LED Ceiling Light: How to Confirm It's Dimmable

[BxlBill]

Hello all,

After looking at many many lamps, I finally found an LED ceiling lamp which I liked. Before purchasing, I asked at the store whether it would be dimmable with a dimmer switch. They said yes.

Took it home, installed it, it works perfectly on a simple on/off switch, but is indeed very bright so I do want to install a dimmer switch for it.

Went to a special electrical lighting shop to get a dimmer switch, they asked for the details, and I went home and got them. Please see photo. This is all I have - the info on the voltage, HZ, load, etc. These numbers don't mean a great deal to me! I thought they would to the people working the shop, but the guy just said, "this doesn't help, I need it to say whether it's dimmable or not". Nowhere on the packaging does it say it is dimmable, or indeed NOT dimmable. No logo. The single sheet that came with the lamp simply says 220-240V 50HZ.

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• BxlBill
• 10 Jan 2015
• 1

I went back to the store where I bought the lamp and they weren't much help but have sent a message to the manufacturers to try to get confirmation. But is it really so difficult to determine whether it's dimmable or not?

btw the dimmer switch at the electrics store was a special one for LEDs and cost EUR150!! I haven't bought it yet. Does that sound right?

I'm also attaching a photo of the lamp itself. It's circular and in fact has TWO LED power supplies, each like the one in the other photo (presumably one for each half?), though ultimately they merge into one set of wires which was wired to the ceiling.

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• BxlBill
• 10 Jan 2015
• 1

Are any of you knowledgeable people able to tell from what I've shown here whether the light is indeed dimmable or not!? This is all in Belgium, btw

Many thanks,
Dim Bill.

 

[winston1]

I would say it would be extremely unlikely to be dimmable. It would say so if it was. The only dimmable LEDs I have seen are direct mains powered ones.

 

[BxlBill]

I fear you are right, Winston1, especially after a bit of googling referred me to this page which says it's "Non Dimmable". http://www.savemylight.co.uk/l-e-d-drivers/non-dimmable/elp30-12ls.html#.VLQVNtLF-So

I'm still interested in reading the reply from the shop where I bought the lamp who are checking with the manufacturers; the shop did say it was dimmable when I bought it so we'll see if they'll take it back when they discover it isn't. My guess is they will not.

Out of curiosity, assuming the lamp is not dimmable, what would happen if I went ahead and used this dimmer switch? http://bit.ly/1xhz3EJ

I'm just a guy trying to buy a lamp! Don't know why it has to be so complicated.

 

[winston1]

I'm still interested in reading the reply from the shop where I bought the lamp who are checking with the manufacturers; the shop did say it was dimmable when I bought it so we'll see if they'll take it back when they discover it isn't. My guess is they will not.

Out of curiosity, assuming the lamp is not dimmable, what would happen if I went ahead and used this dimmer switch? http://bit.ly/1xhz3EJ

I'm just a guy trying to buy a lamp! Don't know why it has to be so complicated.

Not sure about the law in Belgium but in the UK that would be "not fit for the purpose for which it was sold" and the shop would be legally obliged to refund it. I would have thought Belgium would be similar being in the EU.

Don't even try that dimmer switch. You might damage the LED fitting, which means it would be even more difficult to refund, or the switch. At best it will flicker not dim.

 

[BxlBill]

Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated.

I really like the lamp itself and don't really want to return it. I wonder if it would be possible to change the power supplies myself to ones that allow dimming. Ones such as these: http://eaglerise-electric.com/product-1-1-3-dimmable-led-driver-en/147004

I may have to continue my research....