Why do LED lights with a dimmer stay dim and won't go bright again?

Question

I have a chandelier with five lamps. I brought an LED compatible dimmer and changed out the switch for the dimmer. I brought five dimable LED bulbs. The bulbs and dimmer worked for a little while, but then the bulbs stayed dim when the dimmer was bright up to full brightness. It's like the bulb now remembers only the dimmed setting. If I take the bulb and put it in a circuit without a dimmer it still does not go bright? I have tried a selection of dimable LEDs from three different manufacturers and they all went dim and stayed dim. What is going on here? How can I get the lights to go bright again?

Answer 1

There is a fight going on between your dimmer and your lights, and the dimmer lost.

One of the (too many) bits of electronics in your dimmer died.

Dimming is not as easy as it seems it should be, well, dimming without huge size, weight and heat.

In dimming led's, you are turning them on and off, fast, really fast, hundreds (or more) times a second fast.

For each of the on/off cycle, there are parts having to do work in the dimmer. Everytime electronics turn on, they make heat. Heat is the fastest way to kill electronics.

Your dimmer likely died in its really dim setting, and simply is not going to change.

Dimmer is gone - wants to be replaced

Answer 2

Unfortunately, Some Guy is right in that your dimmer and LED lamps are squabbling over some electrons; apparently your lamps are the losers in this case, though.

The cure, though, is the same -- replace the dimmer with one that's designed for dimming LED replacement lamps (Lutron has a dedicated line for CFL and LED-retrofit loads, at least -- check around).