LED lights are the best invention of the modern century and are energy-saving electronic devices and the brightest lights we can use.
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode, which is an amazing electronic component. LEDs are used in almost all electrical and electronic gadgets. These devices include light bulbs, decoration pieces, mobile phones, computers, LED TVs, etc. LEDs have different purposes in each device.
This article is based only on the LED lights we use in our homes and offices to brighten the place. Such LED lights are present in different shapes, sizes, and features. An outstanding feature of some LED lights is to adjust their brightness. This article discusses “Do LED lights need a special dimmer?”
Do LED Lights Need A Special Dimmer Switch?
Yes, only a special dimmer can be used to adjust your LED lights’ brightness, as the standard dimmers will never serve this purpose. There are dimmers in the market dedicated to adjusting the intensity of LED light. It also depends on the LEDs, as some do not have this dimming feature.
Put simply, you can not control the brightness of all LED lights using a dimmer. To do this, you will need a special dimmer and lights, also known as dimming LED lights or lamps. Halogen lamps are the best example of dimming lights. It is not sensible to use a fan dimmer to control their intensity.
Dimmable lights have a symbol on their body or the box they are packed into. If you have an LED that does not have this symbol, then you must not try to install it with a dimmer. Otherwise, it will burn out as soon as you dim it below its minimum operating voltage value. So ensure you have the right lights.
Even each dimmable light is compatible with a different type of light dimmer. And these things are mentioned in the chart that the LED light manufacturers share with their clients and vendors. You can see this data uploaded on their website. Installing the wrong dimmer might not decrease the brightness, or it might dim it off.
We will discuss certain approaches to finding and installing the best dimmer for your LED lights in a bit of detail. Using these approaches is crucial as it will not only make your LEDs work as you want but will also increase their lifespan:
2. Trailing-Edge Dimmer [Trailing Edge Image Under this section]
4. Dimmer Switch Having Minimum/Maximum Load Values
Compatibility
The first and foremost thing you should match when buying an LED light dimmer is compatibility. The LED light manufacturers develop a compatible dimmer with each light model. A dimmer compatible with one light from the same company is never compatible with the other light, especially a different one.
Put simply, a certain LED light model is only compatible with the light dimmer built for it. It is because all electronic devices are made using mathematical calculations. Then, these calculations are implemented to manufacture the best and the most compatible gadgets.
Go to the official website of your LED light vendor to check whether a light dimmer is compatible with your LED light. You will see a sheet that tells which dimmer is compatible with your LED light’s model. If you want to physically go and buy a new dimmer, take the LED box with you as it specifies the compatible light dimmer model.
Trailing-Edge Dimmer
All LED light dimmers decrease the brightness by decreasing the amplitude of the input voltage. The market has two kinds of dimers: leading edge and trailing edge. A trailing edge dimmer has a pulse with decreasing amplitude. Such light dimmers are considered the best electronic devices.
You can always refer to the internet to see what a trailing edge dimmer is. LED light vendors will also provide you with this dimmer on your demand. If you see it on an oscilloscope, you will notice that the second half of each cycle is decreasing.
Same Company
Buying an LED light dimmer from the same company is essential, as the dimmers from other companies will not work properly. A wrong light-dimming device might either switch off your LED light or be unable to decrease its brightness. In both cases, it will be uncomfortable and useless. The name of your LED light company is always written on it. Otherwise, you can see it from its box.
Dimmer Switch Having Minimum/Maximum Load Values
Plenty of different kinds of LED lights vary in terms of their power or intensity. That is why each light dimmer is rated to handle a certain type of LED light. It is because the LED light is a load for the dimmer. A heavy LED can easily burn out a dimmer with lower load values. Carefully read a light dimmer’s minimum and maximum load values before buying it for your LED lights. You can see the maximum load value of your LED lights written on them or their boxes. It is always written in watts, such as 12 or 12 W.
Why Do I Need A Special Dimmer For LED Lights?
You need them to resolve compatibility issues. There are two basic types of LED lights: the ones that are dimmable and the ones that are not. Forcing a non-dimmable light to dim can cause flickering and even burning out. Using compatible dimmers increases LED light’s lifespan.
Secondly, using a trailing edge dimmer with LED lights is essential as they are specially built for this purpose. Put simply, they are dedicated devices for controlling only the LED lights. Using a fan’s dimmer for this purpose is not sensible as it can get damaged or cause damage to your lights.
Thirdly, the companies perform electronics-based calculations before manufacturing their products. Practical implementation of these calculations helps the manufacturers to design compatible products. For example, you cannot connect your Router’s charger to your mobile phone or vice versa.
What Dimmer Switch Is Needed For LED Lights?
Trailing edge light dimmers are the best devices to control the intensity of the LED lights. LED lights are electronically very sensitive devices that need compatible gadgets to control them. Using the wrong device can not only decrease their lifespan, but it can also cause it to malfunction.
That is why the most compatible trailing edge dimmers are famous nowadays for adjusting the brightness of an LED light. Such dimmers can handle the lights having lower watts. They can 100% brighten the LED lights and provide the best ambiance. Similarly, they have an incredible dimming control.
Using such dimmers, you can control multiple LED lights installed in your office or house, as they are specially designed for this. Hence, they give you more control compared to the ones that control fewer lights and have technical problems. The devices in demand are also cheaper.
How Do I Know If My Dimmer Switch Is Compatible With LED?
The manufacturers of your LED light mention the compatible dimmer switches with a certain type of LED light in the specifications. You can easily see these specs on their official websites. The vendors also have this kind of data. Using an incompatible dimmer is never recommended because it causes problems.
The easiest way to get the most compatible dimmer for your lights is to take its box or, better the LED light to the vendors. It will allow the shopkeeper to give you the best light dimmer. Don’t forget to tell them how many similar or different LED lights you want to control with it, as each dimmer has limits.
What Happens If You Don’t Use An LED Dimmer Switch?
Installing dimmable lights and not using a dimmer switch is worth less because all your lights will always illuminate at 100%. It would not only be a loss of money spent on such lights, but you wouldn’t be able to control their brightness. As a result, you will not be able to get the main benefits.
Secondly, some of the dimmable lights can burn out when operating at 100% all the time, especially the halogen bulbs installed in warm areas. Similarly, sometimes you do not need the lights to be fully bright, especially at midnight. Without a dimmer switch, you cannot adjust their brightness.
Conclusion
LED lights need a special dimmer switch to properly control them. The trailing edge dimmer is the most popular device used for this purpose. Its wave has a trailing edge, making it better than the leading edge dimmers. Put simply, such dimmers are dedicated to controlling the LED lights.
The first thing you must see when buying a new dimmer is the compatibility. An incompatible dimmer will never work properly with your current LED lights. For this, you can always see the product specifications on the internet. Buying a dimmer with the same company and model is also necessary.
The dimmer switches from other companies will not work properly. They will either be unable to dim your LEDs or dim them off by setting their input voltage to a very low value. Each dimmer has its minimum and maximum load values. Check that when buying a new dimmer switch, or it will burn out.
You must always use the special, dedicated, and compatible dimmer switch with your LED lights to control them. In other cases, you can not only damage your lights but also the light dimmer itself. Manufacturers perform complex electronic-based calculations to design a product and its most compatible devices.
