LED Dimmer options

[IASparky]

Greetings, first time poster, long time DIYer.

Installed a set of 6 and 8 of these 6inch LED lights in two separate areas of my basement. They are controlled by two separate switches respectively. So I have 6 lights controlled by one dimmer and 8 lights on another. Both are 3 way and they work as expected, except the flicker at ~50%.
https://lithonia.acuitybrands.com/p...-outdoor-6-in-housing-free-recessed-downlight

I installed a 3 way dimmer on both sets of lights, 450W LED rated, however the lights flicker on both sets at about 50%. There is no flicker at full on and no flicker at full dimm. This is the dimmer I'm using:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Legrand...t-Dimmer-Dark-Bronze-RHCL453PDBCCV4/313219880

I believe that I'm surpassing the 450W LED capacity of the dimmer and need a higher watt dimmer as the dimmer works as expected in full range when connected to a single LED light. I've found the following Larson dimmer in both 600W and 800W models. However the dimmer mentions in the spec sheet states the following "Use with electronic low-voltage transformers only" However its listed as a 120V dimmer. (High watt LED dimmers appear to be hard to find, unless I don't know where to look)
https://www.larsonelectronics.com/p...0-watt-rated-electro-mechanical-slider-switch

My question is two fold:
- Do you believe the problem is the dimmer Watt capacity? If so how is that calculated as it would appear that 450W would be sufficient? (I suspect there is some math involved with dimming LEDs.)
- Is the Larson dimmer an option or is this not designed for direct connect to an LED fixture that I am using?

Thanks to all for any input.
Tom

 

[Genes]

You are no where near maxing out the 450 watt dimmer. If you read the specs on the dimmer it very clearly states that it will not work with LEDs that use a 0-10 volt driver. You can only use it with LED bulbs.

 

[DIWdiver]

I agree with Genes.

Even the highest power of those lamps is 14W, so 8 of them is only 112W, less than a third of the rating on your dimmers. So you aren't overloading them, and there's no reason to think that a higher-power dimmer is called for.

Your lights have integrated "low voltage electronic transformers", which are a form of driver. That might be what's bothering the HD dimmers. You don't have 0-10V drivers, but what you do have might be close enough to not work well, as per the warning.

The Larson dimmer may not work any better, as it's also meant for bulbs, not drivers.

The data sheet for the lights mentions a list of approved dimmers, but there's no link and I didn't bother to chase it down. Have you?

 

[IASparky]

Thank you for the replies.

The lights are not the M model and are not the 0-10V compatible, I'm certain because there are not low volt wires in the Jbox. I did look through all of the available "compatible dimmers" and was sorely disappointed as many of them were not even LED compatible, some were only 150 Watt rated and some were 0-10V. However now that I know that I seemingly only need (~7 lights X 14W each for a total of ~98W of total dimming capacity then other 150 Watt dimmers are an option. I'll go back to the list and see what I can find.

You mentioned that these lights have a "low voltage electronic transformers", should I be looking for switches that specifically support this as apposed to the LED light directly? Would a dimmer with a neutral option eliminate more potential interference?

I appreciate the help.

 

[JustAnOldFashionedLEDGuy]

Whether it is an LED driver of a bulb really makes no difference. A bulb is just a device with driver built in.


Those drivers are not "electronic transformers" either in the sense of those made to drive 12VAC MR16 bulbs more efficiently and cheaper than magnetic transformers.


I won't comment on the quality of the driver design, other than to say I am not impressed, but hopefully if you change the dimmer, it will work better. It would stick to the more common Lutron and Leviton dimmers as they will have been used more extensively in testing. Normally one would not experience flicker with a bunch of lights connected, it is more common with just a few.