Are you installing some new leds? Are you wondering do I need a special dimmer for led lights? All lights are a little different in characteristics so let our years of experience guide you through it.

In total you will need a dimmer that is rated for led loads specifically. Led lighting loads are different from regular incandescent or halogen lights. Your regular old dimmer will not work. Make sure you look for a dimmer rated and marked suitable for led. Regular dimmers used on led lights will cause an undesirable blinking effect.

There is a large selection of dimmers so read on……..

1.Do I Need A Special Dimmer For Led Lights?

Also check out: Outdated Led And Fluorescent Light Bulbs You Need To Replace if you have an entire house filled with old lights, you will need some form of different control.

Don’t mix old technology with new without changing out the lights.

Simply placed on a switch in every room will do, however you may find that you can benefit from a dual switch or dimmers.

By dimming the lights down you can save your energy or when switched up you can boost your energy savings.

Doing this you can save money, and energy.

2.What Happens If I Use A Non Dimmable Led Dimmer

Some older dimmers can not sense an intensity of any light and hence they will not turn off any lights.

So you have to remember that you have to set your dimmer for a definite intensity.

You do not want to be plagued by a thousand red flashing lights throughout the day. A dimmer which has a positive setting can turn your led lights on instantly when you switch them on and off.

This is called a flashing effect. A negative setting is used in the negative mode to control the intensity of your lights.

Home Light Fixtures That are Excellent For Photography How to Flick Off Led Lights One reason is that the lights may be installed in such a way that the dimmer will turn the lights on and off.

If the lights at times will give off an obnoxious flickering which may be unpleasant for you.

Male sure if you have an led light that you have an led dimmer.

3.What’s The Difference Between Led Lights & The Regular Lights?

There are two main differences between regular lights and led lights. Led lights are more powerful and the light last longer than regular lights.

Regular incandescent lights are what everyone has been used to for years. They were then replaced with led bulbs and now most newer fixtures have leds built right into the light.

This is a bit unfortunate because when the led light finally gives up you have to replace the whole fixture.

We have all of the top LED lights recommendations available in the market and we will help you choose the best lights for your home.

4.What Is The Best Dimmer?

You do not have to buy the best designed and best quality dimmers if you are installing leds.

The very best dimmers are cheaper and to be honest they will likely be what you will want to get.

In general you want dimmers that are designed to handle lots of led lights. The minimum dimmer you need is rated for 600 watt incandescent or 600 watt halogen output. Providing it has an led rating on it you can go up to the same wattage.

That is the difference in wattage is equivalency is a lot led for incandescent bulbs or standard light fixtures. For example you could install only 10-60 watt bulbs on incandescent as oppose to 100-6 watt led bulbs. A huge difference.

Most of the top rated voltage dimmers are rated for 600 watts.

Here are some of the best rated dimmers……

5.How Many Watts Is A Dimmer Rated For?

All dimmers will automatically turn your lights off if you turn the dial all the way to the bottom and the dial is clear of any numbers. The default setting will be the minimum amount of brightness you can have with the lights on.

You can change the settings by turning the dial clockwise a few times. The light will turn on until you turn it all the way to the top and the dial is cleared of numbers.

Then the light will turn off automatically.

Most dimmers will have a nice amount of input power that you can turn in any direction you desire.

For instance, you could choose between 2, 3, 4 or 5 watts.

The ones with 5 watts will give a bigger output and are pretty much like a full on 60 watt bulb. for a maximum of 600 watts. You can purchase on special order 1000 watt dimmers however these style dimmers are a bit larger in size and require a larger wall box to dissipate the heat.

For led dimmers they are usually a slide dimmer up and down. They come in a standard wattage of up tp 600 watts.

6.What Voltage Dimmer Do I Need?

LED timers/dimmers are rated to run from 110Volt to 130 volts.

Because the LED chips in your led fixture is designed to run above a certain voltage, you may have to make a little more than just a small voltage difference to maintain the proper brightness.

Most standard to LED and fluorescent light kits come with a voltage dimming option.

However, just like with any device that comes in to a home, you can always take a simple voltage test at a local electronics store to determine the proper voltage.

What Led Light Needing Equipment Do I Need? All led lights that you purchase need a standard, non-metallic led light bulb. Any type of mercury, glass or zinc-plated glass will only cause a dimmer problem.

7.Do Dimmers Draw Power When They Are Off?

When you shut off your home or office lights, do you want to make sure they are turned off all the way?

Do you want the power to go off completely. This may not be the best idea as you may be shorting the circuit which will cause a fire or power outage if you leave it on.

Newer Dimmers are designed to automatically turn off when you are not in the room. thse are called smart dimmers. Additionally they usually have a clear button to turn them on and off.

You don’t want the same procedure to take place when you are in the room.

Check the label on your dimmer and make sure to only have it shut or turn it all the way off.

Do not over power it when you are not in the room.

Will my Dimmer Hold A Charge Longer? Most common Dimmers have a 10-year battery life.

These are dimmers with electronics to hold the time and date during an outage to remember function control.

Note we are Lutron Installers and dealers

For more on some of the dimmers we recommend….

8.How do I know if my dimmer switch is LED compatible?

When looking to purchase a dimmer, you may notice that it’s labeled for different types of light bulbs. You may also see that it’s not labeled for any particular type of bulb.

This will help you determine if the dimmer is compatible with LEDs and other kinds of lights:

– If the dimmer is not labeled for an electric light bulb, then it is usually not compatible with LEDs. – If the dimmer is labeled for one type of light bulb but not another, then it may or may not be compatible with LEDs depending on what type of electricity the dimmer operates on. – If the dimmer is rated for LED light bulbs, then it can also be used with other types of electric light bulbs.

9.Are all LED strip lights dimmable?

No. Not all LED strip lights are dimmable, particularly when you’re buying them in the store. When looking at a product for sale, make sure it says somewhere that it is dimmable.

We recommend looking for “dimmable” or “dimmable led” on the packaging before you buy it. Not all LEDs can be dimmed so always ask before you buy!

10.Why are some leds not dimmable?

There are different kinds of led lights. There are some that are dimmable and some that are not. If you want to replace your regular bulbs with leds, then you need to know which kind you’re getting.

Some people don’t mind the flickering effect on their lights, but it all depends on what you’re used to. If you’re not used to the blinking effect, then it could be bothersome for you.

If you plan on replacing your entire lighting system with leds, make sure they all come with a dimmer! It could be an expensive mistake if you find out after the fact.

11.How do you make LED lights dimmable?

LED lights require a dimmer that is rated for LED loads. Regular dimmers designed for incandescent or halogen light will not work with LED lights. The dimmer needs to be specifically rated and marked as suitable for LED lights, as regular dimmers used on LED lights will cause an undesirable blinking effect.

12.Can you use a dimmer on LED Christmas lights?

If you’re looking to spice up your Christmas decorations this year, consider using LED lights. LED Christmas lights are an excellent way to create a festive atmosphere without all the hassle of dealing with traditional holiday lights.

However, many people wonder if they can use their regular old dimmer switch on these newfangled lights. After all, it’s not like they’ve ever used a different kind of light before!

The answer is no, you cannot. Unlike other light bulbs, LED lights require special switches that are rated for their usage. To save yourself from heartache and tears (less than 2 weeks before Christmas!), make sure you purchase a dimmer that is rated for led loads specifically. Led lighting loads are different from regular incandescent or halogen lights; your regular old dimmer will not work. Make sure you look for a dimmer rated and marked suitable for led. Regular dimmers used on led lights will cause an undesirable blinking effect.