Faulty Tesco replacement LED bulbs 28 December 2021 at 8:50PM in Praise, vent & warnings 19 replies 812 views

dosh37

Why can I not use a LED dimmer bulb with a normal on/off switch without it flickering?

dosh37

Why does it not state on the packaging that I need a 'special' dimmer switch for LED bulbs?

dosh37

The web says:-

You’re probably going to notice some variance in how your LEDs dim versus how traditional bulbs tend to. The main difference is that you have a smaller dimming range (typically 70-90% range vs. 100% with incandescent or halogen). LED Bulbs may not shut off at the lowest dim setting like traditional bulbs. This happens because the dimmer thinks the bulb is completely off due to the low amount of wattage the LED consumes. In traditional dimming systems you are simply lowering the voltage/power to the bulb, which in turn dims it down. With LED bulbs you cannot limit the power to the driver, because if you do, the bulb would flicker or just turn off. A dimmer for LED lights is specially designed to send power and control signals to each type of electronic LED driver.

In other words, 'it doesn't work'!

Why don't they tell us that BEFORE we buy the bulbs!

smashinglynaive

dosh37 said:

The web says:-

You’re probably going to notice some variance in how your LEDs dim versus how traditional bulbs tend to. The main difference is that you have a smaller dimming range (typically 70-90% range vs. 100% with incandescent or halogen). LED Bulbs may not shut off at the lowest dim setting like traditional bulbs. This happens because the dimmer thinks the bulb is completely off due to the low amount of wattage the LED consumes. In traditional dimming systems you are simply lowering the voltage/power to the bulb, which in turn dims it down. With LED bulbs you cannot limit the power to the driver, because if you do, the bulb would flicker or just turn off. A dimmer for LED lights is specially designed to send power and control signals to each type of electronic LED driver.

In other words, 'it doesn't work'!

Why don't they tell us that BEFORE we buy the bulbs!

No, it does work it's just your ability to google is not good.

https://www.lampandlight.eu/dimming-led-lights

If you dim a standard bulb such as halogen and the light intensity is reduced to 50% via dimming then the halogen bulb will give almost no light output, however if you do the same with an LED bulb the LED light will give 50% of its light capacity at its fullest. A standard dimmer switch cannot be used with an LED light as you will never be able to dim the LED light either completely or not very well. LED lights need their own special electronic dimmer switch to have a fully functioning and dimming light.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2018/07/25/how-stop-your-led-lights-flickering/ as well


You not knowing how recent technology (and I'm using the phrase very broadly here) doesn't mean it doesn't work, it just means your knowledge is either outdated or in the wrong field.

Admiral_Barbarossa

dosh37 said:

sheramber said:

 LED dimmer bulbs  should be used with an LED dimmer switch, not an ordinary one.

I am an electronic engineer.

Can you please explain that statement?

Ordinary dimmers before LEDs were a variac type switch, where as LEDs require a resistive load reduction.
Electrical Technician!

Norman_Castle

I tried to find an email address for Tesco Customer Services to complain but found nothing.

Call us

0800 323 4060*

Mon-Sat: 8am - 6pm

Sun: 10am - 4pm

In the blue bar on the top of your posts there is a cog on the right. Use this to edit your posts rather than adding another post when you think of something to add.

Admiral_Barbarossa

Norman_Castle said:

I tried to find an email address for Tesco Customer Services to complain but found nothing.

Call us

I doubt that Tesco are worried, as the items are over six months old and he will need an engineer's report to say they were faulty!

ThumbRemote

sheramber said:

 LED dimmer bulbs  should be used with an LED dimmer switch, not an ordinary one.

The   OP has said they were fitted without a dimmer switch. 

Your post could be read in two ways:

"LED dimmer bulbs  should be used with an LED dimmer switch, not an ordinary dimmer switch." - which is correct, but not relevant.

"LED dimmer bulbs  should be used with an LED dimmer switch, not an ordinary on/off switch." - which is incorrect. 

sheramber

ThumbRemote said:

sheramber said:

 LED dimmer bulbs  should be used with an LED dimmer switch, not an ordinary one.

The   OP has said they were fitted without a dimmer switch. 

Your post could be read in two ways:

"LED dimmer bulbs  should be used with an LED dimmer switch, not an ordinary dimmer switch." - which is correct, but not relevant.

"LED dimmer bulbs  should be used with an LED dimmer switch, not an ordinary on/off switch." - which is incorrect. 

The original complaint wa that  they did not work with the dimmer switch

When I visited my local Tesco, I bought five LED bulbs. I made sure two of them were 'dimmable' since I have a pair of lamps plus a dimmer switch in my lounge.

The packaging stated a life expectancy of 15 years.

When I got home and tried them, I found the dimmer switch made a loud 50Hz buzzing noise that was totally unacceptable.