Are LED Lights Dimmable?
First off, all light bulbs that say they are dimmable on the manufacturer's packaging will dim if used with a corresponding dimmer switch. However, not all existing dimmer switches will cope with LED lights.
Since LEDs consume such a low wattage, many types of dimmers do not function with LED in the same way that they do with high wattage incandescent bulbs. Many existing dimmer switches require a minimum power load of 50W. Because old style incandescent bulbs have high wattages, this is fine. However, LED lights have much lower wattages, so when an LED bulb is connected to an old dimmer, it may not reach the minimum load required and might misbehave.
When dimming an LED you may notice the following:
- A smaller dimming range (Typically 70-90% compared to 100% with incandescent).
- LED Bulbs may not shut off at the lowest dim setting: this is caused by the dimmer thinking the bulb is completely off due to the low amount of wattage an LED consumes.
- LEDs may flicker or make a buzzing sound when the modules are communicating due to the small fluctuations in power on the line.
We suggest that you test your current dimmers to see if they work with LEDs. If they do not, you will need to purchase a new dimmer switch that is LED compatible.