Dimmer switch with Fluorescent Lights

[tokun1]

Hello, can anyone suggest a dimmer switch that will work with a fluorescent lighting kit? My traditional dimmer makes the lights flicker. Thanks very much!

 

[Richard Crowley]

Your only practical option is to use fluorescent lights with ballasts that are designed for dimming. Else you will get exactly what you are complaining about.

 

[David G. Smith]

Absolutely. Most dim-able fluorescents have self contained dimmers and special ballasts, designed for dimming. You can look for those, but if you need to control the light output of fluorescent light you may want to try ND gel, scrims or the ol' inverse square law.... that is, moving the light farther away decrease the intensity of the light. (Ok, before I get the pedantic flames... the inverse square law is only a mathematical standard for point source lights, which a fluorescent is not..... but give me a break!)