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I installed a dimmer switch in my washroom and it's making a buzzing noise. The more I increase resistance/rotate the dimmer clockwise, the louder it gets.

The humming seems to be coming from the common wire, not from the light fixture, live wire or from the mechanism within the dimmer itself.

The dimmer switch is advertised to hold up to 600w and I'm currently using 340w.

I tried to remove some of the lights and the noise persists.

The one thing I did notice is that the common wire isn't exposed or attached at the end, a section of the wire has been stripped at that's what the original switch was attached to.

How can I lessen or completely rid myself of this humming noise?

Edit: I've since replaced my Leviton rotary dimmer with a high end Lutron sliding dimmer and the problem still persists, at the same loud volume.

Leviton rotary dimmer packaging

Orun
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6 Answers6

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All dimmers buzz a little bit. They "chop up" the AC waveform, which creates mechanical vibration (buzzing) and electrical noise (EMI). Usually they are the most quiet when the lights are fully bright, and get louder as you dim the bulbs. Here is a good page that describes what is happening. A different dimmer may be quieter, although Leviton does make solid products.

I suspect, however, that you may be using the "new" CFL (compact-fluorescent) bulbs? They're the ones with the twisted white glass tube. The electronics in most of these bulbs interact poorly with the dimmers and can cause a lot of noise problems, both audible and electrical.

Now that it has become difficult to find incandescent bulbs (at least here in the USA), a lot of people are having to choose between paying substantially more money for "dimmable" CFL bulbs, or simply replacing their dimmers with simple on/off switches.

Good luck :)

bitsmack
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I just installed a Levitron 300w CFL dimmer in my newly renovated bedroom where I installed 4 recessed lights. The two CFL's dim great but the two LED 65w bulbs hum. I switched them around to make sure that it's not the switch but the bulbs that hum. After I switched out the 65w with a lower wattage the humming stopped. Make sure that all your bulb wattage that the dimmer is controlling is NOT higher than what the dimmer is capable of controlling. I hope this helps.

Loni
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If the dimmer itself is buzzing my suggestion is to replace the dimmer. I would only use a high quality dimmer like Lutron, Cooper, or a higher end Leviton. Also don't get a rotary dimmer.

Many cheap rotary dimmers are low quality with little filtering.

Speedy Petey
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I noticed that putting a powerful magnet near the cord of my dimmed lights can eliminate the hum. Maybe you could get some semi circular magnets, and place them around the cord?

Kiely
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I have seen cheap light bulbs that hum when dimmed. The problem is with the prongs that hold the filaments. With the cheaper bulbs there are not as many prongs to support the filament and keep from vibrating. Try a more expensive bulb.

ThreePhaseEel
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Donnie Do
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If you read on the package you took a picture of it states incandescent you will get a humming with cfls, or any fluorescent bulbs for that matter due to the igniter that excites the gas inside which produces the light. Incandescent bulbs use filaments which are small pieces of wire that are made to light up when "shorted". Hence the reason for the humming.

-Cjwntaw

Cjwntaw
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