Dimming

LED Bulbs and Dimmer Switches: What Works

A dimmer and an LED bulb are two halves of one circuit. When they do not match, the light flickers, buzzes or cuts out at the low end.

Start with the bulb

If the lighting application requires lamps that can be dimmed, check the product packaging or specification to make sure the products being considered have this capacity.
U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program, Purchasing Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

A bulb that is not built to dim has no business on a dimmer, even at full. Among TJOY bulbs the split is clear.

	Lines
Dimmable	A19 60W dimmable, A19 40W dimmable, A19 filament 60W, ST58 filament 60W, ST58 filament 40W, CA11 flame tip, B11 candelabra, G9 40W dimmable, BR30 65W, G25 filament, T6 tubular, Red A19
Not dimmable	A19 60W, A19 100W, A19 3-way, C7 night light, G9 40W, GU10 4W, G25 5W, Dusk-to-dawn A19, Dusk-to-dawn ST58, Refrigerator A15

TJOY bulb lines: 12 dimmable, 10 not.

Then look at the dimmer

If you’re looking for dimmable lighting, make sure to install dimmer switches that are compatible with LED lights.
ENERGY STAR (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), The Bright Choice: Renovate with ENERGY STAR LED Lighting

Old dimmers were built for incandescent loads. Six 60-watt bulbs drew 360 watts. Six 9-watt LEDs draw 54. A dimmer made for the first figure can misread the second.

Not every bulb works well with every dimmer switch. If you don’t find a good match with your current dimmer, consider changing the switch, or you can return the bulb and try a different one.
ENERGY STAR (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), Your Guide to Dimmable ENERGY STAR LED Lighting

Item TJ-A19-40D

A19 Dimmable LED Light Bulb, 40W Equivalent

5 W, 500 lumens, dims to 10%

4 whites

4.8 · 70 ratings

$12.99from · $2.50 per bulb

Item TJ-ST58-60D

ST58 Edison Filament LED Bulb, 60W Equivalent

8 W, 800 lumens, teardrop glass, dims

4 whites

4.6 · 3,016 ratings

$13.99from · $1.94 per bulb

Item TJ-G9-40D

G9 Dimmable LED Bulb, 40W Equivalent

4 W, 450 lumens, G9 pins, dims

4 whites

4.8 · 348 ratings

$14.99from · $1.83 per bulb

Item TJ-BR30-65

BR30 LED Flood Bulb, 65W Equivalent

9 W, 800 lumens, 120° flood, dims

4 whites

4.6 · 643 ratings

$18.99from · $1.92 per bulb

What never goes on a wall dimmer

The 3-way bulb. It takes its three levels from the lamp socket.
Dusk-to-dawn bulbs. The sensor needs full, steady power.
Smart bulbs. They dim in the app, and a wall dimmer makes them flicker.
Any line marked not dimmable, such as the frosted A19 and the standard G9.

Heat in closed fixtures

Fully enclosed fixtures trap heat and increase temperatures in which lamps operate. This heat build-up can impact the performance and life expectancy of certain LED products.
U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Energy Management Program, Purchasing Energy-Efficient Light Bulbs

Dimming lowers the heat, but a sealed glass dome still traps what is left. If a bulb in a closed fixture fails early, heat is the first suspect.

Quick answers

Why do my LED bulbs flicker on a dimmer?

The usual cause is a dimmer built for incandescent bulbs. Six 9-watt LEDs draw 54 watts where the old bulbs drew 360, and the dimmer cannot hold the low load steady.

Can I put a non-dimmable LED bulb on a dimmer?

No. A non-dimmable bulb such as the TJOY A19 60W equivalent runs at its full 9 watts only. On a dimmer it can flicker or fail early.