Why does my dimmer keep failing?

BigRedOkie · Jun 16, 2021

Hi All...FYI Im in the UK.

I can do the basics and I have changed the dimmer in my kitchen a couple of times but it keeps failing. It runs five 5 watt LED bulbs. The same thing keeps happening. The dimmer button push in stops clicking to activate the on off and has to be pushed many times to work and slowly over time will stop working all together.
From Screwfix I installed a "Varilight V-Pro 1-gang 2-way LED dimmer Switch White" (94818). The switch was installed about a year ago at most.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Kevin

littlespark · Jun 16, 2021

Varilight are good dimmers, and are known to work well with LED loads, so unless it’s faulty, it should work perfectly.

if at all possible, could you photograph the back of the switch, showing the terminals and all the wiring, including anything in the box that isn’t connected to the switch.
Please remember to isolate the power first.

you state it’s a 2 way dimmer…. Is it a 2 way circuit or is it the only switch for the room?

loz2754 · Jun 16, 2021

Also, V-Pro dimmers are programmed by multiple pushes of the knob. It's possible you may have inadvertently programmed it to a mode not suitable for your lamps.

If this is the case, you can download the instructions that show you how to reset the dimmer.

SJD · Jun 16, 2021

If a V-Pro dimmer fails, I'd expect it to fail suddenly and either not dim at all, or not switch on at all - not slowly stop working.

The V-Pro model has a soft start, takes perhaps a second for the light to come up to whatever level is set. Sometime people are impatient or don't realise, so press quickly again (turns it off), then again (on again) and if you do this a few times it goes into programming mode - which allows you to set the max or min brightness.

So as mentioned above, try resetting to default mode, see:

https://www.varilight.co.uk/leaflets/V-Pro%20Dimmer%20Series%20Instruction%20Leaflet%20775.pdf

BigRedOkie · Jun 17, 2021

Thanks all. This is the only switch for the room. I would post some pics but not sure how to attach them to this message. ???
Yes the V-pro does do a soft start which we are aware of and like. Here is the strange thing. This switch and the last couple to fail all have done the same thing. Work for awhile... all good... then press down click engage to go from off to on just stops "clicking". We are pressing the round dimmer button in and out but there is just no "Click" and have to press it several times. Sometimes press it a couple of times to get the "Click" to engage on other times maybe ten times or more to get it to "Click" on. And this is not the first install. When it first happened I had changed to LED blubs and had a Non-LED switch in the wall so i figured that was the issue. So i switched to this V-Pro LED switch. But now I have LED bulbs and LED switch.
Happy to post pics if anyone can guide me on that...

Thank you all sooo much.

BigRedOkie · Jun 17, 2021

Got this figured out.... duh...
Dont think there is anything wrong with the wiring. Been working fine for a year or so. So in theory this combo should be fine?

telectrix · Jun 17, 2021

i'd blame LAP LEDs.cheap tat.

Lucien Nunes · Jun 17, 2021

With an electronic control pushbutton (rather than a switch that carries the lamp current) that is failing mechanically, it is unlikely to be anything to do with the lamps or wiring. One often jumps to the conclusion that any problem with LEDs on dimmers is due to incompatibility in some way but this seems to be a self-contained problem with the push switches within the dimmers not being durable enough. Perhaps they have a bad batch and the replacements have had the same issue?

NB if you have an elephant in the room, the switch might be sustaining accidental impact damage.

LukeD · Jun 17, 2021

telectrix said:
i'd blame LAP LEDs.cheap tat.

Have to agree .Wont use this brand at all

loz2754 · Jun 17, 2021

LukeD said:
Have to agree .Wont use this brand at all

I have installed hundreds of Lap GU10 lamps and no failures reported.

LukeD · Jun 17, 2021

loz2754 said:
I have installed hundreds of Lap GU10 lamps and no failures reported.

I stopped using the brand some time ago.

BigRedOkie · Jun 17, 2021

Thanks, everyone. Just to add one more twist to the story I replaced the bathroom with the same lights and switch and it seems to be fine so far but is only running four lights, not five.... if that would be making a difference I don't know. But it's working fine so far. The only "elephant" pushing both buttons would be me...lol. I would assume my wife would have a lighter touch.... yea.... lets go with that.?
Anyhooo... guess I am just gonna give up on the dimmer and change it out for a good old on off switch. Any recommendations from Screwfix? That's my only option not having a car. (Or any online store you guys might recommend.)

Thanks so much for the time and advice. I really appreciate it guys!!!

Sincerely,

Kevin

Bob Geldoff1234 · Jun 17, 2021

Is the back box deep enough for the dimmer to sit back without squashing the wires? Dimmers can sometimes fail if they are compressed due to either twisting the body of the dimmer or the heat generated due to it being tight?

Why does my dimmer keep failing?

BigRedOkie

littlespark

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loz2754

SJD

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BigRedOkie

BigRedOkie

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