We all have problems with LEDs and dimmers...

[pirate]

So often we have these difficulties...incompatible LEDs/dimmers...lamps staying lit, dimly and dimmers not doing the job.
I hope to assist a friend who has such problems with his recently fitted new modules with remote control plus control at the switches themselves. These new switches were installed a few months ago, but have just started failing, so won't respond to the remote, nor to "manual" switching...indeed, some just have "died", some work occasionally, or switch on randomly of their own accord.
My question is, has anyone tried these?

Glowfix Load Regulator | Varilight (YAGF)

www.tlc-direct.co.uk

Happily, my friend's stuff is all Varilight, so I'm hoping we have a fix, but maybe this would work for other makes?

 

[telectrix]

RIP the 100 watt in a pendant and a rocker switch by the door. I fail to see the point of dimmers. you want light to see things, not just to add a glow.a candle or oil lamp will do that.

 

[DefyG]

Reluctantly fitted a similar device (make unknown) to a fitting replaced after major refurb (the fitting worked perfectly well beforehand (ie didnt glow when off)) and nothing had changed (same lamps, cabling, dimmer, switches), but after re-fitting the lamps would glow!
The load regulator resolved the glow!

 

[pirate]

I hate dimmers and so-called smart switching...get off yer bum and switch the lights on or off!

 

[littlespark]

Not big fans of “mood” lighting, are you.

Not getting up of your seat to turn the light on is only one advantage.
Do you still get up off your arse to change the tv channel?

Setting timers, remote switching away from home… It can all add to the security of your house… making it looked lived in, even if you are away.

Bright, non dimmed lighting in bathrooms, kitchens and work areas, but adjustable in social rooms… You may want it bright for cleaning, but less bright for just relaxing by the telly.

 

[pirate]

Mood lighting? Nah!
If I'm cleaning, I switch the main light on. Watching TV? Side lamps. I don't need infinitely variable light levels...I'm a bloke!

 

[LukeD]

I only ever use Vcom Dimmers , the rest are just a headache

 

[Mike Johnson]

Invariably the dimmers get left at one setting, seems a complication/failure point you don't need and a waste of time and money to me.

 

[Carolina]

Mood lighting sounds overly fancy but dimmers can be useful sometimes, if I have to go downstairs or use the toilet in the middle of the night I don't want the lights to turn on at max brightness and burn my eyes ^^

LED dimmers make things more complicated though, too much electronics do that, we still clinge to incandescents at home for some rooms so that's why our dimmers work like a charm, the LEDs I've used so far are DC so not compatible with dimmers without running even more wires and that's not worth it because the room is already well-lit. And my room has a coated 250W mercury-vapor as the "big" light that keeps on living, takes 10 minutes to warm up so it better stay on for a while when it's in use. I'll probably replace it with a 25-ish watts LED when the time comes.

 

[pirate]

Just a quick update. We had 4 lighting circuits in this room, all LED, a ceiling light, 2 alcove spots, a wall light and 2 window downlights. All were controlled by a remote thingy. They all worked sometimes...
Ceiling light dimmer changed for a normal switch, so works fine.
Window lights work fine.
Wall light on remote always on dimly, changed remote dimmer for standard push on/off with rotary dimming...works fine.
Alcove lights on remote, dodgy and always just glowing. Fitted the varilux glowfix (btw, I thought all the gear was varilux, but it wasn't!). Result is that the alcove lights work fine with the remote, but with the glowfix fitted inline they switch off, with no dim glow.
I wasn't involved in fitting the gizmo, but my pal did it and said it was easy. Thus, so far, that glowfix module does the job, and that's on a mix of dimmer/LED lamps. Might be one to pop in your bag to cure a problem!

 

[Megawatt]

So often we have these difficulties...incompatible LEDs/dimmers...lamps staying lit, dimly and dimmers not doing the job.
I hope to assist a friend who has such problems with his recently fitted new modules with remote control plus control at the switches themselves. These new switches were installed a few months ago, but have just started failing, so won't respond to the remote, nor to "manual" switching...indeed, some just have "died", some work occasionally, or switch on randomly of their own accord.
My question is, has anyone tried these?

Glowfix Load Regulator | Varilight (YAGF)

www.tlc-direct.co.uk

Happily, my friend's stuff is all Varilight, so I'm hoping we have a fix, but maybe this would work for other makes?

I have better luck with Lutron switches if they are available across the pond. Good luck

 

[LukeD]

Unless its some daft lighting...I only ever now use Vcom dimmers .I tried these "ZENO " ones and they could not work all the time . Once you use a good brand bulb , it should always work

 

[telectrix]

I have better luck with Lutron switches if they are available across the pond. Good luck

Lutron are readily available over here.

 

[pirate]

Lutron available, but the price might not suit everyone.

 

[Megawatt]

Lutron available, but the price might not suit everyone.

They are expensive but what I have found is they are pretty reliable pretty

 

[telectrix]

I tend to buy both lamps and dimmers from the same source, at the same time. . that way, if there are any problems, only 1 point to go back to. not that I'm buying much lately. spending too much time on my arse, reducing the pain in my knackered legs. I hate being old! at least the head content still works as normal, if you can ever class me as normal.