With the advent of new technology in light bulbs, dimmer switches have become even more complicated. Specifically, what types of bulbs are compatible with what types of dimmer switches? It used to be that you simply put a dimmer switch on a wall and you could easily adjust the light levels of any bulb. However, this is no longer the case. In this article, I’ll discuss how to find the right dimmer switches for your light bulbs.

How dimmers work: To understand compatibility, it is important to understand how dimmers work. Light bulbs have voltage and wattage. The voltage decides the type of current going into a bulb, while the wattage decides the strength of that current. Contrary to what you might think, it is the voltage of the current that is affected by the dimmer, not the wattage. This can wreak havoc on certain bulbs, if they get the wrong voltage.

Incandescent bulbs: Incandescents will work with any dimmer switch. This is because incandescent light bulbs will only burn out if turned off on its voltage, not if you stay under it. In fact, running an incandescent bulb at a lower voltage can increase its lifespan. In any case, you should look for the cheapest dimmers available, as you won’t need any more.

Fluorescent bulbs: Fluorescents are much more complicated. If you put a lower voltage current through a fluorescent bulb that isn’t designed to dim, your bulb will start to buzz and then just go off, never dimming. To dim fluorescent lights, you need two things. First, you need a bulb with what’s called a “dimmable ballast.” It will say so on the package if you have one. Second, you need a dimmer that is compatible with your bulb. The problem is that standard dimmers are not perfectly compatible with all dimmable fluorescents, even if the fluorescent says so on the box. Instead, you’re better off getting a dimmer specifically designed for fluorescent or CFL lights. These switches will say that they are specially designed for fluorescent lights.