SOLVED Any electricians able to advice? 25W variable output dimeable LED Driver required for domestic lights

[Quinten]

I'm not a complete novice to electrics, but I'm not 100% sure and I also don't want to burn down my house if I can avoid it  

 

Here's the problem.  My lovely wife bought two new light fixtures and kindly requested I fitted them into our living room.  Unfortunately, they are marked as non-dimmable and they are way too bright on full power.  I would love to be able to either dim them, or reduce their brightness permanently.  I believe the key is in the LED driver.

 

 

 

I found the spec for the LED driver here and it's a constant current driver of 600mA up to a maximum of 25.2W

 

 

My question is, can I replace this LED driver with something that is marked as dimmable?  As long as I keep to the same 600mA output spec?  How would that new LED driver work when it is dimming?

 

Or, is there some electric component I can add at the output of the LED driver to reduce brightness (limiting voltage?).

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

I'd just either by a new light fitting with dimeable bulbs or fit dimeable bulbs-

 

I fitted far too many of these around the home during lockdown, the colour temp is switcheable and they are dimeable from 0 to 100%-

 https://www.rexel.co.uk/uki/root-category/Luminaires/Residential-Downlights/Integrated-Residential-Downlights/Downlight-LED-Fire-Rated-6W-IP65-Changeable-Colour-Temperature-500lm/p/2501120794?utm_medium=email&utm_source=500&utm_campaign=conf

 

You can buy different colour bezels to finish them off- we used these- https://www.rexel.co.uk/uki/root-category/Luminaires/Residential-Downlights/Bezels-%26-Converter-Plates/Trim-Bezel-Satin-Chrome-for-Downlight-LED-Fire-Rated/p/2500987658?utm_medium=email&utm_source=500&utm_campaign=conf

 

 

[Quinten]

Sorry, this fixture has none replaceable bulbs, nor is it a downlight

 

Although not the same, it is not dissimilar to 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

10 minutes ago, Quinten said:

Sorry, this fixture has none replaceable bulbs, nor is it a downlight

 

Although not the same, it is not dissimilar to 

A ittle bit different that the downlights then-

 

This suggest the LED's run of 50V DC Max.

 

 

So you need an LED Driver that will take a 0-240VAC input and product a 0-50V output 

 

This may do it- https://www.amazon.co.uk/illuburg-Dimmable-1050mA-Constant-Current/dp/B09XVF3ZTN/ref=sr_1_6?crid=2P9OODM0I6BV3&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.wwM8I9hWlIdwZayEMl3d7BAIM7IlIAICVErUfol3RFZ0wCaoq5JNU_cAx73Im76uB4dKWJEiDT2DcLGiztXlOsNgA7wDfxjv6YHQqHiacpq9i3vToiwI2pS-Pbc2IogxVxZeKGGoXJfbfnC2NKFftMxH8GUSg3x_iL2DUWbzgrD3KojskcUzXcSWaiv_J3Ov-mV3uW0IXGCZStzig6Nt0hmZpee8mRzm6rOugif2JYb21INmRYDDuo-Z8NtyhtZGjKgPCKOeLdMLps4kKEfPw-N6CQIMdFDCL6XFuQFhUeM.XghkHtRlbH6mE48KeuV_GCkrkOEi7nTMNi_E7QtpniI&dib_tag=se&keywords=50w%2Bled%2Bdriver%2Bdimmable%2B48V&qid=1723456496&sprefix=50w%2Bled%2Bdriver%2Bdimmable%2B48v%2Caps%2C56&sr=8-6&th=1

 

 

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

Does the driver have to fit into the light fitting or could you put it in the ceiling to allow you to use a larger item?

 

[Richard (OldStager)]

I can't type very well, but I will copy and paste a dimmer that may work?, I retired as a full time sparky some years ago and did used to fit these, sometimes they work and sometimes they didn't  - it was all down to the type of driver fitted.

 

A copy paste text to save my hands.

 

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 Trailing edge or LED ready dimmers have been designed specifically for use with LED light bulbs. As such, they share a number of characteristics that make them much more compatible, such as comparable wattage ranges and inherently digital makeup. The required wattages for these dimmers are much lower, making them more compatible with the lower wattage of LED light bulbs. Again though, trailing edge dimmers CAN also be used to dim traditional incandescent light bulbs if the wattage tolerances are still met, and they do this more effectively than using a leading-edge dimmer to dim LED light bulbs.

The best way to avoid confusion here is to check which dimmers are compatible with a certain type of light bulb. Most manufacturers rigorously test their products for compatibility with a range of dimmer switches and the results are normally readily available on their respective websites.

 

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[Quinten]

Thanks again Ian.  It would be nice if the driver fitted in the same place (the base of the light), but I do have the option of enlarging the ceiling hole and stuffing it in there if it came down to it.

 

That amazon link looks a lot like what I had in mind as well, but wasn't sure about.  As long as I stick to those same output parameters then I can just use any dimming compatible driver right?

 

 

Richard, I'm sorry you're having health issues.  Thank you for the reply, but I'm not sure what I can do with that information?

[Ian Kinder (Bagpuss) - Joint Peak District AO]

16 minutes ago, Quinten said:

Thanks again Ian.  It would be nice if the driver fitted in the same place (the base of the light), but I do have the option of enlarging the ceiling hole and stuffing it in there if it came down to it.

 

That amazon link looks a lot like what I had in mind as well, but wasn't sure about.  As long as I stick to those same output parameters then I can just use any dimming compatible driver right?

I'm 90% sure yes.  The output voltage seems high. As typically 12V or 24V are common LED driver outputs.  

 

Can you measure what voltage it's outputing with 240V AC in?

 

You'll need to buy and test to confirm.

 

 

[Richard (OldStager)]

You need to seek a dimmerable driver, a trailing edge type, see here.

 

https://www.downlightsdirect.co.uk/led-drivers/dimmable-led-driver.html

[MR.C]

My DRLs on the westy run battery voltage,then are reduced to around 10.5 v

this dims them for sidelights.Enough to see the change but still bright.

 

600ma @ 42 v = 25.2 watt.

700ma @ 36v = 25.2 watt. 

1.05 amp @ 24v =25.2 watt. 

 

 

[Quinten]

Happy to report that my replacement LED drivers (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09QH3HB8K) did the job.  Can dim between 4% and 100% and 25% seems to be the right level 👍

 

Thanks again for helping me find the right one 🍻