Are LEDs dimmable? I have not seen this feature listed specifically on one of the warm white standard socket bulbs. Most of our homes lights are on dimmers and dimmable CLFs cost more than normal CFLs. I would prefer to buy LED.
Very few LED lamps are dimmable. If an LED lamp is dimmable it will usually be pointed out in the description of the LED lamp. Some LED lamps can be damaged by trying to use them with a dimmer. Also, there are different types of dimmers and an LED lamp may be compatible with just certain types.
I too have many dimmer/switched fixtures in my house and would like to use LED lamps in them but instead must resort to dimmable CFLs. As the LED lamp technology matures we should see a larger selection of dimmable LED lamps.
Thanks Bob. Great info.
Maybe we could get Huddler to add "dimmable Y/N" to the spec sheet and filters.
As far as LED Dimming goes, most of our products are dimmable. It's all a matter of LED Driver technology allowing this to happen.
Our LED MR-16s are dimmable with Lutron divers using special dimming controllers and drivers.
That being said, I don't see LEDs being dimmable with existing household dimmers any time soon. And when they do become dimmable, initially, they will most likely be step dimming like the EarthLED bulb.
Thanks LEDWaves - the EarthLED folks emailed me about that a bit ago and I posted in the forums...here's the relevant excerpt about the step dimming:
"allow the person to select a suitable lighting level by simply switching the bulb on and off rapidly. With this functionality which we term "EvoDim" the user can select through three different settings. Additionally, the bulb remembers its last setting, its really cool and works well for turning an regular lamp into a night light and instantly back into a reading light."
I don't see LEDs being dimmable with existing household dimmers any time soon. And when they do become dimmable, initially, they will most likely be step dimming like the EarthLED bulb.
As I mentioned, there are some that claim to be dimmable with existing household dimmers. The Lighting Science R30 lamp for example (link escapes me at the moment). I have eight of them but I have not tried one on a dimmer yet.
It's a little bit misleading to say it's dimmable. Is it a smooth dim or step dimming?
Here's another example I just ran across:
http://www.ledsource.com/Catalog/White-LED-Replacement-Lamps/eW-Profile-Powercore
It says "Controllable via commercially available dimmers".
Another one I just found:
"...dimmable on standard commercial dimmers..."
Here's one I bought earlier this year that said it was dimmable and definitely was not:
graphics.greenandmore.com/img/LL-LI-E507-1-500.jpg
I hope to have better luck with the 6-watt LumiSelect model on this page, from EarthLED, recently ordered:
www.earthled.com/lumiselect-dimmable-led-light-bulbs.html
And I just ran into these yesterday, Array Lamps from MyLightStore.com:
Most of them say "fully dimmable on any standard dimmer", I just ordered the PAR16 model to try them out.
The reason LED's are so hard to dim, is because they run on a wide range of voltage.
Here's one I bought earlier this year that said it was dimmable and definitely was not:
graphics.greenandmore.com/img/LL-LI-E507-1-500.jpg
I hope to have better luck with the 6-watt LumiSelect model on this page, from EarthLED, recently ordered:
www.earthled.com/lumiselect-dimmable-led-light-bulbs.html
And I just ran into these yesterday, Array Lamps from MyLightStore.com:
Most of them say "fully dimmable on any standard dimmer", I just ordered the PAR16 model to try them out.
I received both the Array Lighting LED lamp and the EarthLED LumiSelect LED lamp over the last week. I am pleased with the performance of the Array Lighting LED lamp (PAR16), except it still does not work on the dimmer I tried it on. The LumiSelect lamp from EarthLED also does not work on the dimmer I tried it on, I'll try a couple more around the house to be sure. Also, the LumiSelect claimed 6 watts of power consumption, the box it came in claimed 5 watts, and the Watt's Up wattmeter measure it at 7.9 watts, so I'm considering returning that one. The PAR16 by Array Lighting's measurements line up well with their specifications (both power consumption and luminous output).
I'll be writing a review here of both LED lamps in the near future.
I received both the Array Lighting LED lamp and the EarthLED LumiSelect LED lamp over the last week.
How are the color temperatures of those bulbs? I know that was a big issue for folks who tried out the Costco brand bulbs: http://greenhome.huddler.com/forum/thread/1141/costco-brand-led-floodlights-on-the-cheap
How are the color temperatures of those bulbs? I know that was a big issue for folks who tried out the Costco brand bulbs: http://greenhome.huddler.com/forum/thread/1141/costco-brand-led-floodlights-on-the-cheap
I have no problem with the color temperatures of those new LED lamps, but then I prefer the "Daylight White" color to the more yellowish "Warm White".
The Array Lighting lamp says 5000K on both the website and the box it came in. This is their "Natural White", compared to their "Warm White" at 3000K and "Cool White" at 6500K. Viewed by itself I can't see any yellow or blue tint to it.
The EarthLED lamp says 5500K on the website, but 6000K on the box it came in. Viewed by itself it's hard to see any blue tint, maybe just the slightest hint of blue, but putting the two lamps side-by-side the Array Lighting lamp does show up a bit more yellow/less blue than the EarthLED lamp.
I have an email into both companies about the dimming problem, EarthLED has replied already, nothing from Mylightstore.com yet about the Array Lighting LED lamp.
