Wrong Type of Dimmer Switch Older dimmer switches were designed for use with standard incandescent bulbs only, and if you use CFL or LED bulbs in the light fixture, the standard dimmer may damage the circuitry in the bottom of the bulb and cause it to quickly burn out.
Can you use CFL bulbs with a dimmer switch?
Q: Are all CFL bulbs dimmable? 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.
Can you use any light fixture with a dimmer switch?
Most light fixtures will work with standard dimmer switches, including those with halogen and incandescent lamps. Determine whether your fixture uses line or low voltage. If you install line-voltage track and rail lights with incandescent bulbs, you can use dimmer switches to control their brightness.
What happens if you put a dimmer switch on a non dimmable light?
If you use non-dimmable lights in a dimmer circuit, they will either flicker or just run at full brightness. They will likely burn out faster, too.
What light bulbs work with dimmer switches?
Incandescent and halogen light bulbs work well with dimmer switches. However, due to many advances in lighting technology, CFLs and LEDs are catching up and doing a good job, the same as incandescent light bulbs do.
How can you tell if a CFL is dimmable?
Maybe. Only some CFL bulbs are dimmable. The package or bulb should say if it’s dimmable and tell you which dimmer switches are compatible. You may get varying results with different CFLs and their compatible dimmers.
Does a dimmer switch require special wiring?
New dimmers have either a green grounding wire or a green ground screw that you’ll have to connect to a grounding source if one is available. Houses wired with plastic-sheathed cable almost always have bare copper ground wires that you’ll connect to the toggle dimmer switch.
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.
How do you know if a light fixture is dimmable?
LEDs that are dimmable are typically labeled as such on the box. If it isn’t labeled as dimmable, it’s safe to assume it isn’t. Use only dimmers designed for LED to dim LED light bulbs! Please note that dimmable LED lamps currently have a lower dimming range than a filament lamp.
Can you put a normal bulb in a dimmable light?
The answer is YES. However, keep in mind that the bulb will function at is full capacity.
Can I use a CFL bulb in an incandescent fixture?
A CFL bulb that produces the same amount of light as a 60 watt incandescent bulb (900 lumens) only uses around 15 watts of electricity. So you can put a CFL in the fixture that equals the light output of a 100 watt incandescent (1,600 lumens) and still only use 25 watts of electricity.
Do you have to use dimmable bulbs with dimmer switches?
The short answer to this question is: Yes, you can use dimmable LEDs without a dimmer switch, just like normal light bulbs. This is handy to know because many retailers are reducing the number of non-dimmable LED bulbs that they stock.
What is a dimmable CFL bulb?
Dimmable CFL Spirals
Dimmable CFL’s do what their name says they do; they can be dimmed. Standard CFL’s don’t have the ability to be dimmed, but with the advanced integrated technologies, our energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs allow progressive dimming from 10% to 100% light output.
What is the difference between dimmable and non dimmable light bulbs?
Dimmable LEDs, on the other hand, have special circuitry inside. This makes them able to respond to changing phase forms that produce the dimming effect. Non-dimmable LEDs are designed to either be fully powered ON or OFF. Its circuitry cannot handle special phase forms.
Why do lights flicker on dimmer?
If bulbs connected to a dimmer are flickering, this is likely the reason why. Loose or poor wiring behind the switch could also cause flickering. Check the ratings for your bulbs and dimmer to be sure they’re compatible. Mismatches here can lead to common fixture problems like buzzing or flickering.
Why are my LED lights flickering on a dimmer switch?
Well… put simply, LEDs flicker when their light output fluctuates. This fluctuation happens because your dimmable light-emitting diodes are designed to switch on and off at very high speed.
