LED bulbs on a dimmer switch

JP_

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I currently have a triple dimmer switch in the kitchen with light fittings with 4 GU10s in them.
Replacing the fittings for these which come with E27 edison screw LED bulbs.

I know some LEDs are not dimmable, but if I just keep the dimmer dials at max (they are push switches with dimmer) will that be OK?
Or do I need to replace the switch? Or consider a different bulb?
 
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Depends if you want dimmable lights in your kitchen.
The existing dimmer switches may or may not work at full (depends how they are wired) and almost certainly won't dim the lamps properly.

The light quality from your new fittings will be very different- you'll get a lot more light thanks to bounce from the ceiling and walls.

Up to you what you do about it- you can probably get 'smart' LED lamps for those fittings (so just have on/off switches and use your app of choice to set light output and colour if that's what floats your boat)
 
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Why would anyone want dimmable lights in a kitchen? It is a work room where dangerous tools are used after all. Keeping the dimmers on max is OK but better still to change the switches, they don't cost much.
 
Why would anyone want dimmable lights in a kitchen? It is a work room where dangerous tools are used after all. Keeping the dimmers on max is OK but better still to change the switches, they don't cost much.
It's a dining space too, and i don't like bright lights.
 
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I have an electronic switch, not a dimmer, but is electronic without a neutral, the 8 x E14 bulbs are not dimmable, 20220415_000328_1.jpg but to me they seemed to work OK. However they gave my daughter a headache, the switch went faulty and was removed, and daughter has stopped complaining. As to if due to electronic switch can't say.

These two bulbs, G9-comp.jpgare both G9, the small bulb had a shimmer when on with the electronic switch, the larger one did not, and when one failed and I opened the bulb I found a large smoothing capacitor inside, nearly as big as the smaller bulb.

I find on/off setting on a smart bulb reverts to on when switched off, but the dimming setting seems to stay as set as does the colour changing setting. I am setting in my bedroom typing this which has one BA22d bulb and three smart GU10 bulbs, the latter all switched off so as not to attract insects through the open window.

I do have dimmable lights in the kitchen, 20220626_085339.jpgLidi-Smart-strip lamp.jpg they work well as counter top lights, and at full 22 watt output it is a little OTT. I fitted them as originals failed, and the light strip was on offer at Lidi, I don't know why I bothered, as wife rarely turns them on, however also rarely see counter top clear, may as well just fit more cupboards in the space.

We do use the display cabinet lights 20220704_220311_1.jpg but only because I have set a timer so they switch on in the evening to light our way to main light switch should we dose off watching TV. Either side Ikea lights, centre another Lidi strip light. The two to the left are colour changing.

Top of stairs also colour changing Centre_bulb_colours.jpg it seems not to attract insects so much set to colour change, and with just centre lamp switched on it is enough to see up/down the stairs without waking wife if she has left bedroom door open. But normally use all bulbs DSC_6799.jpg which lights the stairs and landing well.

As you can see a fair few lights have smart controls, bulbs, switches, and relays, as to if useful or a gimmick is another story, the landing lights very handy with voice control when I arrive at bottom of stairs with a cup of coffee in each hand, it has reduced coffee spills. But else where rarely used, the remote control used for bedroom lights, but rarely use the app on phone, takes too long to select the app and use it, easier to use a wall switch.

And this goes for dimming lights, how often will you actually use it once the nobility has warn off? Unless automated we tend not to bother, sounds a good idea when we talk about it, but our kitchen is poorly lit by 4 x GU10 lamps, and we have three other lights, two over counters and one in the cooker hood, all three only switched on when my wife want to show off to friends. So what is the point?
 
Maybe because it was more than just 'a kitchen'? (which is very common these days)
I'm saving Winston some time in his town library.. And he is quite right. A kitchen is defined as:

a room or area where food is prepared and cooked

There is no mention of other activities

No dimmers permitted.
 
And this goes for dimming lights, how often will you actually use it

Every day. I never have the lights on full blast when I eat, and even when preparing meals I don't always want full brightness in all parts of the kitchen.
 
Every day. I never have the lights on full blast when I eat,
Better to use lower power lights then. More efficient than using a dimmer.
and even when preparing meals I don't always want full brightness in all parts of the kitchen.
One day when you cut your fingers off and you will wonder why.
 
I have dedicated lights for counter top and cooker, so it does basic same as having dimmer. It really does not matter if you dim lights or switch on more or less lamps. Personally prefer a spread of light, but that is what I like, does not make it better or worse.
 
I'm saving Winston some time in his town library.. And he is quite right. A kitchen is defined as: a room or area where food is prepared and cooked
There is no mention of other activities ... No dimmers permitted.
Yes, but what is being overlooked is that "kitchen" is often used as shorthand for "kitchen/diner", or even "kitchen/diner/living room" (which is what a good few people I know have).

Anyway, the OP was asking about LEDs and dimmers, not about whether he should have them in his 'room'!

Kind Regards, John
 
Yes, but what is being overlooked is that "kitchen" is often used as shorthand for "kitchen/diner", or even "kitchen/diner/living room" (which is what a good few people I know have).
I even know of people who use it as a kitchen and laundry room, not very hygienic, but historically the kitchen had a quarry tiled floor, or other surface which could stand water, and move the cloths from the washer to mangle, to spin dryer if you were that posh, often resulted in a wet floor. And often the kitchen would allow you to sweep out water or the ashes from the stove out of the door, so when we did get a washing machine that does it all, we continued to use the same room, even though it would mean doing washing and cooking at the same time.

Clearly traditionally on Monday cooking would not be done until washing finished, and every thing cleared away.

Just because I have a Utility room to do washing and ironing, although seldom the latter, use of trouser press if I am lucky, we have a steam press, only seen it used when we first got it. But we forget what it was like when we did not live in a house with 14 rooms.

Would seem @winston1 must live in a mansion with a room for every function, even I don't have a billiard room.
 
I even know of people who use it as a kitchen and laundry room, not very hygienic,...
Other than in the very largest of houses, that was surely the historical norm, wasn't it? Hygeniic or not, all washing was done in the kitchen and, when WMs (and spin, followed by tumble, dryers) came along, there were nearly always located in the kitchen. Only relatively recently have 'utility rooms' (I suppose the modern equivalent of "wash rooms" or suchlike) become commonplace.

Even in my (now ridiculously big for us) very large house, we have a 'kitchen-diner' (although also a separate 'dining room', which is only ever used on 'special occasions) - and we have a tiny 'utility room' (once a loo) just large enough for (stacked) WM and dryer ,plus some electrical stuff and 'junk'!
Would seem @winston1 must live in a mansion with a room for every function, even I don't have a billiard room.
My house no longer has a billiards room. Back in 1950 (long before we moved here) the billiards room which was attached to one side of the house was sold off, and (by addition of some walls and a mezzanine floor) turned into a separate 5-bedroomed dwelling! Similarly, at the same time (1950), what had been 'my' house's kitchens/nurseries/servants' quarters, attached to the other side of 'my' house was also sold off, and is now a separate 6-bedroom dwelling! For that reason, and somewhat to our amusement, mortgage lenders described our house (by the time we bought it) as being "mid-terraced" :)

Kind Regards, John
 

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