefore, when purchasing LED, always make sure that “dimmable” / “dimmable” is stated in the product name or specifications. If not, you can assume that the lamp is not dimmable.

Here are our dimmable LED spotlights, dimmable G9 LED bulbs, dimmable led E14 candle bulbs, dimmable LED E27 bulbs, dimmable LED downlights and dimmable LED panels.

LED lamps for 220 / 230V are often easily dimmable, but our experience shows that 12V LED lamps sometimes cause problems when dimming. That is why the EcoBright 12V spots are not (yet) available in a dimmable version.

A solution for this is to switch from 12V / MR16 spots to 220V / GU10 spots. You do not save more energy with 12V spots than with 220V spots, and the range of 220V spots is considerably larger (and often better). All you have to do is remove the old transformer and change the MR16 fitting with a GU10 fitting. Then place the GU10 spot .. and done!

2. I have already purchased an LED lamp. How do I know if I can dim this?

On the outside, you can often not see whether an LED lamp is dimmable. This is often stated on the box. If you no longer have this, consult the person where you purchased the LEDs.

3. Do I save extra energy if I dim my LED lamps?

Yes, the more you dim the lamps, the more you save energy.

4. How well is LED dimmable?

LED is easy to dim, provided you have a good LED dimmer. It should be noted, however, that an LED lamp in the lowest dimming position is always a fraction brighter than a dimmed halogen or incandescent lamp. This is because LED can dim slightly less far than halogen / incandescent lamps.

5. Do I need a special LED dimmer for my LED lamps?

Yes, in almost all cases. Exceptions. I explain below how:

Every "normal" dimmer has a minimum power. This minimum power is often at 40-80W. This was suitable for your halogen and incandescent lamps because you will soon be above this Wattage. But if you replace your old lamps with LED, the total connected power is probably still below the minimum power of the dimmer. As a result, the LED lamps cannot dim or only dimly and there is a good chance that they will blink.

If the LED lamps do exceed the minimum power of the "old" dimmer, you can try to dim the LED lamps with your existing dimmer. But, with an electronic dimmer, this will not work anyway. Possibly with a magnetic dimmer. (Whether you have a magnetic or electrical dimmer is not visible on the outside. Ask your dimmer's supplier.)

There is a chance that you can dim less well with an "old" dimmer than with an LED dimmer. When the lights start blinking, replace the dimmer with an LED dimmer. This can affect the lifespan of the LEDs.

Do you want to be sure that your LED lights can dim well? Then check whether your dimmable LED lamps work on 'phase cut-off' or 'phase cut-off'. Can't find out? Then go for the 'LED dimmer phase cut-off 0-150W', because 85% of all LED lamps work on it. Of course, you can also order both the 'led dimmer phase cut-off' and the 'led dimmer phase cut-off' and then return the copy that does not satisfactorily dim your LED lamps.

In short ... a lot of hassle .. With us you have an excellent LED dimmer for € 49.95 (phase cut, suitable for 90% of all LED lamps) or € 39.95 (phase cut, suitable for 25% of all LED lamps).
You can read which you can have best at questions 6 and 7.

6. Which LED dimmer do I need for my LED lamps?

The vast majority of dimmable LED lamps work on a phase-cutting (trailing edge / RC) LED dimmer. However, some LED lamps only work on phase cutting only (leading edge / RL). That is why we have both types of LED dimmers in our range.

Don't know if your LED lights work on 'phase cut-off' or 'phase cut-off'? Then go for the ' LED dimmer phase cut-off 0-150W ', because +/- 90% of all LED lamps work on it. Of course, you can also order both the ' LED dimmer phase cut-off 0-150W ' and the 'phase cut-off' and then return the copy that does not dim satisfactorily in combination with your LED lamps.

Tip: The following brands and type of LED lamps work on our LED dimmer phase cut-off :

• Crest LED
• Philips 
• IKEA 
• Osram 
• Calex 
• 12V LED lamps dimmable

In addition to the type of LED dimmer, quality is also very important. See the following question for this:

7. What is a good LED Dimmer?

In addition to the type of LED dimmer (see the previous question), quality is just as important. On the market, there is a big jumble of LED dimmers. Some interesting in terms of price, but a lot less in terms of quality. In addition, LED dimmers quickly cost € 100 ... and that nature does not make you happy.

New explanation January 2017:
However, the EcoBright LED dimmers are of excellent quality and very affordable (€ 39.95 / € 49.95 and € 69.95). You can manually adjust the LED dimmers on your connected LED lamps so that you always have optimum dimming ability. In addition, only A-quality parts are used and thanks to the replaceable fuse you only have to replace the fuse in case of a defect / short circuit (instead of the entire dimmer).

Other unique points are:

✓ Suitable for 0-150W or 0-450W
✓ Suitable for all known brands of cover frames in NL and BE
✓ Suitable for flush- mounted boxes with or without screw holes
✓ Optimum dimming ability & light stability
✓ Protection against peak voltage & interference signals
✓ Noiseless dimming
✓ Optimum ventilation
✓ Suitable for hotel switching/changeover switch
✓ Replaceable fuse
✓ Delivered incl. extra fuse
✓ Delivered incl. cover frame and dimmer button (only electronics can be used)

Do you want to connect more than 150W total wattage? E.g. with LED panels or other LED lamps that consume more? Then go for the Led dimmer built-in 0-450W.

Also with this dimmer, you can set the maximum dimming ability (so minimum light output) manually for optimum and stable light. It is also suitable for all brands of frames, it has a replaceable fuse plus all the same advantages as the 2 above LED dimmers.

8. My LED lights are flashing with my LED dimmer. How is this possible?

This can have several causes:

   1. The LED lamp is not dimmable

   2. The LED lamp is connected to incandescent or halogen dimmer

   3. The LED lamp is connected to the wrong type of LED dimmer (phase chamfer/chamfer)

   4. LED dimmer settings

   5. An LED lamp (low voltage) is connected to the wrong transformer

   6. Fluctuations in the network

   7. Defective driver

For a complete explanation of these causes, read my article " First aid with flashing LED lights ".

In summary:

Yes, LED lighting can be dimmed. But by default, not all LED lamps are dimmable, so it must be specifically stated that the LED lamp is dimmable.

In almost all cases you need an LED dimmer to dim the LED. Hereby it is important to know whether you need a phase-cutting or cutting-off dimmer. For optimum dimming ability and light stability, the right type of dimmer, quality, dimming range, and adjustment options are important.