3 Ways To Fix Dimmer Switch Will Not Turn Off Completely

Dimmer switches can add a nice atmosphere to your smart home, making your whole set up a much more relaxing and comfortable space to live in. Having the option to control everything via remote control is also a huge plus. When they are working as they should be, they epitomise luxury. 

However, like with pretty much any tech out there, problems are known to crop up every now and then. Unfortunately, that just seems to be the nature of tech. The best you can do is learn what to do when these sorts of things malfunction so that you are prepared for the next time. 

What to do if your Dimmer Switch Will Not Turn Off Completely

Recently, we have noticed that a lot of you have taken to the boards and forums to vent your frustrations about a shared problem – the fact that your dimmer switches won’t turn off all the way. Even if you have it switched off, it is still emitting a dim glow. Aside from the wasted electricity involved, this can be quite annoying if you are trying to sleep. 

So, seeing as there are a few good fixes for this problem out there, we thought we would compile them all into this one guide to help you out. None of these fixes are all that complex, so you should be able to do them even if you have no technical experience.

We won’t be asking you to do anything that can damage your equipment, such as taking anything apart. With that having been said, let’s get stuck into our first fix. 

1. The glow may be caused by ghost current

When one or more of the bulbs in the circuit won’t quite switch off, the go-to explanation is normally a ghost current.

Sounds spooky, but it really isn’t. Basically, this is just a term that describes the effect created when there is an excess of energy that is just leaking into the bulb/s. When that happens, they will continue to emit a faint to moderate light. 

The leading cause of this phenomenon is when the circuitry is too dated and tired to effectively regulate the current flowing through it. Unfortunately, it is a problem that is pretty hard to get rid of. The way to go about it is to either install an LED dimmer or upgrade your existing circuitry. This will require a professional. 

2. Try using a dimmer that was designed for LED lights

The issue with most dimmers is that they might be putting out a pulse of power. The brighter the settings, the more apparent that becomes. The way around this is to use an incandescent bulb. If you use an incandescent bulb, this will then act as a minimum load, causing the LED to act in a way that is much more normal and predictable. 

The catch to doing this is quite severe though. It will only work in the short-term and you also need to make very sure that you’re installing the right dimmer for the LED.

3. Try Replacing the bulbs entirely

If none of the above fixes has grabbed you, here is one that might do the trick. Replacing the offending bulbs could vastly improve your situation. This is especially the case if the ones you are using are dated or old-fashioned. 

It may just be time for an update. We would then suggest that you go with some LEDs as they are more efficient and reliable. The initial cost is a little bit more, but in the long-term, it makes sense.