Does this really work?

[MistyB]

I read somewhere if you can make your non-dimmable LED's dimmable by either replacing the first bulb on the string with a dimmable led or plug a small string of incandescence lights before your led's. Any thoughts on if this really works?

Misty in Montana

[Max-Paul]

No, will not work. Reason is that usually the non-dimmable strings have a capacitor in the circuit some where. The dimmable strings only use diodes. But you can always try and prove me wrong. People do that from time to time.

[J.J.]

I plug incadescent lights into the end of my non-dimming LED's and they dim just fine after that. I have never replaced and LED with a one that dims so I don't know if that will work.

[-klb-]

This is decidedly a YMMV situation.

I promise that taking a string of non dimmable retrofit c7 bulbs, and putting an incandescent with them will not make them dim properly.

The strings from one vendor a while back that used a voltage doubler, and had assorted issues, also will not dim properly with an incandescent bulb with them.

But, cheap half wave strings, that may have a lot of capacitance, relative to their near zero voltage resistance, may be helped by having incandescent load on the same channel.

In the first case, trying to dim them will kill them.

In the second case, trying to dim them, may light them on fire.

In the third case, all is well.

Which ones your particular strings most closely resemble is anybody's guess.

[MistyB]

Thanks for your input...I think I am just going to rework my sequences instead of risking it..