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Dimming Light Fittings

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Dimmable LED fittings…What you need to know

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The complexity of technology compatibility has never been so high.

Dimming is one of those areas that has become more complex with the advancements of technologies such as LED. Intricacies and issues that were never an issue with incandescent or halogen.

When looking to incorporate dimmable luminaries into a space, never assume that everything will work seamlessly together. 

Thorough due diligence is recommended to avoid issues such as:

  • Flashing
  • Flickering
  • Stutter dimming
  • Failing LED driver's
  • Failed dimmer

Below are a few easy points to check before you buy!

1 - Can your fitting be dimmed?

Not all LED luminaries are dimmable!  Luminaries that offer this capability should have a clearly displayed ‘Dimmable’ icon on the box, as shown below.  This lets you know that the fitting offers this functionality.

2 - Are all dimmers the same?

Though an LED luminaire may state that it is has dimming capability it does not mean it will work with all dimmers.

3 - Is your dimmer compatible with your LED's?

Some domestic dimmers cannot ‘read’ the low loading of an LED lamp, so require an additional electrical load to be connected in order for the fitting to be recognised by the dimmer.

Put simply, only use dimmers that have been designed for LED and have been approved by the luminaire manufacturer.

Most manufacturers will be able to provide you with a list of dimmers that have been tested with their LED fittings.

4 - Never mix and match LED's?

It is never a good idea to mix LEDs from different manufacturers on the same dimming circuit. 

People assume that all LED’s are built the same, which is not the case. LED’s have their own design of electronic circuitry; you cannot guarantee consistency of this design from one fitting to another. When adding in additional external technology such as dimmers, it may not be capable of providing a common signal to each light source. 

If you do mix and match fittings, this will be a recipe for flickering and humming.

5 - Check twice, fit once.

The message that you’ve heard repeatedly is not to assume and always check. Speak to the lighting manufacturer. Have they tested the LED & dimmer that you would like to use? 

Do not buy until you have completed your checks.

We are here to help:

For assistance on dimmable fittings offered by Eurotech Lighting please contact our national support team: