Old Dimmer switch

[Harry Bloomfield]

That dimmer above as shown at Amazon is the same as the one you lot provided via the link.

That cannot be, we each posted links to two different dimmers, which we were fairly confident would work from personal experience. Looking the same does not mean they are the same product, but if you are certain...?

 

[dan2002]

That cannot be, we each posted links to two different dimmers, which we were fairly confident would work from personal experience. Looking the same does not mean they are the same product, but if you are certain...?

I feel confident it will work. They are similar. It says “no neutral wiring needed” So I feel as if it will do a good job

 

[dan2002]

Also it says suitable with LED bulbs. I will most likely order it and see how it goes. I can always return it if its not suitable

 

[flameport]

That dimmer above as shown at Amazon is the same as the one you lot provided via the link.

It isn't.

The Amazon one is a V-Com dimmer, which is specifically intended for use with LED drivers that require leading edge triac control. Typically used for installations where the LED driver is a separate item and powers several individual LEDs in a fixture, or LED tape. They are also available in much higher power ratings for larger installations.
It will work with some LED lamps, but not others - and as individual LED lamps rarely specify what kind of dimmer they require, it's entirely random whether a particular lamp will work properly or not.

This one: https://www.screwfix.com/p/varilight-v-pro-1-gang-2-way-led-dimmer-switch-white/94816 is a V-Pro, which can be configured to work properly with pretty much any LED lamp.

The Sylvania lamp is 7 watts, compared to the 105 watt halogen effort. 15 times less electricity used.

I found it cheaper

Things are not cheap if you have to buy several and return most of them.

 

[dan2002]

It isn't.

The Amazon one is a V-Com dimmer, which is specifically intended for use with LED drivers that require leading edge triac control. Typically used for installations where the LED driver is a separate item and powers several individual LEDs in a fixture, or LED tape. They are also available in much higher power ratings for larger installations.
It will work with some LED lamps, but not others - and as individual LED lamps rarely specify what kind of dimmer they require, it's entirely random whether a particular lamp will work properly or not.

This one: https://www.screwfix.com/p/varilight-v-pro-1-gang-2-way-led-dimmer-switch-white/94816 is a V-Pro, which can be configured to work properly with pretty much any LED lamp.

The Sylvania lamp is 7 watts, compared to the 105 watt halogen effort. 15 times less electricity used.


Things are not cheap if you have to buy several and return most of them.

Ok cool. I will just purchase that one from screwfix. I don’t have any transport thats why I would have preferred to order via Amazon as I have prime. Will try my best to get this dimmer

 

[dan2002]

Will the sylvania LED bulb work fine with the dimmer from Screwfix?

 

[dan2002]

How about this dimmer switch? Is it the same as the screw fix one?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Varilight-JQP401W-Trailing-Dimmer-Switch/dp/B007OU39QQ

 

[333rocky333]

you dimmer states minimum 10 wats and you bulb is only 7Watt so it will likely flicker

 

[dan2002]

you dimmer states minimum 10 wats and you bulb is only 7Watt so it will likely flicker

So will the screwfix dimmer switch be perfect for the LED bulb I already have????

 

[FrodoOne]

A 105 watt quartz lamp is not really comparable with a 7.3 watt LED. 1900 lumen for the quartz to 806 lumen for LED does not really match.

but one can understand why you would want to dim such a quartz lamp !

The LED lamps which you are choosing are "rated" at 806 lumens, which is about the equivalent of an "ordinary" 60 W Incandescent.
However a 2700 K LED lamp is (in my opinion) the sickly yellow colour of a "dimmed" incandescent lamp - even when such a LED is at full brightness.
Personally, I much prefer 3000 K lamps - which approach the "colour" of halogen lamps.

Actually, I am getting to prefer 4000 K lamps, which are towards the colour of fluorescent tubes.

 

[winston1]

Actually, I am getting to prefer 4000 K lamps, which are towards the colour of fluorescent tubes.

Eh! You can get fluorescent tubes in a range of colours. Warm white, often used domestically, are 2700K.

 

[ericmark]

but one can understand why you would want to dim such a quartz lamp !

The LED lamps which you are choosing are "rated" at 806 lumens, which is about the equivalent of an "ordinary" 60 W Incandescent.
However a 2700 K LED lamp is (in my opinion) the sickly yellow colour of a "dimmed" incandescent lamp - even when such a LED is at full brightness.
Personally, I much prefer 3000 K lamps - which approach the "colour" of halogen lamps.

Actually, I am getting to prefer 4000 K lamps, which are towards the colour of fluorescent tubes.

This is why I think the dimmer switch is no longer the way to go, with the old tungsten bulb as you dimmed the light also the colour temperature changed giving a nice ambiance as we got the red glow associated with a fire.

But to dim a LED with a wall switch colour temperature remains static, you need a smart bulb to be able to adjust the colour temperature as well, however I have 3 out of 4 bulbs in my bedroom which can be dimmed and have the colour temperature adjusted, but I rarely use it.

In the living room the display cabinet has smart lighting and it auto switches on in the evening, if it were not auto switched on, likely would never bother switching it on.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

This is why I think the dimmer switch is no longer the way to go, with the old tungsten bulb as you dimmed the light also the colour temperature changed giving a nice ambiance as we got the red glow associated with a fire.

Yes, true, but as the dimmer reduces the light output of a tungsten lamp, the efficiency of the lamp declines very rapidly.

 

[ericmark]

Yes, true, but as the dimmer reduces the light output of a tungsten lamp, the efficiency of the lamp declines very rapidly.

Does it? I found the efficiency of using tungsten in winter at least far better over all to LED, however since I paid less for gas and now oil than I do for electric although more efficient it costs more.

I would set rooms to around 18°C but they felt 20°C due to radiant heat from the bulbs, this reduced losses with air changes, and allowed a near instant swap from feel 18 to 20°C by switching on the lamps. Also instant drop turning off the lamps.

When moving from tungsten to CFL it resulted in also swapping room thermostat to a programmable type, so three temperatures, over night, day and evening, and set 2°C higher in the evening to compensate for loss of heat from lights.

Summer used the lights less, so did not matter.

All too often some device is looked at in isolation, do we need the air changes forced by using a vented tumble drier? Will the vented drier draw in fumes from the fire? How much longer must an AC run if you have a load of items on stand-by? Our homes have all sorts in them, and each home is different, my vented tumble drier is used in an unheated room with the window left open for example.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Does it? I found the efficiency of using tungsten in winter at least far better over all to LED, however since I paid less for gas and now oil than I do for electric although more efficient it costs more.

You cannot be serious? Unless I have misunderstood you? As the light output of a tungsten lamp is reduced, the efficiency also reduces, light goes down, and more of the wattage used goes to generating heat. Best heat to light efficiency is with the filament at white heat.

The living room wall lights which I recently bought replacement dimmers for, were originally (I think) a pair + one 60w halogens on a 1960's dimmer. The lamps even when I first set it up, were not easy to buy. Then eventually, fed up with replacing the lamps when they blew and picking up some 3.5w LED's which I found worked with the dimmers, I swapped over to them, but even full bright, they were not bright enough except for TV watching - certainly not for reading anything. Dimmable higher wattage lamps had improved in price and availability had improved in the meantime, so I tried the higher wattage Lumilights they worked, but flickered when dimmed, so I went on to swap the dimmers too.

Whereas the energy efficiency of tungsten declines rapidly, the more you dim them, using LED dimmed it does not - light out, closely follows consumption, and no risk of shorten life by dimming halogen. So, best of both worlds.