Flickering LED lights happen in all properties at some stage. At best, they’re a mild annoyance; at worst, they’re symptomatic of a bigger issue within your electrical system. Next time you flick the switch and there’s a flicker going on, check that you don’t have a loose bulb. That gets the first minor check out the way.
If that doesn’t fix it, there could be a number of other explanations for your flickering LED lights. We’re going to take a look at what some of them are below. If the problem is persisting and causing you frustrations, it’s best to get a professional residential electrician in to troubleshoot it for you. The Voltora Industries team are always on hand to answer your questions and come out to your home or business if that’s what’s required.
1. Downlight & Dimmer Mismatch
If your LED lights are connected to a dimmer made for halogens or old-school bulbs, they often won’t work well together. That’s why they flicker or buzz. Upgrading to a dimmer that’s LED-compatible usually sorts it out.
2. Loose or Dirty Connections
Your light bulb might be nice and clean and but it could be sitting in a dusty socket with loose wiring. A bit of a gap or some grime can break the flow of electricity and cause the flickering. Securing the connections and giving a bit of a clean should get the lights back to being stable.
3. Old or Worn Wiring
This one’s serious because old or worn wiring is an electrical hazard. Whether its loose, damaged or showing its age, your wiring can cause problems with your lighting and even risk electrical fires. This is one of the main reasons it’s a good idea to get a professional lighting electrician to check out your flickering LED lights.
4. LED Driver Problems
LEDs don’t run directly off household voltage. They use a driver to convert the power. If the driver is low quality or starting to fail, your lights can stutter or dim. Upgrading to a decent driver usually fixes it. This is another reason not to buy bargain-bin fittings.
5. The Ripple Effect
The ripple effect happens as a result of ripple control, which is a means electricity suppliers use to manage peak time demands and reduce the amount of energy supplied to areas. This can create a ripple in the current that makes LEDs flicker. If you’ve got numerous devices drawing power at the same time, the ripple can become more pronounced.
6. Inrush Current and Heavy Appliances
Sometimes when you turn on a large appliance like the microwave or kettle you’ll notice your LED lights flickering. That’s because of a startup surge called the “inrush current,” which pulls a lot of power. Many appliances on the same circuit can make your LEDs flicker. Better to spread the load or get extra circuits installed.
7. Overloaded Circuits
Along the same lines – if your circuit is doing too much, especially with high-draw devices, the lights may dim or flicker when everything starts drawing power. It’s your electrical system telling you that it’s struggling a bit. An experienced Brisbane electrician can rebalance the load or suggest adding circuits.
8. Power Supply Issues
If several lights around the home are acting up, it might be the grid, not your wiring. A stray voltage dip or outage over your street transformer can ripple into your home. Your energy provider, or a good electrician, can help check that out.
9. Cheap Bulbs and Drivers
You get what you pay for. Off-brand LEDs or cheap drivers tend to have poor wiring and fleeting voltage regulation, and they flicker more often. Spending a little more on a reliable brand can make a real difference and give you smooth and steady lights.
10. Natural Wear and Tear
Even the best LED setups don’t last forever. With time, sockets, drivers, and bulbs wear down. If your home is an older one and hasn’t been upgraded or renovated since being built, this could be the problem. Maybe its time to rewire your home or do an upgrade of all the sockets and switches.
Quick Flickering LED Lights Checks
- Check for loose bulbs and tighten them.
- Swap in a better-quality (dimmable if needed) bulb.
- Check the switch or dimmer to see if it feels loose or old.
- Look for signs of electrical burn, loose wires or excessive dust.
It’s important that you don’t try and DIY your electrical work. Changing a light bulb is fine, but for anything more please give us a call and we can advise you or get someone who is qualified to do the job out to your property.
Why Go With a Local Brisbane Electrician Like Voltora?
Flickering LED lights aren’t the end of the world, but you do want to get to the bottom of them. If you want someone who’ll listen to your electrical problem, explain what’s happening in easy-to-understand terms, and fix it properly, then Voltora Industries is here to help.
- Personal care: We take the time to understand your home and the flicker cause. No cookie-cutter solutions.
- Flexible service: Not every home is the same. We’ll assess the problem and put forward a custom solution to solve it.
- Honest and clear: We talk in a language you understand and won’t upsell you to things you don’t need.
- Local electricians: We’re Brisbane-based electricians, so we know the buildings, the grid and the compliance laws here.
Get in touch with our team today. Let’s have a chat and make sure your home or business electrical system is safe and free of frustrating things like flickering LED bulbs.
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