LED dimmers: choosing a compatible model

“Dimmable” and “LED compatible”: two labels to read

Content published in collaboration with Hydro-Québec sums it up: you can adjust the power of your lighting by replacing switches with compatible dimmers, as long as you have dimmable LED bulbs.

• On the bulb side. A dimmer manufacturer recommends using only LED bulbs marked “dimmable”.
• On the dimmer side. The same manufacturer asks you to make sure the dimmer is designed for LEDs.

The Government of Québec adds a third label, for savings: the dimmer must be marked “without resistance”.

Why an old dimmer is a poor match for LEDs

Older dimmer models aren’t always designed to dim LED bulbs, a manufacturer warns.

The risk, according to the Government of Québec: a dimmer that isn’t compatible with the bulbs in place can give flickering or disrupted lighting, and a limited dimming range. When switching to LEDs, check the dimmer as much as the bulbs.

The load: how many LEDs on one dimmer

Every dimmer has a maximum load, given in its spec sheet. As an example, Sinopé, a Québec manufacturer, lists 150 W of dimmable LED for each of its two lighting dimmers.

The type of load matters too. Sinopé’s adaptive phase dimmer isn’t compatible with low-voltage magnetic transformers, for which the manufacturer points to its other dimmer.

The CSA C22.2 No. 184.1 standard covers exactly that: dimmers installed permanently, in a wall box or an enclosure, including for LEDs.

The settings that matter

Recent dimmers can be adjusted. According to Sinopé, a dimmable LED is controlled in forward or reverse phase, and reverse phase generally gives better results, because of LED drivers. Its adaptive phase dimmer is in fact set to reverse phase by default.

The minimum dimming level can be adjusted too: a manufacturer uses it to fix a bulb that flickers or turns off at low levels. At Sinopé, this setting is done in the app, and the adaptive phase dimmer recalibrates every time the load is changed.

When it flickers or buzzes

A manufacturer lists buzzing and flickering among the possible problems when dimming LEDs. According to Sinopé’s technical support, an LED flickering on a dimmer usually comes down to compatibility or to an intensity level that is too low. Compatibility, wiring, the type of load and the setting can all be the cause, adds another manufacturer.

If several lights in the house are flickering, it’s no longer a dimmer question: Lights flickering in the house: when it’s urgent.

Does a dimmer save energy?

Yes, according to the Government of Québec: a dimmer can save 5 to 50% in energy, depending on how much the intensity is reduced, as long as it is marked “without resistance”.

LEDs already last a long time: 25,000 to 100,000 hours of useful life, compared with 750 to 1,000 hours for an incandescent bulb.

Who can install it

Replacing a switch with a dimmer is done in the wall box, on the lighting circuit: it’s electrical work, and in your home, only a master electrician can do it. Sinopé itself asks that its dimmers be installed by a certified electrician, according to the codes in force.

The dimmer must also be approved: the Régie du bâtiment prohibits installing electrical equipment that isn’t approved, and a product certified for Canada usually shows a “c” at 8 o’clock on its mark.

Our master electricians install wiring, dimmers and light fixtures. A dimmer controlled from two places: Smart 3-way switch: the neutral wire comes first. Smart dimmers: Smart home (in French).

Frequently asked questions