Can You Use A Dimmer Switch With Fluorescent Bulbs

Some dimmers such as this one are compatible with dimmable cfl bulbs.

Can you use a dimmer switch with fluorescent bulbs.

In fixing the dimmer switch to the fluorescent bulb you can t make use of the regular cable. The easiest way to ensure that your light bulbs and dimmer controls are compatible is to check the lamp s manufacturer spec sheet or dimmer compatibility sheet. You cannot use most fluorescent lights with a dimmer. Just about any incandescent bulb will work with a dimmer.

It is possible to use wall dimmers for both fluorescent and cfl bulbs but each requires a different approach and special hardware. Most i m not sure about all aren t compatible. A dimmer switch won t work with the standard ballast in a fluorescent light. After achieving to collect all the mentioned things we still cannot ensure the dimming will have decent quality.

A common fluorescent bulb will not work with a dimmer installed for incandescent lighting. It s also possible that the existing screw holes won t work with the ballast mounting screws in which case you ll need to drill new holes for them. Dimmers aren t as necessary for c f. And second you need a dimmer that is compatible with your bulb.

Furthermore it takes the correct type of dimmer switch like those made for incandescent or led lights won t work with fluorescent lights and a fluorescent light fixture that s rated for dimming. Instead you are way better off getting a dimmer specially made for fluorescent lights or cfls. The answer is absolutely not dimmable leds when installed in a non dimming switch will operate at 100 output and will run just as well as if they were installed with a dimming switch. There are special dimmers and ballasts which when used together provide the fluorescent lighting that can be dimmed.

Occasionally when a halogen bulb burns out it will destroy a dimmer switch but. They will tell you on the package not for use with dimmer. Because of the added expense of these fixtures they are common only in commercial applications. Instead you ll have to make use of a three wire plus electric cable.

What this does is it runs between the wall switch and the fixture. You need to install a special dimmer ballast and this won t work in all fluorescent fixtures. Unfortunately that is not the case and the same is true of dimmable fluorescent bulbs paired with fluorescent dimmers. The main problem is that standard dimmers are not perfectly compatible with all dimmable fluorescents even if the fluorescent says so on the package.

In order to achieve this you ll have to tear the wall open.