My house is six years old and has recessed can lights with LED's. One started flashing VERY rapidly for a few minutes then it went off for a while then back on. Tried a different lamp and it went off and on every now and then. I thought it might be the thermal protector so I cut it out and spliced the wires together with a wire nut. Same thing is happening. There's no ballast so what could go bad on a can light for it to act this way? Could something be loose and making contact every now and then? I'm stumped.
Fixture With LED is Blinking
- Thread starter Trey4U
- Start date
- Status
synchro
Senior Member
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Occupation
- EE
Yes, it sounds like it could be an intermittent connection. Have you tried using an incandescent bulb to see if it also blinks?
Haven't tried that but I will, thanks!
Incandescent bulb does not blink. The new LED I installed has a slide switch on the side so you can select the Kelvin you want. It blinks and the original blinks. I'll try one of the other LED's in the house and see what happens. I just can't believe the original LED and a brand new LED would do the same thing.
synchro
Senior Member
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Occupation
- EE
Are the lights on a mechanical switch, or on an electronic switch or dimmer?
Also, were the LED lights working OK for quite a while, and then they began blinking?
And was anything else changed on the lighting circuit before the blinking started?
Also, were the LED lights working OK for quite a while, and then they began blinking?
And was anything else changed on the lighting circuit before the blinking started?
James L
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician
I think the dimmer question is particularly relevant.
Additionally, is the offending light on a switch by itself, or is it in with other lights?
I recently wired a swim/spa room with 6 flat panel lights on a Lutron Caseta dimmer. Out of nowhere one light started blinking one evening. The other 5 stayed on as expected. The next morning that blinking light was ok, and hasn't blinked since (3 weeks later)
ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
We have an LED street light a couple miles away that looks like a strobe. Just plain broken.
but... I now see you have tried new. So much for that.
but... I now see you have tried new. So much for that.
Fred B
Senior Member
- Location
- Upstate, NY
- Occupation
- Electrician
I've had one installation once that when multiple LED were daisy chained last 2 of 8 would blink. Not sure of mechanism that cause it but when connected independently from the chain they worked appropriately. All on same switch and circuit. Put the last 2 back onto the chain and blinking resumed. At the time didn't think about why, just installed jbox at start of chain and split the chain and walked away with lights working. Did see one later that did say to not install more than X# in series, again don't know why or mechanism that would necessitate such instructions, as not everyone has such instructions.
There are four lights on a mechanical switch and the LED has been working fine for six years. I'll take a LED from another fixture and install it and see if it blinks. I'm really stumped.
synchro
Senior Member
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Occupation
- EE
It would be interesting to put an incandescent bulb in another fixture on the same circuit as the one that's blinking, and then see if it has any effect. Preferably in a fixture next to the one in the circuit chain that is blinking.
Normally I wouldn't think this would make any difference with the low supply impedance coming through a mechanical switch. But maybe there could be something happening with interactions between the switching frequencies of the circuitry in the different bulbs. An incandescent bulb might provide some damping if this is happening. If an incandescent helps then it's likely such an interaction is happening, instead of there being a problem at the particular fixture that is blinking.
Normally I wouldn't think this would make any difference with the low supply impedance coming through a mechanical switch. But maybe there could be something happening with interactions between the switching frequencies of the circuitry in the different bulbs. An incandescent bulb might provide some damping if this is happening. If an incandescent helps then it's likely such an interaction is happening, instead of there being a problem at the particular fixture that is blinking.
I really feel stupid. LOL I got the box with the LED in it to take back for credit. While sitting on my desk I notice on the box "Motion Activited Floodlight". Every time we walked into the kitchen it would come on. After we left there is a 30 second delay to go off. 
James L
Senior Member
- Location
- Kansas Cty, Mo, USA
- Occupation
- Electrician
That sounds like meI really feel stupid. LOL I got the box with the LED in it to take back for credit. While sitting on my desk I notice on the box "Motion Activited Floodlight". Every time we walked into the kitchen it would come on. After we left there is a 30 second delay to go off.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
I almost picked up some of those the other day, until I noticed on the box it said motion sensor. They were on sale, so they must have a hard time getting rid of them.
- Status