How to Use Dimmable Light Bulbs – A Beginner’s Guide [2023]

Welcome to our guide on how to use dimmable light bulbs!

Dimmable light bulbs are a great thing if you want at the same time to save energy and have an ambiance precisely tailored to your style. 

Of course, if you are a beginner at dimming, you will most likely run into some problems. Sometimes you can’t dim the light bulb, occasionally light flickers, and you can even hear strange sounds coming from the light bulb or the dimmer switch.

You will find out what the problem is if you keep reading.

What is the difference between a dimmable light bulb and a regular light bulb?

The dimmable light bulbs don’t have fixed brightness and are used to save energy while the regular light bulbs have fixed brightness and most often consume more energy.

The best light bulb for your room depends on the amount of lighting that you need.

If you are going to use the light bulbs for some specific tasks then you can opt for the regular bulbs, but if you need to use the light bulbs for various purposes to create a different ambiance then it’s better to get the dimmable bulbs. 

In this way, your room can be suitable for various activities: watching movies, reading, and working at night. Determine the desired brightness for yourself and enjoy.

How to use dimmable light bulbs?

In order to use dimmable light bulbs, you need to make sure you have both a dimmer switch and a dimmable light bulb, and that they’re compatible. 

Many people often get confused by buying dimmable LED bulbs while they still have a simple dimmer switch (for incandescent lighting) and end up thinking that the bulbs are not working as they should, but they do not know that there are special dimmers for LED lights. In this case, it is necessary to install a new dimmer for the LED lighting to work well.

Another suggestion is that if the dimmer controls several lights at once, all the lights or bulbs will be of the same brand. This will give you extra confidence in functionality.

That’s all you need to know on how to use dimmable light bulbs.

A video guide on how to use dimmable light bulbs

Can you put dimmable bulbs in any light?

No, you can’t put dimmable bulbs in any light since bulbs correspond to a particular light fixture depending on the compatibility of its base, not on whether it is dimmable or not.

The standard bulb base is E26 which means it’s 26mm in diameter.

And of course, as we mentioned before, if you want your dimmable bulbs to work, you need to have a convenient dimmer switch as well. The dimmable light bulbs work with various dimmer switches. They are also available in various shapes, sizes, and colors.

If you have recessed lighting learn more on how to remove a light bulb from a recessed socket.

How does a dimmable light bulb work?

A dimmable light bulb works in a way that when you control the dimmer switch, you change the voltage that reaches the bulb itself and thus make the light brighter or weaker.

The dimmable light bulbs are used for controlling the brightness of the light which you want and can be used as indoor and outdoor lighting.

Do you have to use dimmable light bulbs with a dimmer switch?

Yes, you have to use dimmable light bulbs with a dimmer switch. Only that way they will work properly. 

We do not recommend that you put a regular light bulb in a fixture controlled by a dimmer switch, as it is not intended for such use.

Conclusion

In this article, you’ve learned everything you need to know about light bulbs and dimming, including what you need for it, how it works, and what to never do. 

We hope you liked the topic of how to use dimmable light bulbs. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know in the comment section below. 

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