Dimmable bulb needed?

[Dirt_Mover]

I've got a cheap 3 stage touch lamp on my nightstand, and I'd like to switch to a LED bulb. Would I need a dimmable bulb or not?

Thanks

 

[LEDAdd1ct]

If you buy a bulb claiming dimmability, it may work.

If you buy a bulb not claiming dimmability, it probably won't work.

Go to Home Depot or Lowe's, find an LED bulb by Sylvania, Samsung, or Philips which fits your budget and claims dimmability, and make sure they will take a return with receipt.

I liked the Samsung 60 watt equivalent at Lowe's quite a bit.

Visit Google and search "SI-I8W131UL0US" to go right there.

 

[Dirt_Mover]

Thank you LEDAdd1ct.

For clarity sake the lamp only needs a standard 60 watt bulb. Not a 3 element type bulb. I had asked an electrician friend about switching to an LED bulb, and he wrongfully assumed the lamp took a 3 element bulb. I don't know if that matters in this scenario?

 

[LEDAdd1ct]

If you want to try LED for the novelty, the cost savings, or the lower heat dumped into your room (or all the above), spend the $30 on the Samsung at Lowe's and see if you like it.

Try this calculator suggested in another thread.

If you like the bulb (and it works), and the $30 doesn't bust your budget, keep it.

If for any reason you don't like it, bring it back with receipt and move on to the next project. :)

Be sure to post back and let us know how it turned out.

 

[Dirt_Mover]

I bought two Phillips bulbs at Home Depot. Both 60w equivalents rated at 800 lumens. One was labeled dimmable, the other was not. I first tried the non-dimmable. It worked fine at low and medium setting, but when I set it to high it was dimmer than the low setting. It also made a buzzing sound on all three settings. The dimmable bulb also worked fine at low and medium, but high resulted in rabid blinking like a strobe light. No buzzing though. I guess at this point it's easier to just replace the lamp.