Are CFL lights 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. Recently, dimmers have been introduced designed specifically for CFL (and LED) bulbs.
Why are some lights not dimmable?
Damage or failure – LED driver, circuit or LED is damaged or fails. Load below minimum – The power load of the LED lamp is below the minimum required by the dimmer. Mixed models- Different models of LED will likely have different drivers – since drivers behave differently this could result in dimming issues.
How can you tell if a CFL is 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.
Can I use non dimmable bulbs with a dimmer switch?
A dimmer switch is a switch that helps to vary the brightness of an electric light. It is that a non-dimmable electrical light should never be used with dimmer switches.
Are LED lights dimmable?
In most cases, all models of LED bulbs are available in a dimmable version. But they are not always standard dimmable. Make sure the product name or specifications mention ‘dimmable’. This way you can be sure that the LED bulb is dimmable.
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 dim non-dimmable LEDs?
If you use non-dimmable LEDs on a dimmer, what happens? The bulb will not dim properly. The circuitry inside non-dimmable LEDs won’t be able to handle low or pulsing current levels and will eventually become damaged, because they are only designed to be either fully powered ON or off.
What happens if you use non-dimmable bulbs?
Can a CFL bulb be used in a dimmable fixture?
A standard CFL bulb can’t be used in a dimmable fixture. The packaging for standard CFL bulbs warns against using the bulb with a dimmer. If you try to dim a standard CFL, the bulb will flash, flicker or go out.
Can a CFL be plugged into a dimmer switch?
This is a pretty serious problem; while there aren’t a ton of documented cases of fires being started by CFLs being connected to dimmer switches, there are some. So be sure to tell all your friends: non-dimmable CFLs shouldn’t be plugged into dimmer switches.
Is the Mercury in CFL bulbs a concern?
Dimmable CFLs are now available, too, and some of them are pretty good. The mercury content of CFLs, too, has been a concern for some; but most high quality new compact fluorescent bulbs have so little mercury that it’s not really a concern.
Why do you need to dim an incandescent light bulb?
They’re designed to work with incandescent bulbs, and they work with incandescent bulbs really well. Dimming an incandescent bulb reduces the bulb’s energy consumption, makes it look really nice, and the transition from 0-100% light output is pretty smooth.