L.E.D Lamps Staying on

[gary174]

Hi Everyone,
Wondered if anyone can help. I am a domestic installer and have recently changed some GU10 50watt lamps for some GU10 3.6watt L.E.D lamps. They seem to work perfectly except for the fact that they seem to continue glowing, very slightly once the power has been switched off. They have been fitted all day and are still on, i do realise that some L.E.D's can stay on for a little while after the switch has been turned off but these are staying on continually.
Can anyone spread some light on this for me.

Many thanks

Gary

 

[wildgoose]

Yes, I think this is a good solution - Simple, compliant, cheap and visually acceptable to customer.

 

[DaveyD]

Unless its only a switch wire at the switch plate - then not so simple.

 

[gary174]

Hi that sounds like a good idea but wouldn't i have to alter the wiring to the switch (ie the lighting circuit wiring) in ordder for that to work??

 

[Rauer]

Potentially yes

 

[wildgoose]

Yes you would have to take the neutral down to the switch plate, depending on the installation. However, this may be a quicker solution than some of the alternative strategies put forward!!!

It's also an easy one to temporarily try out to see if it is going to be successful.

 

[Diksan]

Looking for a simple solution:-
If both the live and the neutral to these LED lamps is isolated at switchoff using a double pole switch, then I would be very surprised if they still glow!! If they still do, then they are probably living off capacitance from inside their own power packs but this should only be for a short period.

Double pole grid switches are great and they look like the normal single pole light switches.

Hi, another (easier) solution is to put an X2-rated capacitor of 22nF/450V or so across the terminals of the lamp.
This will soak up the induced current in the switched-off wire which comes from the still-connected wire.
This was on a 3-phase (delta) installation. I've not seen the problem here at home, which is 3-phase + neutral.

Richard
Belgium

 

[littlespark]

Thats a new record.... almost 10 years since the original question was asked.

 

[Diksan]

Thats a new record.... almost 10 years since the original question was asked.

It's still current (no pun intended)! I met a friend when out shopping today, & he said he had this problem.
(He also confessed that when he cut the wire to the lamp, there was a big flash & the main circuit breaker tripped Obviously a single-pole switch).
Plan A was to put in a 2-pole switch, but Plan B - the capacitor - is less hassle.
Diksan