Energy saving bulb burns after it is turned off
When using energy-saving bulbs, it often happens that the device continues to burn after disconnection from the mains. There are several reasons, most of them can be eliminated on their own.
What can be the reason
Common causes of a light bulb burning off are the use of backlit switches, malfunctions in the network, and malfunctions of the devices themselves. Let's look at each cause separately, along with methods for solving it.
Backlit switches
Using switches with built-in backlighting 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 just atypical for the circuit, the second negatively affects the device and reduces its life.
The switch, in addition to the main elements, can have a small neon bulb and a voltage limiting resistor. Sometimes the limitation is incomplete.
The circuit also has a capacitor that stores the voltage and gives it away at the right moment. The power is insignificant, but even it is enough to start a weak glow or flicker.
When buying a device, you should study its characteristics and check the presence of backlighting. If the option is not crucial, it is better to discard 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 light bulb from the circuit. You can try to install in parallel lamp a resistor in the range of 50 kohms, which will take away the extra voltage. In light fixtures with multiple sockets, it is sufficient to screw a traditional incandescent bulb. It will act as a discharge resistor.
Wiring error
If mistakes were made when connecting the lamp to the mains, it is likely to glow when the power is off. The reason is that the phase wire is connected directly to the light fixture, while the neutral wire goes to the switch. Even opening the circuit does not stop the voltage from being supplied to the contacts of the appliance.
How does the chandelier behave when the switch is installed incorrectly and phase and zero are mixed up.
The way out is to check the circuit for errors and correct the discrepancies. Check the circuit for bare wires. Often an increased load on the elements will overheat and melt the insulation. Excessive contact resulting in short circuits or other irregularities.
Factory Failure
Factory defects are often the main factor leading to glow or flicker when the power is off. Careful selection of the bulb will help avoid the situation.
Adhere to the following recommendations:
- Select the device based on the power parameters, taking into account the regulatory tables of a particular manufacturer.
- Do not purchase cheap Chinese-made devices. They are unreliable and do not guarantee that the circuit will meet the necessary requirements.
- The optimum warranty period for lamps should be at least 6 months. All devices with a lesser warranty can be discarded as low-quality.
Why is your bulb blinking?
If the lamp is fine, 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 order. The switch should open the phase conductor, as a zero fault often results in a blinking light bulb.
You need to reconnect the device, letting the zero conductor go to it and the phase conductor to the switch. Sometimes you just need to swap pins, but it is often necessary to rewire the cable.
If the lamp is far away from the switch, the flicker can be caused by inducing an EMF on the supply wires. Flooding occurs from nearby cables, electrical appliances, or gadgets. Radio waves, magnetic fields, and wireless networks have a particularly strong effect on the circuitry.
How to avoid the problem
Avoid problems with the flicker or glow of an off lamp with some tips:
- Purchase lighting fixtures from reputable manufacturers who can provide a warranty.
- All work on the installation of electrical appliances and networks must be done by a master.
- You should not connect to energy-saving lamps switches with built-in backlighting.
How to extend bulb life
The blinking of the energy-saving lamp when it is switched off has a negative effect on the life of the device. If you do not take action, the device will quickly fail. And a new bulb in such a scheme will also not last long.
For devices with a factory defect, there are no options for extending service life. Failure is difficult to identify in the early stages, and at a later stage it is pointless to do anything. Therefore, it is recommended to choose high-quality light sources right away.
Faults with a lighted switch or improperly assembled circuit are easy to fix with a basic knowledge of electrical engineering.
How to choose a new light bulb
Good quality bulbs can not cost cheap, so pay attention to the attractive offers of Chinese brands is not worth it.
Choosing a new lamp, it is important to consider its characteristics and compliance with operating conditions. These indicators of power, luminous flux, light temperature, color rendering index and the angle of dispersion.
Also important is the product's heat sink, which is responsible for heat dissipation from the structure. The size of the radiator must match the power of a particular device. The best radiators are graphite, ceramic or aluminum. It is best not to buy bulbs with set temperature bends.
The lamp base and housing must be joined together hermetically and without gaps or nicks. Special consideration should be given to the level of pulsation of the light emitted. However, it is rarely possible to check the figure in the store, so You should look for a minimum figure on the packaging.
