# Dimmable bulbs are still flickering **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 28, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954 "2021-02-28T15:05:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/1 "2021-02-28T15:05:58Z")
I have a couple light switches that are dimmers. In my guest bathroom, I have one connected to the 3-bulb light fixture above the mirror. I’ve made the mistake before of not getting dimmable bulbs, and make sure to clearly label all boxes of bulbs when I buy them so they don’t get mixed in with the other lights. However, if I have the bathroom switch at any level of dim (i.e. not at 100%), the bulbs start flickering. I replaced them this morning with new bulbs from the same box, and they do the same thing. Apart from getting an incorrectly labeled box of bulbs, maybe I’m using too high of a wattage? They are 60W bulbs - would that have anything to do with it? ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/2 "2021-02-28T15:25:56Z")
Replace your dimmer. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/3 "2021-02-28T15:28:18Z")
Yes. If they are LED lights then flickering is one of the symptoms you get when using an incompatible dimmer. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Room](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_room/32/5069_2.png) [@Little\_Room](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Room)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/4 "2021-02-28T15:30:24Z")
This is good to know. I’ve had the same problem and I was worried there was some expensive electrical problem in my house. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/5 "2021-02-28T16:33:48Z")
With what? I installed it a few years ago - what’s the issue with it? It wasn’t flickering a month ago. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/6 "2021-02-28T17:06:00Z")
Something like this: [https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B004C2WTLU/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_SXYTA09K7A1B0VREJZVF](https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B004C2WTLU/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_SXYTA09K7A1B0VREJZVF) But, when you say “flickering,” do you mean a rhythmic flicker, or something random? Because, if it’s random, you may have a loose connection, which could be dangerous. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/7 "2021-02-28T17:20:18Z")
I figured it out. The one bulb that wasn’t flickering turned out to be non-dimmable (I blame the in-laws for putting it in when they were trying to be helpful). Switching it out made the others stop flickering. Who knew? ---
**Author:** ![LivingGhost371](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b9e5f3/32.png) [@LivingGhost371](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LivingGhost371)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/8 "2021-02-28T18:37:16Z")
I’ve tried probably 20 different “dimmable” LED bulbs, and I’ve never found one that dimmed as good as an incandescent, with some combination of lack of dimming range, horrible flickering, and premature failure. Since most of my house is on dimmers I finally gave up and wen back to halogen incandescents. The ones I found that worked the best were the Philips “Warmglow” snowcone models. The first model of the filament warmglow weren’t as good and the current revision is worse ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2021, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dimmable-bulbs-are-still-flickering/933954/9 "2021-02-28T21:04:32Z")
Not all dimmers are compatible with LEDs. I’m not an expert, but seem to recall reading that some dimmers cut off the leading edge of the sine wave while others cut off the trailing edge. Make sure the dimmer says it’s LED compatible. You might find this [Compatibility Guide](https://www.leviton.com/en/products/residential/dimmers/led-dimming-and-compatibility) useful.