Bit of help - dimmable LEDs

[Steve]

Hi everyone, I have a baby on the way and as such I require a dimmable light fitting in the soon-to-be nursery (currently named t'back bedroom). At present I have a 11w CFL on a normal bayonet pendant and a standard switch.

I don't want one of those horrible halogen substitutes with 10% energy saving (how they are still being produced is beyond me). So I was looking at LED replacements. B&Q actually do Phillips LEDs for about £15 that can be dimmed, but I couldn't find (or couldn't be bothered looking in much depth for) a dimmer that can handle a 4-5 watt load.

I also require a set of 5 dimmable LEDs for a new light fitting we have bought for the living room. It takes SES globe lamps (candle lamps won't do, they will stick out of the ends). To go with this fitting I need a low wattage 2-gang dimmer (I will remove the second gang and replace with a push switch for the CFLs in the wall lights).

Oh, and I need this lot for as cheap as possible! Any ideas where to start on t'internet, as there seems to be a myriad of online shops selling LEDs nowadays.

Cheers

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/tcl/search.tcl?search=led+lamps&Submit=Search

 

[Taylortwocities]

And a Lo-watt dimmer to go with it! http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_In...es~Dimmers_All/LEDlite_LED_Dimmers/index.html

 

[securespark]

I have a baby on the way

Don't do it...Oh, shucks, it's too late!

I mean, Congratulations!!

 

[canduit]

If it was me I would honestly keep the pendant fitting, change the CFL for a ordinary dimmable incandescent lamp, change the switch for a dimmer and get a lampshade. This should set you back about £15, is a lot less hassle, and is arguably a preferable light source.

 

[ericmark]

If it was me I would honestly keep the pendant fitting, change the CFL for a ordinary dimmable incandescent lamp, change the switch for a dimmer and get a lampshade. This should set you back about £15, is a lot less hassle, and is arguably a preferable light source.

I would agree the dimming of LED lamps does not change the colour only the brightness but with tungsten lamps the colour also changes and so the feel is better.

With LED and CFL the method is normally to control how many rather than how bright each unit is. Often a 1/3 to 2/3 split is used so giving three levels of light. However this requires wiring in some way.

The point is when a bulb fails you want to nip to local shop and replace not order on internet and wait for arrival. Having to select special bulbs to use with dimmers is not going to make life easy.

Also we read how with certain people the frequency of flashes from florescent lamps causes a headache or worse and they have to avoid that type of lighting. OK only in rare cases but with a baby we will not get any feed back as to if the light is causing an upset so I would shy away from CFL and LED for at least first few months in the same was as most ban the use of camera flash guns in first few months.

 

[Taylortwocities]

If it was me I would honestly keep the pendant fitting, change the CFL for a ordinary dimmable incandescent lamp, change the switch for a dimmer and get a lampshade. This should set you back about £15, is a lot less hassle, and is arguably a preferable light source.