Flashing lights

[yellowvanman]

Customer complaining of flashing lights - lights have been working for years but now something strange is happening.

Lights are low energy lamps and LED deck lights. Lights flash periodically.

Have initially investigated and have detected 12V on the circuit (disconnected from the supply). I suspect this 12V is 'charging' up the low energy lamps which then flash and discharge, to be charged up and flash again!

Have experienced this before on 2 way landing lights where a normal tungsten lamp has been swapped for a low energy light. Something to do with induced voltages?

Can't understand why its just started on this circuit I've been looking at as nothing has changed for years!

Temporarily removed lamps and disconnected transformer to the LED deck lights.

Any ideas?

 

[johnboy6083]

inductance from otrher circuits? i quite often find i get strange volatges on circuits run in conduit or trunking with other circuits.

 

[a1guvner]

I reckon back to basics and find that fault where the 12v is coming from, are both the LE lamps and the deck lights external and controlled from one switch location

 

[yellowvanman]

I reckon back to basics and find that fault where the 12v is coming from, are both the LE lamps and the deck lights external and controlled from one switch location

Yes - coming from one of those fancy central controllers, where all the switches are connected via network cable!

 

[a1guvner]

Yes - coming from one of those fancy central controllers, where all the switches are connected via network cable!

Something like Lutron, is it a large controller, single/three phase?

 

[yellowvanman]

Something like Lutron, is it a large controller, single/three phase?

Ys., like Lutron but not excacty! single phase!

 

[goldie]

I had the same problem on a two way lighting cct, Where it only affected incandescent lamps with a shimmering glow like effect, Tungsten filament was fine. I believe this is capacitance within the conductors due to parallel cable paths. A resistor terminated at each lamp would cure it, not sure of the value needed as i swapped the lamp for a tungsten filament, but in your case you cant with the led decking lights, Hope this puts you on the right track anyway.

 

[goldie]

Dont think this is for your problem but ive cured this before by rectifying cross polarity where the switched line and neurals have been crossed so the light hasnt been turned off but is now being switched from a series circuit to a parallel circuit. This is why i always use twin brown for my switch wires instead of t and e.

 

[micknew]

Had the same problem with fluorescent bulkhead fittings controlled by electronic time lag switches.
Contacted the switch manufacturer who supplied power factor correction capacitor.
Capacitor had to be fitted to the last light on the circuit.
Problem solved.

 

[kathwilcox]

sometimes just putting new switches on can solve this problem!

 

[DurhamSparky]

if it don't work hit ht with hammer...!!

 

[Specialist]

if it don't work hit ht with hammer...!!

Just make sure it's a Big 1 & does the job properly.

 

[telectrix]

the only flashing lights i worry about is the blue ones in the rear view mirror