Can the brightness of LED light bulbs be varied?

If we can reduce brightness, the rewards are subdued lighting and energy savings. But can the brightness of LED light fittings be varied? Yes, subject to two conditions.

First condition: dimmable LEDs

Not all LED models support the use of a dimmer. First check the specifics of the LED spotlight or bulb. When an LED is dimmable it is described as such on the packaging.

LED lamps are not dimmable by themselves. For them to be dimmable, we must add a small piece of electronic equipment (a "driver"). This makes the dimmable version a bit more expensive.

Second condition: a LED-compatible dimmer

LEDs need a constant current. However, the conventional dimmers you may have been using for your incandescent lamps do not always allow this. They are not necessarily compatible.

If they are not, you must replace your old driver with a model that suits the LEDs. Preferably choose a universal RLC model, which is compatible with all LED models. The RC model only works for
12 V LEDs with an electronic transformer.

It's flashing, it's going out... What do I do?

If, despite all your precautions, you notice flashing, instability or irregularities in the operation of your LEDs with the dimmer, try to buy the same brand of dimmer and LED.

Sometimes the flashes are the result of low power consumption that does not reach the minimum required for the driver to operate. In this case, just add a few LEDs to the circuit.