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LED (Light Emitting Diode) lights have replaced traditional lights like incandescent and halogen bulbs over the years. Their energy efficiency, longevity, and low maintenance have made them a popular choice for homes, businesses, and the community.
However, despite their many benefits and superiority over other lighting solutions, they are not free of issues. Like all electrical devices and equipment, they can experience faults with regular use over time. Two of the most common issues are flickering and dimming. These issues are often attributed to poor installation, faulty wiring, and subpar LEDs.
The good thing about this is that these issues are fixable, and if treated at the right time, they can add to the lifespan of the LEDs. Read on for a detailed guide on LED lighting repairs, common LED issues, and how a repair electrician service can fix them:
LED lights are the top choice for modern lighting needs. They have become the most popular lighting solution in recent years in the residential, commercial, industrial, and public sectors.
LED stands for Light Emitting Diode and uses solid-state lighting technology, or SSL, to emit light when current passes through a solid piece of matter which, in the case of a traditional LED, is a semiconductor. This process of creating light is what sets LEDs apart from traditional lighting, which generally uses heat to produce light.
LED lighting has several benefits that make it a superior option compared to other lighting options such as halogen and incandescent bulbs:
LED lights are a great investment that is long-lasting, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly. They have taken over the modern lighting industry and can be seen everywhere, from homes to businesses, industries, appliances, and machinery. But when these lighting solutions start to go dim – both in performance and reliability – things can get a bit expensive.
These issues usually stem from improper installation, faulty components, and faulty wiring. Understanding these problems along with what causes them and how to fix them can save you a lot of money and get the most out of your LED lights.
Most of these issues can be resolved by simple adjustments, whereas some may require LED light repairs done by a repair electrician service. Two of the most common LED issues are:
Flickering LEDs are one of the most common issues that users face, causing the lights to appear unstable and flash/blink intermittently. This can be extremely distracting and uncomfortable, especially in places where consistent lighting is essential. Apart from being a nuisance, flickering LEDs can even pose health risks and aggravate issues such as migraines and epilepsy.
Some LED lights can be dimmable, which means that they come with a dimmer that allows you to adjust their brightness according to your mood and needs. Others have a set brightness level that cannot be changed. You may choose whatever suits your lighting requirements. The former is generally used for ambience lighting, while the latter is more suited for workspaces and other commercial uses. The issue arises when these lights go constantly dull and lose their brightness. This issue affects the LED’s light output which drags down its brightness levels and makes it look dull.
Flickering and dimming are common issues that affect LEDs, from occasional flickers to a noticeable drop in their quality and performance. It is important to determine the underlying cause of the issue to treat it accordingly. The diagnosis may not always be straightforward and could be attributed to one, or more, of the following:
Flickering LED lights are often simply caused due to ill-fitted or loosely fitted bulbs. Loose connections can cause the LED light to flicker and dim, and this is usually the first thing to check since the wiring connecting the bulb to the switch can loosen over time.
Check if the LED bulb is screwed in properly. Tighten it up if it is not. Check all the wires and connections to ensure that they are securely fitted. To ensure safety, seek help from a professional electrician trained to work with electricity and electrical components.
When buying dimmers for dimmable LEDs, their compatibility is a crucial factor that must not be overlooked. LED lights have special dimmers that are different from those used for traditional lights such as high-wattage incandescent bulbs. When used with the wrong dimmers that are not designed for them, LED lights may flicker when dimmed or lose their brightness over time.
Check to see if the dimmer you are using is the right match for your LED lights. The best way to go about this is to check the packaging or consult an electrician. Invest in high-quality dimmers from reputable brands designed specifically for dimmable LED lights.
Issues with the power supply and fluctuations in voltage can lead to several electrical problems and cause appliances and fixtures to malfunction. With LED lights, this issue may cause flickering, dimming, and in serious cases, damage to the inner components and complete failure.
Both very high voltage and voltage drops are bad for LEDs, which is why it is very important to check the power supply to your property and ensure that the incoming voltage is stable. If voltage is the culprit here, consult an electrician to check the power supply and stabilise the voltage coming into your property using stabilisers or voltage regulators and by integrating LED lighting surge protection into your system.
If you notice your LED lights flickering or dimming when you turn on high-voltage appliances such as air conditioners, heaters, and washing machines, the reason could be an overloaded circuit. This means that the current demand from the electrical system is much more than what the circuit can handle, hence the voltage fluctuations.
To counter this issue, high-voltage appliances should have their own circuits to prevent interruptions in the flow of electricity to other appliances such as LEDs. If needed, you may have to consult with an electrician to install additional circuits to accommodate your electrical needs.
Inadequate or insufficient power supply to your LED lights can cause flickering and dimming, especially when using multiple appliances on the same circuit. Since LED lights already use much less power due to their energy efficiency, further reducing the flow of current to the lights can lead to performance issues.
In the case of power supply issues, you may need to get your consumer unit checked by a professional to ensure that it can accommodate your property’s electrical needs. If not, upgrading the consumer unit to one that can accommodate higher power demands may solve your issue. Apart from fixing the flickering and dimming problems with your LEDs, this also prevents electrical hazards and is incredibly important from a safety perspective.
Not all LEDs are made equal. With the increase in demand for these energy-efficient lighting solutions, there are now a plethora of options in the market. While some of these options are high-quality and worthwhile investments, some simply fall short in terms of reliability and performance.
Subpar LEDs with faulty components may lead to issues such as flickering and dimming, both of which take away from the lifespan of the bulb. Make sure you purchase only high-quality LED lights from reliable manufacturers. If you are unsure about which one to choose, consulting a professional electrician may be the best way to go about it.
The average lifespan of an LED light is around 50,000 hours! Compared to traditional bulbs, this is an incredible feature that means greater reliability and fewer replacements. Not only is this much more convenient but also saves money in the long run.
With that said, even these long-lasting lighting options degrade and wear out over time with regular use. This process of the LED decreasing its luminescence over time is referred to as ‘LED degradation’ or ‘lumen degradation’. This is a slow process that happens over time and accelerates once the degradation hits the 70% mark. This may lead to flickering, dimming, and other issues.
If your LED lights are very old and have passed their expected lifespan, issues like flickering and dimming may become much more common. In such cases, instead of trying to repair the issue, which most likely would not yield the expected results, it is best to replace the LED light with a new one.
The electrical wiring on your property is the foundation of the electrical system. Its health determines the performance of all the electrical appliances and installations. Faulty wiring can not only cause the electrics to malfunction but is also a serious safety hazard that must be addressed at the earliest.
If all other possible causes of your LED flickering and dimming have been eliminated, the wiring on your property could be the culprit. A few changes and adjustments made by a professional might do the trick. In some cases, a rewire might be needed to fix the faulty wiring and treat the issues caused by it.
LEDs are incredibly long-lasting and reliable lighting solutions that can be used in a variety of applications. With proper use and maintenance, their performance can remain consistent for many years to come. If you want to make sure your LEDs stay bright and efficient, here are a few general maintenance tips to follow:
If you wish to learn more about LED lights and the best lighting solutions for your property, Calder Electrical Services is here to help! From LED installation to upgrades, repairs, and troubleshooting, we offer a complete package for your homes and businesses – ensuring that everything complies with the latest electrical safety standards and regulations.
We can offer fittings with 3 to 5+ year warranties that will not only reduce energy costs but also make your homes brighter. We can also provide a forecasted energy calculation so you can see what your energy bills and savings will look like.
Our specialists can survey your property and create a lighting design to not only reduce the number of light fittings but also make the area reach a lighting level suitable for use. We can also incorporate motion detectors so that lighting in areas that are low usage is only switched on when someone enters them.
We can give you an energy calculation to show your current lighting costs and the estimated costs by upgrading to LED lighting so that you can see how much you will save, normally aiming for a 40% saving.
Contact us here or call us on 0800 612 3001 to talk to our LED lighting experts right away for more information on LED lighting repairs, common issues, and how we fix them.
Photo by Steven Ungermann on Unsplash
