Legrand has released a guide for choosing an excellent, modern dimmer with five must-ask questions.

While the rapid growth of dimmable LED technology has paved the way towards a new era of lighting, it has also increased the risk of incompatibility issues, resulting in lights flickering or malfunctioning.

Below are the five questions Legrand says are important to ask in order to find quality dimmers that will work with all types of lighting.

1. Can you set the minimum and maximum brightness levels? – Flickering is sometimes associated with low light levels. This is often more prevalent when the dimmer is combined with a poor quality lamp. Be sure to select a dimmer that can withstand the lowest and highest ends of the lighting spectrum.
2. Is it compatible with a slave switch for multi-way dimming? – Multi-way dimming is an excellent function to offer homeowners. Traditional rotary dimmers won’t allow multi-way dimming, so find an electronic push-button dimmer with a compatible slave switch.
3. Does it have over-temperature protection? To combat overloading or insufficient de-rating, a good dimmer will automatically reduce lamp brightness when the dimmer is getting too hot. Then once the dimmer has cooled down, it will automatically resume normal operation. This is an excellent safety feature and it’s good to explain this to home owners.
4. Does it have short-circuit protection? – Like all quality electrical accessories, you want a dimmer with short circuit protection. If the dimmer receives a short circuit or surge due to faulty wiring or lamp failure, you want it to automatically turn off before damage can occur. Again, this is a feature that’s great to explain to homeowners so they feel secure and know what’s happening.
5. Does it work well with a wide variety of loads, particularly LEDs? – To maximise flexibility and usefulness, look for a dimmer that works well with a wide variety of loads. Ensure your dimmer works well with dimmable LEDs. Even if the property isn’t using LED lighting now, they will most likely change the lamps in the future.

Legrand’s Excel Life Electronic push-button dimmers are available in two wire and three wire technology, with multi-way dimming options. They also have a programmable LED indicator, programmable maximum/minimum brightness levels and dimming level memory/function. Additionally, the dimmers have short circuit protection and are compliant with Australian and New Zealand standards.