Dimmable LEDs – Answers To Your Frequently Asked Questions

Here at Wholesale LED Lights, as you can imagine, we sell a vast range of LED light-related products and every day we’re asked questions about them.

The following are just a few of the questions we’re asked on a regular basis, regarding dimmable LED lights.

Q: Are LED Bulbs dimmable?

A: Some are, but by no means all. If you plan to use your LED bulbs with a dimmer switch, you need to ensure the LED bulbs you’re buying are dimmable.

Q: Will I need to replace my current dimmer switch?

A: If you currently have a traditional leading edge dimmer switch, yes. Dimmable LED bulbs require a trailing edge dimmer and cannot be used with traditional leading edge dimmers. Please note that sometimes trailing edge dimmers are referred to as LED dimmer switches.

Q: What will happen if I'm not using the correct type of dimmer?

A: Using an unsuitable dimmer can seriously affect the performance of your dimmable LED bulbs. It may cause them to flicker, not come on at all and can even shorten their 50,000 hour life expectancy.

Q: Where can I get an LED dimmer switch?

A: The retailer from which you purchase your dimmable LED bulbs should offer an alternative switch to the ones you’re currently using. We stock extensive ranges of LED dimmer switches manufactured by several manufacturers. These include Varilight and Lightwave, both of whose products have been tried and tested with our dimmable LED bulbs to ensure compatibility.

Q: Which types of dimmer switch do you offer?

A: We offer Varilight’s range of V-Pro LED switches and Rotary dimmers in 1 to 4-gang options and in a huge variety of stylish finishes. There’s also Lightwave’s innovative, forward-thinking range of dimmer switches. Part of the company’s home automation system, they’ll enable you to control your dimmer switches from anywhere in the world.

Q: Do I need to change my whole dimmer switch?

A: No. If you’d like the appearance of your current dimmer switches to remain the same, you can simply replace the dimmer module at the back. We sell an individual LED dimmer module that’s of a standard size and compatible with LED bulbs.

Q: Are your LED Strip Lights dimmable?

A: Yes they are. Our LED Strip Lights can be dimmed using a special 12-Volt Dimmer Switch. The switch installs after the LED driver and dims from 0-12-Volts, as opposed to the usual 0-240-Volts. Unfortunately we don't offer a mains voltage dimming option for our LED Strip Lights at this time.

Q: By how much can I reduce my LED bulb’s brightness?

A: LED lights will dim down to approximately 10% of their maximum brightness, unlike halogens which will dim to about 5% of theirs.

Q: Are your dimmable bulbs the same brightness as your non-dimmable bulbs?

A: Yes. For example, if you have two lighting circuits in a room, one of which is dimmable, provided the bulbs are of the same type, (i.e. GU10 SMD) you won't notice any variation in light intensities.

Q: How can I find out more about dimmable LEDs?

A: You can call the Wholesale LED Lights customer service team on 0116 321 4120.

You can also visit our website or send us an e-mail enquiry to: cs@wled.co.uk.