LED lighting is energy-efficient, durable, and popular, but sometimes you may notice your lights starting to flicker unexpectedly. Not only is this annoying, but it can also indicate an underlying technical problem. Fortunately, flickering LED lighting is often easy to resolve. In this blog, LedLoket clearly explains why LED bulbs may flicker and provides practical tips to help you solve the problem quickly and effectively.
Table of contents
1.Using the wrong dimmer
When switching to LED lighting, your lights may start to flicker, even if the bulbs themselves are new and of high quality. In many cases, the cause is not the bulbs, but the dimmer. Many people still use an old halogen or incandescent dimmer to dim their new LED lighting. However, these dimmers are not designed for the low energy consumption of LED lamps and usually require a minimum wattage to function properly, often around 25 watts.
LED lighting consumes significantly less power to produce the same amount of light, which means that minimum wattage is often not reached. As a result, the lamps will flicker, dim irregularly, or even fail to respond properly at all.Luckily, this problem is easy to solve by replacing the old dimmer with a LED dimmer that is specifically suited for the lower wattage of LED lamps. This ensures stable lighting, a longer lifespan for your lamps, and a pleasant lighting experience without flickering.
LED lighting consumes much less power than traditional lighting. As a result, the minimum wattage of old halogen or incandescent dimmers is often not reached. The consequence is that the lamps start to flicker, dim irregularly, or do not respond properly at all. The solution is simple: replace the old dimmer with an LED dimmer that is suitable for the lower power of LED lamps. This way, you enjoy stable light, a longer lifespan, and pleasant lighting without flickering.
Example: Suppose you have a halogen dimmer with a minimum wattage of 25 watts and a maximum of 200 watts. Three 25-watt halogen lamps are connected to it, totaling 75 watts. After switching to LED lamps of 3.8 watts each, the total power comes out to just 11.4 watts. This is lower than the minimum wattage of the dimmer, causing the lamps to flicker. Replacing the dimmer with an LED dimmer immediately resolves this issue.
2. Dimming non-dimmable LED lighting
It regularly happens that people accidentally purchase non-dimmable LED lighting and then try to dim it anyway. As a result, the lamps do not receive enough current to function properly, causing them to flicker or even turn off completely. This can cause unnecessary frustration, but fortunately, it is easily prevented.
When you want to dim LED lights, it is important to always choose dimmable LED lights that are suitable for your dimmer. Non-dimmable lights are exclusively intended to be used with a standard on-off switch. If you try to dim them anyway, this can lead to flickering and a shorter lifespan for the lamp.
The solution is simple: replace your non-dimmable lamps with dimmable LED lamps, or use a regular on-off switch instead of a dimmer. This ensures stable lighting and prevents malfunctions.
View our dimmable LED lighting!
3.The wrong type of LED dimmer
A common cause of flickering LED lighting is the use of the incorrect LED dimmer. Even if you have a dimmer specifically intended for LEDs, it may happen that it does not match the type of LED bulb you are using. After all, there are various types of dimming technologies and not every dimmer is compatible with every bulb. When the dimmer and bulb are not properly matched, it can lead to flickering, buzzing, or poor dimming.
There are two main types of LED dimmers:
Phase cut-off dimmer (Trailing edge or RC)
This is the most commonly used type of LED dimmer and works with approximately 90% of all LED bulbs. These dimmers ensure stable operation and are quiet in use.Leading edge dimmer (Leading edge or RL)
This type of dimmer is often used with older installations or specific types of lighting. Always check the label on the dimmer to see which type you have.
It is important that the dimmer and the LED lamps use the same phase type. The image shows where you can find the correct product information. On our website, the specific dimmer type is clearly stated for every product. There are also universal LED dimmers that automatically switch between trailing edge and leading edge phase control. These are a great choice if you are unsure which technology your lighting uses.
Our advice
For reliable performance, we recommend the ION LED Dimmers (the blue dimmers). These high-quality dimmers feature an automatic calibration function and have been extensively tested with various brands of LED lighting. As a result, they operate stably and flicker-free in virtually all situations.
View our LED dimmers!
4.A defective driver
Another common cause of flickering LED lights is a defective driver or transformer. The driver ensures a stable power supply to the lamp. As soon as it no longer functions properly, the voltage can fluctuate, causing the lamp to flicker. You often notice this suddenly: lamps that previously worked without problems start flickering overnight.
There are two types of drivers:
- Internal drivers: these are built into the LED lamp itself.
- External drivers: these are located outside the lamp, usually in or next to the fixture.
When the driver is inside the lamp, the entire lamp must be replaced. If the driver is separate from the lamp, you can replace it individually.In that case, you do not need to replace the entire fixture or lamp, but simply renew the defective driver.
In short
Flickering LED lighting can often be easily resolved once you know what to look for. Whether it is an incorrect dimmer, a non-dimmable lamp, a defective driver, or voltage issues: with the right approach, you can once again enjoy stable and comfortable lighting.
Want to know more about LED lighting or practical solutions for common problems? Read on in our other blogs below for more helpful tips and clear explanations.
