Energy-saving light bulb stays on after being turned off
When using energy-saving lamps, it often happens that the device continues to burn after being disconnected from the mains. There are several reasons, most are eliminated on their own.
What could be the reason
Common causes of a switched off light bulb burning are the use of backlit switches, network problems, and malfunctions of the devices themselves. We will consider each reason separately together with the solution methods.
Illuminated switches
Using switches with built-in lighting is convenient, but sometimes leads to the glow of the device in the off state. The glow can be uniform or pulsating. And if the first is simply atypical for the circuit, then the second negatively affects the device and reduces its resource.
The switch, in addition to the main elements, may have a small neon light bulb and a voltage limiting resistor. Sometimes the restriction is not complete.
The circuit also has a capacitor that accumulates voltage and releases it at the right time.The power is negligible, but even it is enough to start a weak glow or flicker.
When buying a device, it is worth studying its characteristics and checking for backlighting. If the option is not fundamental, it is better to abandon the product in favor of a simple design.
To solve the problem, you will need to disassemble the switch and disconnect the resistor and the neon backlight from the circuit. You can try to install parallel lamp resistance within 50 kOhm, which will take excess voltage. In luminaires with several cartridges, it is enough to screw a traditional incandescent lamp. It will act as a discharging resistor.
Network connection error
If errors were made when connecting the luminaire to the network, it is likely to glow when the power is off. The reason is that the phase wire is connected directly to the luminaire, while the neutral wire goes to the switch. Even opening the circuit does not stop the voltage supply to the device contacts.
How the chandelier behaves when the switch is erroneously mounted and the phase and zero are mixed up.
The way out is to check the circuit for errors and eliminate inconsistencies. Check the circuit for bare wires. Often, the increased load on the elements overheats and melts the insulation. An extra contact appears, leading to a short circuit or other violations.
Manufacturing defects
Factory defects are often the main factor leading to glowing or flickering when the power is off. Careful selection of a light bulb will help to avoid the situation.
Follow these guidelines:
- Choose a device based on power parameters, taking into account the regulatory tables of a particular manufacturer.
- Do not buy cheap devices made in China. They are unreliable and do not guarantee that the circuit will meet the required requirements.
- The optimal warranty period for lamps should be at least 6 months. All devices with a lower warranty can be dismissed as low quality.
Why is the lamp flashing
If the lamp is in order, and there is no doubt about the quality of the bulbs used, it makes sense to make sure that the electrical wiring is in good condition. The switch must open the phase wire, since opening zero often leads to blinking of the lamp.
It is required to reconnect the device by putting zero on it, and the phase on the switch. Sometimes it is enough to simply swap the contacts, but often it becomes necessary to lay the cable again.
If the lamp is located at a great distance from the switch, flickering can be provoked by inducing EMF on the supply wires. The pickup comes from nearby cables, electrical appliances or gadgets. Sources of radio waves, magnetic fields and wireless networks have a particularly strong effect on the circuit.
How to avoid the problem
To avoid problems with flickering or glowing off lamps, some tips will help:
- Purchase light fixtures from reputable manufacturers who can provide a warranty.
- All work on the installation of electrical appliances and networks must be carried out by the master.
- Do not connect switches with built-in lighting to energy-saving lamps.
How to extend lamp life
The flashing of the energy-saving lamp in the off state negatively affects the life of the device. If you do not take action, the device will quickly fail. Moreover, a new lamp in a similar scheme will also not last long.
For devices with factory defects, there are no options for extending the service life. The malfunction is difficult to determine in the early stages, and in the later stages it is already pointless to do anything. Therefore, it is recommended to immediately select high-quality lighting sources.
Illuminated switch faults or improperly assembled circuit faults are easy to troubleshoot with a basic knowledge of electrical engineering.
How to choose a new light bulb
High-quality lamps cannot be cheap, so you should not pay attention to the attractive offers of Chinese brands.
When choosing a new lamp, it is important to consider its characteristics and compliance with operating conditions. These are indicators of power, luminous flux, glow temperature, color rendering index and scattering angle.
The radiator of the product, which is responsible for removing heat from the structure, is also important. The dimensions of the radiator must correspond to the power of a particular device. The best radiators made of graphite, ceramic or aluminum. It is better not to buy lamps with type-setting temperature taps.
The base and the lamp housing must be tightly connected to each other without cracks or notches. The level of emitted light ripple deserves special consideration. However, it is rarely possible to check the indicator in the store, therefore you need to look for the minimum indicator on the package.
