Are Fluorescent Lights Dimmable?

While fluorescent light tubes are mainly used in homes for kitchens, dining rooms, and family rooms, they can be dimmed to suit the ambience of any setting.

However, dimmers must be fitted when the fluorescent light tube installation takes place. It’s not a case of simply installing and using the switch; it takes knowledge of the correct bulb, wires, dimmable tubes, and electronic or magnetic integral ballast.

Dive in with us and discover the right components needed for a successful fluorescent tube light installation with a dimmer.

How to Dim Fluorescent Lights

To understand how to dim a fluorescent lamp, you need to know the science behind it first. Typically, they work similar to how a neon tube does. Electrolytes on either side are heated to excite the gas (a phosphor mix) in the tube. As soon as the gas in the tube is excited, electrodes stay heated due to a transfer in the current, but the voltage needed to maintain the excitation drops significantly from when it was first struck.

To dim fluorescent fixtures, there must be a stable transition between the off and on levels. As fluorescent fixtures are lit through a discharger created by gas, there will always be a spike in the level when the tube is initially struck. The light output of a fluorescent fixture is determined by a ballast, a device that limits the amount of current in an electrical circuit—more about them later.

Ballasts aren’t the only component that influences the brightness of fluorescent lights; the shape of the bulbs also dictates the external control of how electrolytes and gas discharge pass through the tube.

Compact Fluorescents

Compact fluorescents are a type of light bulb where their size has been reduced into a coiled or folded shape. They still give a similar output to a long tube, except the shape is more compact. The main type of ballast in compact fluorescents is electronic, integrated into the base, regulating the current. Just like LEDS, compact fluorescents are energy efficient and last 8-15 times longer than incandescent bulbs.

Integrated

This fluorescent fixture has an integral ballast fixed into the lamp base. They’re typically used as a replacement for Bayonet lamps or an Edison screw. Often, the dimming performance of this lamp is poor, and even with dimmer switches, it does not provide a smooth dim.

Non-Integrated

Similar to a standard fluorescent tube, non-integrated compact fluorescent tubes use a separate ballast. Dimmable ballasts are available for non-integrated compact fluorescents and give reasonable dimmable performance. Before the light level of a non-integrated compact fluorescent can be changed, the bulb must be burned in at full for 100 hours first; otherwise, the fixture may experience premature failure.

Dimmable Ballasts

Fluorescent ballasts have different types of wires that feed into them. Generally, there’s three types of ballasts, 2 wire, 3 wire and 4 wire.

2-Wire

Out of all types, ballast 2-wire tends to be very common and the easiest to install. They use a dimmed hot and a neutral ground. These ballasts are installed and controlled using one dimmer. Their setting keeps lamps from running under their recommended voltage, preventing premature failure. Their dimmable performance tends to be from 100% down to 5% light output, emitting a smooth and continuous dimmer with no flicker.

Countries that use 2-wire ballasts tend to operate on 240-volt electrical systems. They’re mainly used in the UK, Australia, India, and South Africa.

3-Wire

These ballasts are often inexpensive and use two dimmers. They require two dimmers and three wires to help control and power the current, as they need to be dimmed hot, switched hot, and neutral ground. The dimmable performance of a three-wire ballast can be from 100% down to as low as 1% (depending on the model). This type of ballast is mainly used in the USA, Canada, UK, and Australia.

4-Wire

Four-wire ballasts use four wires to control the voltage of the fluorescent light. They use a hot (non-dim) wire, neutral wire, and two low-voltage wires for control signals. These ballasts tend to be more advanced and energy efficient. They’re used in India, the USA, Canada, and countries in Europe and Southeast Asia. Most four-wire ballasts can dim fluorescent lamps from 100% brightness to 10% of 5%, depending on the model.

The Future of Lighting: Energy Saving Innovations

Dimmable fluorescent lighting has a lot of benefits for your home, such as:

• Energy efficient: Dimmable lighting uses less electrical input and optimizes electricity compared to incandescent lamps.
• Longer lifespan: As they operate at less brightness, the bulb's life is preserved for longer. Lamp life tends to be up to 40,000 hours, reducing maintenance costs.
• Used for a wide range of applications: As lighting can be adjusted, it can be used for different tasks or environments in homes and workspaces.

Tips for improving energy efficiency with dimmable lights

To make the most out of dimmable fixtures, you’ll want to maximize their performance and save on energy. Here are a few top tips on how to do so:

• Use compact fluorescent bulbs are dimmable LEDs
• Adjust brightness levels with electronic control gear based on the time of the day
• Take advantage of natural light whenever possible
• Regularly clean the fixtures to preserve their lifespan

Wrapping up - Are Fluorescent lights dimmable?

Overall, there are two types of ballasts, magnetic and electric, that help power fluorescent lights. Electronic ballasts are the modern standard, and they are more electrically efficient and have advanced features. The most common ones for the North American market have 3 and 4 wires.

However, instead of looking for compatible ballasts, save time finding external fixtures by looking for fixtures with built-in dimmer switches.

To learn more about how to match the ambience to your surroundings, check out our post - Dimmer Switch vs. Dimmable Remote.