"humming" LED lights

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lielec11

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
Occupation
Electrical Engineer (PE)
I recently replace some high hats in my house with the retro-fit LED style lights. Ya know the ones where you remove the bulb and install the retrofits directly into the cans. Anyway... I put them on a dimmer suited for LED lamps however whenever they're on they hum extremely loud. Originally they were very bright, even at the lowest dimmer settings, so I made an adjustment on the dimmer and now the lights glow better but still hum like crazy.

Is this a "cheap lights" issue, or is something else going on?
 
I've installed lots of these types of LED retrofits, even buying new cans with the purpose of retrofitting an LED into it. Some of them are on dimmers with no issues.

There is a lot of helpful info you aren't providing.

What is the make and model of the retrofit LEDs?
What is the make and model of the dimmer?

How many are on the switch leg or circuit?
 
The lights are TCP 14W LEDs (R1440.413). I got them through Duke Energy fairly cheap (probably the issue). The dimmer is a Lutron Diva (https://www.lowes.com/pd/Lutron-Diva-600-Watt-Single-Pole-White-Dimmer/3247762) and there are 9 lights on the circuit. There are also 4 standard single pole switches connected to the circuit in addition to the dimmer. They cover our 2nd floor hallway/foyer and the builder put switches everywhere.
 
Generically labeled dimmers that are rated for LED's are just that. They are generally functional for generally available LED's.

If you want the dimmer to work properly with the LED, go to the LED manufacturer and verify which dimmer is specifically rated for their product (down to the model number if possible).

Then go to the dimmer manufacturer and verify if the LED is specifically rated for the product.

IF - both manufacturers agree that each product is rated for the other you should have no problems.

In any other scenario, you are generally going to be dissatisfied with the installation.
 
You have not said that the LEDs are labelled dimmable.

that is becoming less and less of a thing, but it's still a thing.
i've seen track lights, that last year would not dim at all, now dim flawlessly to 0%. fade to black.
price stayed the same, as well.

it's usually a forward phase, reverse phase disagreement.

this will do both.

http://www.lutron.com/TechnicalDocumentLibrary/3691112_ENG.pdf

check out the cutsheet, and look up your fixtures.

IMG_1549.jpg
 
The link you posted to the Lutron dimmer shows a standard DV-600PH. The Lutron DVCL-153PH is a combo dimmer rated LED.
Also I don't think Lutron dimmer are compatible with the TCP retro kits.
Lutron.com has an awesome dimmer comparable web page for up to date comprobabilities.
 
The link you posted to the Lutron dimmer shows a standard DV-600PH. The Lutron DVCL-153PH is a combo dimmer rated LED.
Also I don't think Lutron dimmer are compatible with the TCP retro kits.
Lutron.com has an awesome dimmer comparable web page for up to date comprobabilities.

If it's combo rated LED what does that mean? Not sure how that equates to "not working" with LEDs. I get the second part, and I will check the website to see, thanks for the resource!
 
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