{"id":545125,"date":"2023-01-29T16:00:48","date_gmt":"2023-01-29T13:00:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/dimmable-led-bulbs-keep-burning-out-do-this\/"},"modified":"2023-01-29T16:00:48","modified_gmt":"2023-01-29T13:00:48","slug":"dimmable-led-bulbs-keep-burning-out-do-this","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dimmable-led-bulbs-keep-burning-out-do-this\/","title":{"rendered":"#Dimmable LED Bulbs Keep Burning Out? Do This"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af2048ea5568\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6af2048ea5568\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dimmable-led-bulbs-keep-burning-out-do-this\/#%E2%80%9CDimmable_LED_Bulbs_Keep_Burning_Out_Do_This%E2%80%9D\" >&#8220;Dimmable LED Bulbs Keep Burning Out? Do This&#8221;<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dimmable-led-bulbs-keep-burning-out-do-this\/#You_Bought_Non-Dimmable_Bulbs\" >You Bought Non-Dimmable Bulbs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/dimmable-led-bulbs-keep-burning-out-do-this\/#You_Have_Older_Dimmer_Switches\" >You Have Older Dimmer Switches<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CDimmable_LED_Bulbs_Keep_Burning_Out_Do_This%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>&#8220;Dimmable LED Bulbs Keep Burning Out? Do This&#8221;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<div>\n<!-- UNCACHED CONTENT --><\/p>\n<figure style=\"width: 1200px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"type:primaryImage wp-image-865597 size-full\" data-pagespeed-no-defer=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DimmableLEDBurnout1.jpg?width=1198&amp;trim=1,1&amp;bg-color=000&amp;pad=1,1\" alt=\"A person changing a burned out LED bulb in a ceiling fixture.\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" data-crediturl=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/close-hand-changes-light-bulb-stylish-1723549285\" data-credittext=\"Try_my_best\/Shutterstock.com\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"type:primaryImage imagecredit\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shutterstock.com\/image-photo\/close-hand-changes-light-bulb-stylish-1723549285\">Try_my_best\/Shutterstock.com<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Using dimmer switches with LED bulbs is more complex than with incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs have more sophisticated circuitry and require special switches as well as bulbs specifically designed for dimmers.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve outfitted dimmable ceiling lights in your home with LED bulbs only to have the bulbs heave erratically or burn out, there\u2019s likely a very simple reason with a very simple solution.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_Bought_Non-Dimmable_Bulbs\"><\/span>You Bought Non-Dimmable Bulbs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Traditional incandescent bulbs had no \u201cdimmable\u201d or \u201cnon-dimmable\u201d options to worry about. Regardless of the type of bulb or wattage, the dimmer switch could easily dim the bulb simply by reducing the power delivered to the bulb.<\/p>\n<p>Full power gave you full brightness, and anything less led to the incandescent filament in the bulb glowing less brightly until it was dimmed down to barely a candle\u2019s worth of light.<\/p>\n<p>With LED bulbs, however, the bulb doesn\u2019t contain a filament but a light-emitting diode\u2014a type of specialty circuit. This is also why LED bulbs don\u2019t burn out the same way as traditional bulbs. Adjusting the brightness of an LED is a more complex operation than simply cranking the raw power up or down.<\/p>\n<p>Because of that, you need an LED bulb designed specifically for a dimmable circuit. The hardware inside the dimmable LED bulb can handle the changes introduced by the dimmer switch. If you put a non-dimmable LED bulb in a dimmable circuit, you can expect negative outcomes, including flickering, failure to dim, and premature bulb failure.<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41rYQtgDp3L._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"147px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>If you find yourself in a situation where the non-dimmable bulbs you purchased kinda-sorta work in your dimmable fixtures (such as they turn on if you turn the dimmer up all the way but otherwise don\u2019t dim), we recommend sw<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ing them out and putting the bulbs in non-dimmable fixtures. Even though the bulbs work when you adjust the brightness of the dimmer to 100%, at everything below 100%, you\u2019re stress-testing the bulb\u2019s internal circuits.<\/p>\n<p>Dimmer switches work by pulsing the electricity sent to the bulb, and if the LED bulb is not designed for that, it\u2019s like you\u2019re forcing the bulb to experience tens of thousands of mini \u201cbrownouts.\u201d It\u2019s no wonder non-dimmable bulbs fail quickly when used with a dimmer switch.<\/p>\n<h2 role=\"heading\" aria-level=\"2\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_Have_Older_Dimmer_Switches\"><\/span>You Have Older Dimmer Switches<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Normally you don\u2019t need to get into the weeds of dimmer switch design, but in the case of LED bulbs, the kind of dimmer switch you have matters.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ll skip the deep dive into electrical theory, but there are a few key details you need to know to understand why your dimmer switches seem to keep eating your LED bulbs.<\/p>\n<p>First, the electricity delivered to your home is alternating current (AC) and derives its name from the fact that the electric current reverses direction and magnitude continuously in a pattern that can be represented by a sine wave. For our discussion here, all you really need to know is that the wave has a peak and a valley, and those peaks and valleys roll by multiple times a second.<\/p>\n<p>Second, there are different types of dimmer switches. The older dimmer switches (common in homes built throughout the 20th century and even into the early 21st century) are called leading-edge dimmers. They are called such because they cut the power on the leading edge of the electrical \u201cwave.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Newer dimmers are called trailing-edge dimmers because they cut the power on the opposite side of the wave. The only reason this matters at all is that LED manufacturers build their dimmable LEDs with the premise that you will be using modern trailing-edge dimmers. (As an aside, some manufacturers include a manual toggle switch on the body of the dimmer so you can select which kind of dimming function you want, leading or trailing.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"product-box  \">\n<div class=\"product-img product-img-noaward\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" data-pagespeed-lazy-src=\"https:\/\/m.media-amazon.com\/images\/I\/41+LriS3BvL._SL160_.jpg\" height=\"147px\" width=\"147px\" alt=\"\" role=\"presentation\" src=\"\/pagespeed_static\/1.JiBnMqyl6S.gif\" onload=\"pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\" onerror=\"this.onerror=null;pagespeed.lazyLoadImages.loadIfVisibleAndMaybeBeacon(this);\"\/>\n<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Using an older dimmer switch with dimmable LED bulbs can work fine, but it can also lead to issues with flickering and improper dimming. We recommend using a high-quality option like the Lutron Diva dimmer. It\u2019s not worth using a cheap dimmer switch to save $5-10 when you\u2019ll likely eat up those savings the first time you have to replace bulbs prematurely.<\/p>\n<p>Not only that, but when you go with a reputable and established company like Lutron, you\u2019ll also enjoy additional support, like the company\u2019s extensive and detailed <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lutron.com\/en-US\/pages\/ledcompatibilitytool\/compatibility.aspx\">LED bulb compatibility database<\/a>. Here\u2019s <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lutron.com\/en-US\/pages\/ledcompatibilitytool\/compatibility.aspx?dimmer=DVCL-153P\/%20DVSCCL-153P&amp;p=yes\">the list for the Lutron Diva dimmer<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s another issue with older dimmer switches to consider. Because older dimmer switches were designed for incandescent bulbs, the switches assume there is a relatively high load on the circuit.<\/p>\n<p>If you have 10 40W bulbs in an array of recessed ceiling lights, you have a 400W maximum load and a 40W load when dimmed back to 10% brightness. Equivalent LED bulbs, however, only use around 6W each. So under 100% load, the circuit only uses 60W. Under 10% load, it only uses around 6W. If the older dimmer (designed for incandescent lights) expects a higher minimum load, there may be erratic outcomes like flickering,<\/p>\n<p>Finally, there\u2019s one more issue to consider if you\u2019re experiencing frequent LED bulb failure in your ceiling fixtures. This doesn\u2019t have to do with the dimmer switch, but if you\u2019re here searching for a solution we want to cover the bases.<\/p>\n<p>LED bulbs packed into recessed can light fixtures often \u201cburn out\u201d prematurely because of excess heat. If you suspect that might be your problem, we have some tips to help you avoid LED failures in recessed lights.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>\n setTimeout(function(){\n  !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)\n  {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod?\n  n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)};\n  if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';\n  n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0;\n  t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];\n  s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s) } (window, document,'script',\n  'https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/fbevents.js');\n   fbq('init', '335401813750447');\n   fbq('track', 'PageView');\n  },3000);\n<\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMLG0nwswvr63Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">For forums sites go to <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/forum.buradabiliyorum.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/865549\/dimmable-led-bulbs-keep-burning-out-do-this\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Dimmable LED Bulbs Keep Burning Out? Do This&#8221; Try_my_best\/Shutterstock.com Using dimmer switches with LED bulbs is more complex than with incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs have more sophisticated circuitry and require special switches as well as bulbs specifically designed for dimmers. If you\u2019ve outfitted dimmable ceiling lights in your home with LED bulbs only to have&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":545126,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.howtogeek.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/DimmableLEDBurnout1.jpg?height=200p&trim=2,2,2,2","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-545125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/545125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=545125"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/545125\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/545126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=545125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=545125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=545125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}