A dimmer turns a bright working light into something softer for evenings, but with LED lighting the dimmer and the lights have to suit each other. Get the pairing wrong and you'll see flicker, hear buzzing or find the lights never fully turn off.
Ring 0421 772 661 and tell us what lights are on the circuit (or send a photo of the fitting or globe label). We'll match a dimmer and quote in writing.
Older dimmers were designed for halogen and incandescent globes, which are simple resistive loads. LEDs run through a driver, either built into the globe or as a separate box above the ceiling, and that driver has to be dimmable and has to agree with the dimming method of the switch. Most modern LED dimmers are trailing edge types; some fittings specify leading edge or a universal dimmer. The fitting's specification sheet usually says.
Load matters as well. Every dimmer has a minimum and maximum load. One small LED pendant on a dimmer built for large loads may flicker at low settings, while a long run of downlights can exceed what one mechanism handles, especially when several dimmers sit side by side in one plate and share heat. Our LED downlight buying guide covers choosing dimmable fittings.
These are the rooms and situations we're most often asked about.
Downlights or a feature pendant over the table, dimmed for meals and turned up for cleaning.
Lower light levels at night, sometimes with a dimmer at the door and a second control by the bed.
Soft light for night-time walks to the bathroom, often controlled from both ends of the hall.
After an LED upgrade, the original dimmer is a common cause of flicker. Swapping it for an LED-rated unit usually fixes it.
App, voice or scheduled control. Some need a neutral at the switch, which older homes may not have. See smart switches vs smart bulbs.
If yours is buzzing, warm or flickering, read dimmer switch buzzing or dimmer switch hot first.
A single dimmer in place of a standard switch is a small job. The price climbs when the existing lights aren't dimmable and need replacing, when a room is controlled from two or more places (multi-way dimming needs specific mechanisms or a master and slave arrangement), or when several dimmers have to share one plate and a larger plate or extra mounting depth is needed.
Older Inner West houses add their own variables. Switch boxes in lath and plaster or brick walls can be shallow, and dimmer mechanisms are bulkier than plain switches. The switch wiring may also lack a neutral, which narrows the choice of smart dimmers. We look at all of this before recommending a product.
We isolate the circuit, check the existing wiring and box, install the dimmer, and then test it across its full range with your lights in place. Many LED dimmers have an adjustable minimum level; setting it properly stops the shimmer you sometimes see at the bottom of the range. We also check that lights switch fully off with no glow.
If testing shows a fitting is the real problem, for example a non-dimmable driver hidden in the ceiling, we'll explain that rather than leaving you with a dimmer that half works. Where the job requires a CCEW, we lodge it and send you a copy.
Only LEDs marked dimmable, and even then they need a compatible dimmer. Non-dimmable LEDs on a dimmer can flicker, buzz or fail early.
Usually a mismatch between dimmer and driver, or a load below the dimmer's minimum. Adjusting the minimum setting or changing the dimmer type often fixes it.
Yes, with mechanisms designed for multi-way dimming. A standard dimmer in a two-way circuit won't work properly.
Slightly warm is normal. Hot to touch, discoloured or smelling of burning is not. Turn it off and have it checked.
No. Fans need a fan speed controller designed for motors. A light dimmer can damage the fan motor or overheat.
NSW Electrical Contractor Licence 332956C · Fully insured · Since 2016 · Based in Hurlstone Park
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