As well as LED Lighting, Wholesale LED Lights offers an extensive range of decorative switches & sockets produced by Varilight.

Dimming LEDs – a fraught topic

In the past dimming light bulbs has been a fairly straightforward process. As long as your bulb was dimmable and you had a dimmer switch you were good to go. Since the advent of LED lighting the issue has become a lot more complex.

Firstly, not all LEDs are dimmable. You will notice when shopping for LED lights that some bulbs are non-dimmable while others are dimmable. This should be fairly self-explanatory, but it can't be stressed enough that if you intend to dim your lights, make sure the bulbs are dimmable, otherwise you might get a nasty surprise.

Secondly, not all dimmer switches are compatible with LEDs. In fact, using an LED bulb with a non-compatible dimmer switch could damage the bulb.

Fortunately there are a number of manufacturers who have made it their mission to create a range of dimmer switches that are compatible with LEDs and help remove the hassle from what should be a simple process.

vpro

Varlight V-Pro range

Varilight is a household name in lighting control systems. They've been around for a while and have plenty of experience. More recently they have worked on developing the V-pro range, a range of low load trailing edge dimmer switches compatible with LED light bulbs. Important features of these dimmer switches include their soft start and low load, as well as surge protection.

A key issue with dimming LEDs is loading. Most dimmer switches have a min. load of about 50 watts. However, most LEDs use less than 10 watt of power. By reducing the min. load on the switches to 10 watts Varilight have gone some way to addressing this problem. The soft start on their switches also ensures the longevity of the bulb. LEDs are very sensitive to voltage change and the soft start helps alleviate any problems.

As might be expected V-pro switches are pretty standardised in terms of their design. They will fit ordinary back boxes and come in all the most popular finishes including white, chrome and brass, so you should always find something to fit your taste and home décor.

Perhaps the most popular item in this range is the 1-2 Gang Satin Chrome LED Dimmer Switch with its winning combination of traditional rotary switch and satin chrome finish, which seems to be one of the more popular choices for homeowners.

vcom

Varlight V-Com range

Alongside the V-pro range Varlight have developed the V-com range. V-com switches are a commercial grade switch with a much higher load suited to commercial lighting installation such as offices and shops. They are a little more expensive but they help address many of the logistical issues faced when dimming large quantities of lights.