Dimmer Switch Repair / Replacement Service Singapore
Written by Zames Chew
Posted on May 18, 2023
We can help you repair or replace your lighting dimmer switch if it has stopped working. My team and I have been replacing switches every day for the last seven years, so even though there are multiple types of dimmer switches, we can help you resolve your problem.
The simplest way you can book an appointment for us to come down for a dimmer switch repair is to send us a message on WhatsApp with an image of your switch and a short description of your problem.
I will first tell you about our pricing for our dimmer switch repair and replacement service, then explain the different problems you might face and the solution, then finally I will walk you through the basics of what a dimmer switch is.
How much does dimmer switch repair and replacement cost?
We can replace your existing dimmer with a brand new dimmer switch starting from $65 before transport.
However, the cost may be more or less depending on the type of dimmer switch you need and if any additional services are required to complete the repair or replacement of your dimmer.
Please send us an image of your existing dimmer switch through WhatsApp and tell us a bit more about what happened. We will let you know what we can do next and how much it will cost.
We will also let you know when is the soonest day and time that we can come to repair your switch.
Common dimmer switch problems we can repair
There are many reasons why might need to replace or repair your dimmer switch, but the following are the three most common that we see all the time. I have included a description of the problem, what might have caused it, and how to solve the problem so that you can have a working water heater again.
Light does not turn on when the dimmer is on
Problem: Your light usually turns on and dims but it suddenly stopped turning on when your dimmer switch is on.
Diagnosis: This could either be caused by a faulty dimmer switch or faulty lights. I find that in most cases the lights are faulty instead of the dimmer switch.
Solution: Contact Repairs.sg and send us a video of your dimmer switch and light, and tell us a bit more about what happened. Based on the information we will try to determine if you need a dimmer switch replacement or our light repair service.
Light is flickering / strobing when the dimmer is on
Problem: Your light is flickering non-stop when your dimmer switch is on or not in the fully on position.
Diagnosis 1: If you recently changed your lights, the strobing might be caused by the light being incompatible with your dimmer switch. Not all lights are dimmable even with a dimmer switch.
Solution 1: Replace the light that you just replaced with one that is compatible with your dimmer. If you need assistance, contact Repairs.sg and tell us more about what is happening. We will let you know how we can help you and how much it will cost.
Diagnosis 2: If you did not change your lights, it is likely that the power regulator, such as an LED driver, for your light has become faulty and is not sending the right amount of current to the light.
Solution 2: Contact Repairs.sg with a video of your flickering lights and tell us more about what happened. We will most likely let you know the cost of replacing the light and the dimmer, and propose that we come down to confirm which is faulty then replace it with a new one.
Buzzing noise
Problem: There is a loud buzzing noise at your dimmer switch when it is turned on.
Diagnosis: It is normal for there to be a low buzzing noise from a dimmer switch when it is in use. This is because the dimmer is turning the electricity on and off many times every second in order to dim your lights. The noise might become louder when a dimmer is old or is about to fail.
Solution: If the noise is loud and noticeable, contact Repairs.sg for our dimmer switch replacement service and include an image of your dimmer switch. We will come down to replace your old or failing dimmer switch with a new piece.
Light blowing out fast
Problem: Every bulb connected to your dimmer switch blows out faster than normal.
Diagnosis: The bulb you purchased might not be fully compatible with your dimmer.
Solution: Purchase an LED bulb that is dimmable and make sure to use a compatible dimmer switch. If you want Repairs.sg to help you with this, contact us with an image of your light and switch and tell us a bit more about what happened, then we can proceed from there.
What is a lighting dimmer switch
A dimmer switch is a switch that you can use to adjust the brightness of a light fixture. It works by regulating the amount of voltage supplied to the lighting load, and can be adjusted to produce varying levels of brightness.
There are two main types of dimmer switches, leading and trailing edge switches. They work by cutting off a portion of the alternating current (AC) when it is alternating.
What is a leading edge dimmer switch
A leading edge dimmer is also known as a forward phase dimmer. It has the word "leading" and "forward" in its name because it cuts off the current from the incoming power supply to the light at the beginning of each alternating current cycle.
Leading edge dimmers are cheaper than trailing edge dimmers, and they are compatible with most incandescent and halogen lighting. These dimmers are not optimal for LED lighting, but can be used for LED lights as long as the LED driver was designed to be compatible with a dimmer, and the total wattage of the LED lights is above the minimum of the dimmer.
What is a trailing edge dimmer switch
A trailing edge dimmer is also known as a reverse phase dimmer. It has the word "trailing" and "reverse" in its name because it cuts off the current from the incoming power supply to the light at the end of each alternating current cycle.
Trailing edge dimmers are more expensive than leading edge dimmers, but its price from our suppliers have gone down a lot from what they were a few years ago. They are compatible with nearly all lights, as long as the light is designed to be dimmable.
They have several advantages over leading edge dimmers when it comes to LED lighting. These dimmers work particularly well with LED lights because they have a low minimum load, meaning they are capable of dimming low-powered lighting circuits.
They also have wide compatibility, meaning they can work with all types of lighting, and they self-adjust when switched on. Additionally, the dimming capabilities of trailing edge dimmers are superior, with the capability to dim your LED light until it is completely off.
Which one do you need
Which dimmer you need depends on what the dimmer is used for. In most cases what we do is replace your broken dimmer with the same type of dimmer, unless we see that the dimmer used was not suitable for your lighting set up.
There is a lot more to the two types of dimmer switches, so we wrote an article about leading edge vs trailing edge dimmer switches.
Conclusion
We can help you with almost any problem you might have with your dimmer switch. Our pricing starts at $65 before transport for our dimmer switch repair service. Feel free to send us a message for advice or guidance if you are not sure what you should do next.
You can send a message to our team at any time through WhatsApp if you have any questions about our products or services. Our operating schedule is Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, but we try to answer messages outside our working hours when we have the time. Talk to you soon!
