Flickering LED on old Clipsal/PDL dimmer

Forums › Home Workshop DIY › Flickering LED on old Clipsal/PDL dimmer

KellyP

1245 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Subscriber

#281254 8-Feb-2021 11:22

Trying to work out if I need to replace this dimmer or just replace the dimmer with a normal switch.

I have 8 pendants (no drivers) running with an early 90s Clipsal or PDL rotary dimmer. The lightbulbs are GE B22 Warm White Dimmable LED from Mitre10, I think they are 9.5W each. Purchased in 2019.

The issue started after 12 months of use: they start to flicker after any given time - could be two hours or 30 minutes. If I turn the dimmer down by 40% the flickering stops (from full).

Is the dimmer at fault here?

robjg63

4096 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#2649420 8-Feb-2021 12:44

If it's a 90s dimmer it is 99% likely the problem.

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

gregmcc

2147 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2649447 8-Feb-2021 13:23

typically the older dimmers need a minimum load to operate, and when they were designed LED lighting wern't even heard of.

With the age of the electronics in the dimmer it is struggling to achieve the minimum load requirements and the dimmer is shutting off .

Time for a new dimmer, Careful what you get as not all LED dimmers work with all dimmable LED lamps, get an assurance from where ever you get it from that you can return it if it doesn't work

timmmay

20574 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2649469 8-Feb-2021 14:43

I got some LED downlights for my office designed to be dimmer. Tried a few different kinds of dimmers, didn't work right on all of them. Now I just use a standard switch, works fine. If you want a dimmer make sure you get exactly the type recommended for your lights.