Flashing Light

radsik · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 4:45 pm

I have a strange problem that I hope someone can help me with.

The light on my landing flashes on and off when the switch is in the off position, I think if I change the positions of the light switch downstairs it stops but as it is totally random I have not been able to actualy confirm this, the switch downstairs controls both the lounge light and landing which are on seperate rings. In addition to this the smoke alarm started randomly going off in short bursts last night, this takes it 's power from the landing light so i am thinking it is connected to the flashing bulb.

My take is that the switch downstairs is faulty, letting current pass through from the downstairs to the upstairs ring giving the bulb (compact flourescent) a short 'pulse' of power. As it is a 15 quid switch I don't really want to replace unless I am sure it is at fault

Thanks for any help.
Tim

breezer · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:03 pm

life is like that, CFL's will do as you have when on a 2 way cct.

easiest solution is to change the lamp to a non cfl

radsik · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:15 pm

ok, thanks, is it likely to be related to the smoke? If that is a seperate issue then I will replace it.

daytona · Joined: 02 Nov 2007 Posts: 697 Location: United Kingdom

it sounds like capacative coupling,its not dangerous and you dont have any faults.dont worry about it.
please dont replace it with a normal lamp,were trying to get away from pointless wastes of energy

securespark · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:43 pm

£15 switch?

It's not a dimmer is it?

radsik · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 6:29 pm

Thanks for the replies. It's not a dimmer, just a 2g toggle type switch.

If it's not dangerous thats great but my main concern now is the smoke alarm going off randomly. It has happened a few times now, including at 3am last night which scared the **** out of me and the wife, my daughter slept through it somehow even though it's outside her room

breezer · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 6:57 pm

cfl lamps flashing can be anoying, do change it its only 1 lamp.

securespark · Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2008 9:43 pm

Kids and teenagers can sleep right through these things - research & experiments has been done in the States to prove that they sleep through ordinary alarms.

What wakes them is an alarm with a recorded message, ie parent's voice saying "WAKE UP (NAME), THERE IS A FIRE, etc"

http://bluegenie.eu/smokealarm.asp

Lectrician · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 8:19 am

Press and hold the test button for ten secs on the smoke. If that doesn't work, most likely the battery.

mdbalson · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:50 pm

breezer wrote:

life is like that, CFL's will do as you have when on a 2 way cct.

easiest solution is to change the lamp to a non cfl

Do CFL's do that then when on 2w SW

As at home both of my landing lights are on 2w SW's, but they do not flash.

radsik · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:18 pm

Lectrician wrote:

Press and hold the test button for ten secs on the smoke. If that doesn't work, most likely the battery.

Done that a few times and it always works on a test, it is a mains one and it's connected to the flashing light so was not sure if that is related to it going off.

mattylad · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:27 pm

I have this, but on the whole lighting circuit.
(all cfl's flash).

But it seems that although there is an earth in the fittings, roses etc, there is no actual aearth in the feed wire from the CU, so its floating!
(yet another job for me to fix).

Oh the fun of old houses.....

Spark123 · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:39 pm

mdbalson wrote:

breezer wrote:

life is like that, CFL's will do as you have when on a 2 way cct.

easiest solution is to change the lamp to a non cfl

Do CFL's do that then when on 2w SW

As at home both of my landing lights are on 2w SW's, but they do not flash.

Depends on a few factors i.e. how the 2 way lighing is wired and length of the switch wire cables.
If anyone wants to try an experiment to see if this overcomes it: http://www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=726034#726034

Spark123 · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:41 pm

mattylad wrote:

I have this, but on the whole lighting circuit.
(all cfl's flash).

But it seems that although there is an earth in the fittings, roses etc, there is no actual aearth in the feed wire from the CU, so its floating!
(yet another job for me to fix).

Oh the fun of old houses.....

Yeah, needs fixing asap if you have any metal fittings, light switches, back boxes etc.

mattylad · Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:45 pm

OH yes it does.
They have 130v ish from N to E