Why can’t my TRIAC or ELV dimmer dim all the way down to 1%?

Most standard TRIAC (forward-phase) and ELV (reverse-phase) dimmers cannot reliably reach 1% dimming with LED fixtures. In our testing, the typical minimum dimming range is 5–10%, depending on the dimmer, LED and driver combination.

This limitation occurs because TRIAC and ELV dimmers require a minimum conduction angle or current to operate properly, which restricts how low the delivered power can be reduced. At very low power levels, LED drivers may not operate consistently, which can lead to flickering, instability, or the fixture shutting off entirely.

Achieving ultra-low dimming, down to 1%, is generally possible with 0–10V dimming systems or specialized LED drivers designed for fade-to-black performance.

Nora is actively working to improve phase-dimming performance in several luminaires. Some product families, such as Pearl and Cobalt, are currently being upgraded to target <1% dimming capability with phase dimming.