Are LEDs' Dimmable?

LEDs can be dimmed but not all of them are dimmable. First make sure the ones that you plan to order are suitable for dimming such as the Philips 4.9W Master Value GU10. Most LEDs are becoming dimmable as standard but for the time being make sure you check.

Then make sure your dimmer switch is compatible. Dimmer switches were not originally designed to dim LEDs so unless you've got a Varilight V-Pro dimmer switch it may not function correctly. You'll know if it's not compatible as the LEDs will flicker, either as soon as you power them or when you start dimming them.

Dimming History

In 2010 dimming LEDs was very difficult as the lighting control and dimmer switch companies reacted very slowly to the arrival of LED lighting. It was almost luck of the draw if they worked correctly.  LEDs changed and dimmer switches changed and we didn't know what combination we were sending and whether it would work.

Overtime we dealt with this issue by working alongside both LED lighting companies and dimmer switch companies. As dimmer switch technology slowly evolved thanks to Varilight and Zano Controls we managed to offer a combination of products that worked and dimmed LED lights effortlessly.

Now LED dimmer switches are available in a wide selection of finishes and dimming styles ranging from standard rotary dimmers to the Varilight multi-point range of touch dimmers.

LED Compatible Dimmer Switch

Varilight's award winning V-Pro dimmer switches solved the dimming issues at an affordable price. For a while this was a tricky issue that needed to be carefully solved on a project by project basis. So well done Varilight, we're glad you received the recognition you deserved!

These dimmers will dim 1-10 LEDs and we've not yet found one that it won't dim. The latest versions of them are also programmable which also you to adjust the settings to meet your specific lighting demands. My favorite feature is the factory reset. Each Varilight V-Pro reacts to the specific lighting load on the circuit. If you add or take away LEDs it will still dim the original load that it reacted to. By resetting to the factory settings it detects your new load and dims it the way it sees fit.

If you've tried these dimmer switches already and are still having difficulty it maybe because your trying to mix various LEDs on the same circuit or you've got more than 10. Fear not there is another option:

The new ZGRIDLED dimmer module from Zano controls which although expensive, this is the dimmer switch to call either when all else fails or when you need to dim a mixture of LED brands or a particularly larger load. The ZGRIDLED will dim up to 250 watts of LED!