G4 leds

Geled2

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Mar 17, 2017
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1
I've got some g4 leds which i'd like to use in a lamp. The leds are apparently non dimmable, are they safe to use in my dimmable lamp if I don't dim it? Coincidentally they say non dimmaable but seem to dim fine?
 

Lithopsian

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Joined
Oct 9, 2016
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54
You can use them without trying to dim them and there shouldn't be any problems. Dimmers do vary, but if they light up fine then they should be fine.

Dimming non-dimmable LED lamps is a bit of a gamble. They can do all sorts of strange things, including actually dimming. It is hard to say what your LED is up to. It is at least potentially possible you will damage it by dimming, but equally it may be fine. If it lights and doesn't flicker then that's a pretty good sign.

Are these low voltage, like 12V or so? What sort of driver do they have to supply the 12V? Typically an LED designed to run from 12V AC or DC will include circuitry to rectify and smooth any AC, which generally resists being dimmed. Up to a point when it can no longer draw enough power from the chopped (dimmed) input waveform and it suddenly dims dramatically, or strobes, or just goes out. Running from a DC supply, and especially with LEDs that are only designed to run from DC (no rectification, little or no smoothing, possibly just a voltage dropper for current regulation) is very different and they are likely to dim to some extent whatever they say on the box.
 
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