Dimmable LED lamps: tips for choosing, review of the best manufacturers

Until recently, choosing an electric light bulb was a simple and straightforward matter.It was enough to tell the seller the desired power, and you received a device that shone brightly and consumed a lot of energy, or shone worse, but was a little more economical.

Now, in order to choose the right dimmable LED lamps, you need to have at least a minimum of knowledge - there are a lot of characteristics that affect their operation. In this article we will deal with the main ones so that you can understand more clearly the technical parameters indicated on the packaging and their meaning. This will allow you to choose the appropriate light bulb option.

What such dimmable LED—lamp?

This is a device equipped with a block with a PWM function, i.e. pulse width modulation capabilities. The block has a specific circuit in its design that allows it to recognize the adjustment. It controls the stabilizer, which is located in the body and changes the brightness of the lighting.

Conventional energy-saving electric lamps cannot be switched on via a dimmer - these two devices are incompatible. The conflict manifests itself in the device blinking or dimly glowing when turned off. About others reasons for blinking LED lamps we talked about here.

And since LED or fluorescent lamps are designed for a certain number of cycles of activating the light source and turning it off, they burn out in such use in a month or two.

The design of the dimmable LED lamp is distinguished by the presence of a special driver, which is responsible for light regulation

The fact is that inside energy-saving lamps there is a capacitor (electronic converter), to which a certain amount of current flows even when turned off.

The capacitor, gaining the necessary charge, powers the diode, and it flashes from time to time, despite the off state.

It was impossible to adjust the brightness of LED lamps before the advent of dimmable models - they were not suitable for use with a dimmer

Dimmer operating principle

Dimmers make it possible to change the intensity of artificial lighting. Regulation of electrical power in dimmer occurs due to a change in voltage in a rheostat or transformer. Special dimming devices are produced for diode lamps.

Externally, dimming devices are no different from conventional ones. You can identify a dimmable device by the inscription on the packaging - “dimmable”

Dimmable lamps sometimes do not work well with some dimmer models. This manifests itself in a sharp change in brightness during adjustment or in extraneous noise - hum, crackling.

Sometimes a device conflict manifests itself in the flashing of all LED lamps in the chandelier at full power immediately after switching on. Replacing one of them with an incandescent lamp can solve the problem.

You need to purchase those dimmers that are designed to work with diode lamps, and also select the appropriate model among them.It is better if they are from the same manufacturer

Advantages of using a dimmer for LED devices

A significant advantage of using a dimmer is the ability not only to save energy, but also to create a unique atmosphere with dim light. Or it is beneficial to highlight a certain area of ​​the room by highlighting it LED stripcontrolled by a dimmer.

Regular LED lamps cannot be used in conjunction with dimmers. Their brightness will not change when scrolling the control. The device will only turn on when sufficient voltage is reached at full brightness.

This happens due to the fact that the driver compensates for the occurring voltage fluctuation to the normal operating current of the LED. But in the design of LED dimmable lamps there is a special driver, thanks to which it becomes possible to control the brightness.

Advantages of LED devices:

• efficiency - consumes 90% less energy than incandescent lamps;
• absence of UV and IR radiation;
• long service life of the device - up to 30,000 hours;
• warranty period 36 months;
• high color rendering index.

A long warranty period allows you to recoup the high cost. Dimmable LED lamps that fail prematurely are replaced at retail outlets with new ones, thus achieving even greater savings.

Criteria for choosing a high-quality dimmable lamp

Manufacturers indicate many of the technical characteristics that we see on the packaging for a reason - they are all significant criteria for evaluating the device. We will tell you further how to choose a dimmable LED lamp so that it works flawlessly.

No. 1 - the shape of the lamp and its effect on lighting

By choosing the right lamp shape, you can achieve the desired effect in the room - illuminate the entire room evenly, focus on a specific work area, create a narrowly focused light beam.

The nature of the lighting largely depends on the shape of the bulb - a transparent or matte protective cap - through which the light passes, spreading the rays at different angles

They are like this:

• Pear-shaped. The bulb is the same diameter as the body, so it only shines forward. Installed in a chandelier or lamp whose shades are directed downward, it does not illuminate the ceiling and round shadows are formed on it.
• Shaped like a traditional incandescent light bulb. Designed for traditional use, lighting angle up to 240°.
• In the form of a candle or ballA. This shape was created rather as a decorative one; the lighting angle is quite wide - from 240° to 360°. Used in open chandeliers, floor lamps, sconces, etc.
• Reflex type. Used in shops, beauty salons, boutiques, used in floodlights. Narrows the light stream, pinpointing a specific area.
• Spot (accent). They are used for spotlights that are installed in various structures - suspended and suspended ceilings, in the body or base of furniture. They do not emit heat, so they can be used almost anywhere. But unlike halogen electric lamps, which have an illumination angle of 30°, they produce light with a luminous flux angle of about 100°, so they are a little “blinding”. Models with a narrow beam are less common.

To provide a pleasant, even light, the bulb is made of frosted glass. The inside is coated with a special coating, which can have a different light transmittance.They also produce products with a transparent bulb.

Electrical equipment with a transparent bulb has greater brightness, and a special “filament” technology makes them look like ordinary ones - LEDs resemble incandescent filaments

No. 2 - flickering light and methods for detecting it

This phenomenon is typical for LED and fluorescent lighting devices. The pulsation causes a feeling of fatigue, discomfort, and negatively affects the condition of the eyes. A lighting fixture that has strong flickering should not be used for residential use. This phenomenon is especially pronounced in low-quality cheap models.

You can check for flickering visually:

• If you move your gaze from one object to another, a stroboscopic effect is created, and for a split second, instead of one object, the human eye sees several.
• Taking a felt-tip pen or pencil by the tip, quickly move it like a pendulum. If the distinct contours of the object are not visible, then the flickering is weak and invisible to human eyes. If it seems like there are several pencils, then the pulsation is high.
• You can also determine the strength of flickering using a smartphone: by looking at the light source through the device’s camera, you can see stripes that will be brighter the stronger the pulsation.

It is fundamentally impossible to completely eliminate flicker in a device, since this phenomenon is characteristic of its operation.

You need to buy products with minimal pulsation. To stabilize the current, a special driver is built into their housing

No. 3 - device power and operating voltage

Manufacturers produce LED lamps with powers ranging from 1 to 25 W. Traditionally, users use the equivalent power of incandescent light bulbs to evaluate their luminous flux.

Typically, the power indicators of LED and incandescent lamps are correlated as 1 to 10-8. That is, a 10-12 W diode lamp is similar in electricity consumption and light output to a traditional 75 W light bulb. We talked more about the power of LED light bulbs in this article.

Class A, which is standard for most dimmable LED lamps, has ceased to be the highest with the improvement of technology. Devices with classes A+ and A++ have appeared, which consume energy resources in much smaller quantities.

Power is not a characteristic of the brightness of light - for this there is such an indicator as lumen. It is indicated on the packaging of each product

As for the operating voltage, it in the power supply system can differ quite greatly from the standard 220 V. This is especially often observed in suburban power networks.

Voltage surges can damage expensive dimmable LED lamps. Therefore, it is better to purchase models with a wide input voltage range that can operate from 170 to 250 V. The ability to connect LED dimmable lamps to a network with a particular voltage depends on the characteristics of the power supply.

No. 4 - luminous flux and dimming limits

The minimum level to which the brightness of a dimmable LED lamp can be reduced is 10%. Models from different manufacturers may act differently and have their own minimum, reducing brightness to 5.10 or 25%.

When testing their performance with different dimmers, the compatibility of the devices may affect the results. Even at 10% brightness, diode illuminators shine quite strongly. Therefore, it is better to choose models with the lowest possible on-off level.

As for brightness, in LED lamps the ratio of power and brightness does not always reflect the real picture. Therefore, it became necessary to indicate the luminous flux indicator (Lumen). It can range from 200 to 2,500 lm.

But LED LED lamps have a significant drawback - the longer they work, the more they lose brightness, and therefore efficiency. In the first 3,000 thousand hours of operation, the brightness drops by 5% and then continues to decrease more actively, decreasing to 50% of the original value.

The efficiency of an LED lamp, including a dimmable one, can be calculated by dividing the luminous flux value by the indicator that reflects energy consumption. For different models, the result may differ significantly - from 40 to 100 lm/W.

Even the cheapest LED lighting device will be much more efficient than an incandescent lamp, the luminous efficiency of which is about 10 lm/W. A dimmable LED lamp will be even more economical

No. 5 - color temperature and color rendering

The color temperature indicator characterizes the light source in terms of its spectral composition and is measured on the Kelvin scale. For most types of premises, values ​​of 4,000–4,500 K are considered normal.

But for a house or apartment it is better to choose warm light, with values ​​of 2,700-3,500 K, and for reading or lighting a workplace, cooler tones are suitable - 4,000-4,500 K. Often the color temperature does not correspond to that indicated on the package and instead of 2,700 K you can get a device with a color temperature of 3,000 K.

In more detail on the issue of choosing a light bulb with the optimal color temperature, we covered here.

Some dimmable LED lighting devices may change to a warmer hue when the brightness is reduced. And then the light in the room resembles the illumination of the rays of the setting sun and evokes a comfortable feeling

Color rendering index (CRI or R_a) is an important characteristic indicating the level of correspondence between the visible color of an object under artificial lighting and its real color. That is, it shows how natural things look and evaluates the level of transmission of 8 colors.

The LED illuminance index value can be up to 90 R_a (highest, 100 R_a - near the sun).

A normal value is considered to be ≥80 Ra. It is better not to use illuminators with low Ra values ​​in a house or apartment.

The CRI index is actively used by manufacturers, although it is not entirely suitable for measuring color rendering parameters in lighting devices that have white LEDs.

Later, more advanced testing methods were developed that evaluate the quality of light in 15 to 99 colors. A good lamp, if tested additionally, will have high scores on all three indices.

No. 6 - base and body of the device

Widely used bases E27 And E14 (27 and 14 - base diameter in millimeters) have a standard threaded connection. LED lamp with base E14 (“minion”) are used in sconces, floor lamps, open lamps, and with an E27 base they are used for closed chandeliers and lamps.

There are many varieties of bases, but most of them are not yet used in the production of dimmable lamps

In new models of lighting fixtures from different manufacturers, dimmable lamps with a base with ventilation ducts have appeared.They promote better heat removal from the inside of the lamp and diodes, and thereby increase their operating time.

We have provided more information about the main parameters and markings of LED lamp bases in the next article.

The base can be made from different materials. Preference is given to those that better remove heat from internal elements

No. 7 - device service life

The operating time depends on the manufacturing quality of the LED lamp with dimmable functions, as well as the conditions of use, and can range from 15,000 to 40,000 thousand hours, subject to proper operation. Lamps with base ventilation last longer.

But in reality, the effective service life is much shorter. The cause of burnout or incorrect operation may be poor condition of the electrical network, poor-quality production, or factory defects. In addition, light output decreases over time and the LED lamp sometimes has to be replaced before it fails.

The operating time is also reduced by high temperatures that are created when installing a lighting device in suspended ceilings, in lamps and chandeliers with closed shades. This occurs due to overheating of the LEDs, which quickly burn out at high temperatures.

Too low a temperature can also negatively affect the service life, worsening the technical parameters of transistors and capacitors. The service life is also reduced by high air humidity levels at which conductors oxidize.

Lamps with LEDs are a good buy, especially considering that in case of malfunctions during the warranty period they can be replaced

To obtain a replacement for an LED lamp that has burned out or started to malfunction, you must keep your proof of purchase. And since sales receipts fade over time, it is better to ask the seller to fill out a device passport.

The best manufacturers on the lighting market

Not all manufacturers produce dimmable LED lamps, and their range is not very wide. But those that exist are still sufficient, because the popularity of adjustable lighting has not yet gained full strength.

LED lamps from Uniel

The manufacturer Uniel produces dimmable LED lamps as part of the Cristal Dimmable and Palazzo Dimmable series. Both series devices can be used with dimmers designed for standard incandescent light bulbs. CRI index is ≥ 80R_a. Brightness adjustment is carried out within 10-100%.

The range of input voltage values ​​at which the illuminators can operate is quite wide - from 40 to 250 V. The bulb of the devices is matte.

Lamps of both series are produced in two color temperatures. Service life is approximately 30,000 hours, 36 month warranty

Products from the Cristal Dimmable range have a traditional aluminum alloy body with an E14 base. The LEDs are located in a bulb on metal petals and create a wide angle of light transmission - 360°.

The Palazzo Dimmable series devices are available with a uniquely shaped body that has four channels for ventilation. They provide additional ventilation to the internal structural elements, extending the service life of the device.

They are made for reflective and spot light lamps, as well as in the form of an Ilyich light bulb, candle, or ball.Base types used for the production of dimmable luminaires - GU10, GU5.3, E14, E27. Light intensity - 500-600 lm, power - from 5 to 7 W. The luminous flux is slightly narrower than that of the previous series - 240°.

Wide selection of Philips LED lamps

As part of the MASTER series, the manufacturer Philips produces dimmable LED lamps in pear- and spherical shapes, in the form of candles. The range also includes dimmable reflector lamps (Master LEDspot) and accent lamps (Master MV).

Dimmable illuminators produced using filament technology (Classic and LEDclassic series), the so-called Edison lamps, have LED filaments that resemble the luminous spiral of a traditional light bulb. They shine brightly and last longer than usual, but much less than other LED models - only 15,000 thousand hours

If when dimming a conventional LED lamp the light remains cold after decreasing the intensity, then with the DimTone function the lighting becomes warmer as the brightness decreases. The same effect is observed when dimming halogen light sources and traditional incandescent lamps. This function is used in some models of the MASTER series.

AirFlux technology involves a hidden ventilation system in which dimmable LED lamps last longer - up to 40,000 hours. Used only in some models of the Master LV series.

Based on energy efficiency levels, Philips products are divided into classes from A to A++. The most economical devices are produced under the names Master MV Value, LEDclassic.

Our other article provides more detailed information about the varieties Philips LED bulbs, their pros and cons.

LED products from Gauss

Gauss produces a fairly wide range of lighting equipment, including dimmable lamps. The product is distinguished by a wide input operating voltage plug of 185-265 V, high R index_a>90.

Different models are produced in two color temperatures - 4100 and 2700 K. Operating time is 35,000 hours

Dimmable lamps are available in the following types:

• Filament. These are devices in the form of a candle and a ball, with a power of 5 W. The luminous flux values ​​are 420 and 450 lm. The warranty is provided for 3 years.
• Soffit. They are produced with a base GU5.3, GU10, with a power of 5 W, a light flux of 500 and 530 lm. Product warranty - 3 years.
• Capsule. They have a G9 base, the light flux ranges from 280 to 300 lm, and the power is 3 W. Warranty period - 1 year.

We recommend that you read in more detail device specifics Gauss light bulbs, their technical characteristics, as well as pros and cons according to owner reviews.

Separately, it is necessary to say about lamps with step dimming function of the Gauss Step Dimmer series. They have a completely different operating principle and cannot be classified as classic dimmable lamps.

They are not suitable for connection to a dimmer, as they are equipped with elements for adjusting the brightness already built into the base. That is, their work is not compatible with dimmers. They can operate in an electrical network with voltage standards of 180 - 240 V.

They are produced in the form of a ball, a candle, in the form of an incandescent lamp, with a stated power of 10 and 7 W, in two color temperatures - 4,100 and 2,700 K. Thanks to the improved technical characteristics, the warranty period is 3 years.

A “smart” lamp not only allows you to set a comfortable lighting intensity, it also uses energy economically

The device is controlled using a conventional switch, and adjustment occurs step by step, changing the brightness from 15% to 50% and 100%. Each flip of the switch changes the brightness of the light in three stages, the fourth stage being off.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Connecting different types of lamps to the dimmer:

Review of dimmable LED lamps:

The production and use of dimmable LED lamps is actively gaining momentum. Until recently, LED lighting products were not compatible with dimmers. And now sometimes you can observe a conflict when devices interact. Therefore, when purchasing, you must carefully select the manufacturer and model..

Do you want to replace your existing light bulbs with dimmable ones, but are unsure about the correctness of your choice? Ask your questions in the block below the article - our experts and other site visitors will share with you their experience of using products of a certain brand.