Dimmable G4 that’s LED

Bendy_House

Philips do make great bulbs

Something to be aware of - if your dimmer switch is not suitable for LED use, then it might (almost certainly will) struggle.

Two ways in which it might not be suitable - (1) if it has a minimum wattage loading (a few 1.5W bulbs isn't going to add up to much), and (2) many LED bulbs require a 'trailing-edge' dimmer in order to work smoothly and not flicker.

This info will likely be on the back of the dimmer switch, so TURN OFF THE POWER and...

You can always just try it - it shouldn't do any actual harm - but if the LEDs don't work properly, or light up only at max setting, then you may need to check and replace the dimmer switch.

Rodders53

The first link I gave is a retailer for £6.50 each (plus delivery no doubt). 

I'd not hold out a lot of hope that a luminaire with 12V transformer, fed from mains dimmer would work with a very small led load cf the tungsten g4s it will replace.  Such transformers often have a minimum watts load requirement.  But you might be lucky?

(I had to replace a 12V ac transformer in a bathroom mirror for a 12V led driver when I replaced the g4 tungstens with leds.)

Bendy_House

D'oh, of course. If these ARE G4 bulbs, then they WILL have a transformer. So that needs checking before anything else.
The TRANNIE needs to be dimmable and suitable for an LED's lighter load. And the bulbs ditto.

casper_gutman

It certainly seems more likely they're low voltage, but mains voltage G4 bulbs do exist. See e.g. https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/led/capsules/g4-led-capsule-240volt/

Bendy_House

Blimey!!!!

Kim_kim

Bendy_House said:

D'oh, of course. If these ARE G4 bulbs, then they WILL have a transformer. So that needs checking before anything else.
The TRANNIE needs to be dimmable and suitable for an LED's lighter load. And the bulbs ditto.

Yes the block thing in the lead has a dimmer.  Hence I want dimmable bulbs! 

Kim_kim

casper_gutman said:

It certainly seems more likely they're low voltage, but mains voltage G4 bulbs do exist. See e.g. https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/led/capsules/g4-led-capsule-240volt/

They are not dimmable 

casper_gutman

Kim_kim said:

casper_gutman said:

It certainly seems more likely they're low voltage, but mains voltage G4 bulbs do exist. See e.g. https://www.thelightbulb.co.uk/led/capsules/g4-led-capsule-240volt/

They are not dimmable 

I'm aware! My post was in response to others saying that ALL G4 bulbs were low voltage, to illustrate that there's at least a slim chance yours may not be.

Are you able to tell us whether you need 12V or 240V bulbs, please?

Bendy_House

Kim_kim said:

Bendy_House said:

D'oh, of course. If these ARE G4 bulbs, then they WILL have a transformer. So that needs checking before anything else.
The TRANNIE needs to be dimmable and suitable for an LED's lighter load. And the bulbs ditto.

Yes the block thing in the lead has a dimmer.  Hence I want dimmable bulbs! 

Just when you think you are getting somewhere, I'll throw you another curveball :-) Having just bought G4 LEDs very recently - tho' not dimmable types - I had a choice of AC or DC.

Could you tell us, please - the 'secondary' (output) voltage of the transformer, and whether it's AC or DC?

Bendy_House

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32859100702.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.93e9763erPKLOz&algo_pvid=08ce29b0-a65b-4260-854d-56fe438184aa&algo_exp_id=08ce29b0-a65b-4260-854d-56fe438184aa-2&pdp_ext_f={"sku_id":"66101695761"}&pdp_pi=-1;7.71;-1;-1@salePrice;GBP;search-mainSearch

They'll take around 2 weeks to arrive. Or you'll likely find similar on eBay.

Rated at 6W (seems a bit high since ~30W equiv), but that shouldn't matter in your case since they'll be dimmed, and only become warm even if full on. Choice or warm or cold.