Flicker of Low Energey Lamps When Switched Off.

[rcd]

Two low energy installed on one landing, with two two-way top and bottom of stairs and one intermediate switches at far end of landing.

When the lights are switched off, the two Philips 20 watt low energy BC lamps give a split-second flicker regularly every fifteen seconds or so.

Take one lamp out and it still happens to the remaining one.

These were two new low-energy lamps.

Changed for two alternative older low energy lamps and flickers are is gone.

Changed all three light switches - no change to the flicker.

So where is the energy coming from for this rhythmic flicker?

 

[steptoe]

there are a few threads on this

here

and

here

there are more if you do a search,

quite a common problem with CFLs and with low energy lamps in general

 

[m4tty]

Induced voltage ??

 

[Doc Hudson]

Two low energy installed on one landing, with two two-way top and bottom of stairs and one intermediate switches at far end of landing.When the lights are switched off, the two Philips 20 watt low energy BC lamps give a split-second flicker regularly every fifteen seconds or so.

Take one lamp out and it still happens to the remaining one.

These were two new low-energy lamps.

Changed for two alternative older low energy lamps and flickers are is gone.

Changed all three light switches - no change to the flicker.

So where is the energy coming from for this rhythmic flicker?

Alternating electrical current always generates a magnetic field whilst passing along a conductor, another conductor passing through this magnetic field will have a voltage induced into it. This is a basic law of electrical science and part of the principals of how transformers or non-contact voltage indicators work. Most domestic properties have significant lengths of circuit cables running parallel to each other, often along runs between joists etc. Any electrical device that only requires a low energy to operate will be more susceptible to picking up these induced voltages. Two-way light circuits often use three core and earth cable, where one of the cores could be a permanent live conductor. The switches, if standard switches, not dimmers, will have little or no bearing on the problem. As Steptoe has pointed out we do have numerous threads on this and similar topics.

Doc H.

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 10:27 ---------- Previous post was made at 10:12 ----------

From this question and the content of some of your other threads, you would appear to have very little basic electrical knowledge, as such I have moved this to the DIY section.

Doc H.