25mm dia Deck LED Lights Problem

[derekreid123]

A few years ago I installed the small recessed deck kits within my timber decking, due to the amount of lights and with it being external I removed the combined plug/transformer and female connectors pre fitted on each LED cable, I put in my own transformer seperate and connected all deck lights to this.

I have to be honest and say that I hardly use the lights but they were working fine when in use, when I switch them on now they all come on but my decking is now like a disco, all the LED's flicker really fast and is very noticable. The odd time when i switch them (if not been on in a while) they will be fine for a minute then the flickering starts again and does not stop.

Does anyone have any ideas what this could be, is it likely to be the transformer has went faulty, it can't be the way they were wired as they used to work fine.

Any ideas?

 

[riveralt]

I have to be honest and say that I hardly use the lights but they were working fine when in use, when I switch them on now they all come on but my decking is now like a disco, all the LED's flicker really fast and is very noticable. The odd time when i switch them (if not been on in a while) they will be fine for a minute then the flickering starts again and does not stop.

Does anyone have any ideas what this could be, is it likely to be the transformer has went faulty, it can't be the way they were wired as they used to work fine.

Any ideas?

LED's normally have their own constant current driver which is either built into the lamp itself or is a separate unit like this:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p50789
Is your transformer specifically for LED's?
Is the circuit itself protected by an RCD?
Is the transformer rated for outside use i.e. IP56 or something similar?

 

[derekreid123]

I have to be honest and say that I hardly use the lights but they were working fine when in use, when I switch them on now they all come on but my decking is now like a disco, all the LED's flicker really fast and is very noticable. The odd time when i switch them (if not been on in a while) they will be fine for a minute then the flickering starts again and does not stop.

Does anyone have any ideas what this could be, is it likely to be the transformer has went faulty, it can't be the way they were wired as they used to work fine.

Any ideas?

LED's normally have their own constant current driver which is either built into the lamp itself or is a separate unit like this:
http://www.toolstation.com/shop/p50789
Is your transformer specifically for LED's?
Is the circuit itself protected by an RCD?
Is the transformer rated for outside use i.e. IP56 or something similar?

Transformer is Halolite 1-16w LED Constant Voltage Driver from Screwfix, within IP65 enclosure box

 

[riveralt]

Transformer is Halolite 1-16w LED Constant Voltage Driver from Screwfix, within IP65 enclosure box

RCD protection?

Sounds like it is driver that has gone (going) - that assumption is made of the basis that you have checked all your wiring for loose connections and that everything is watertight.

 

[bernardgreen]

At a rough guess :-

In layman's language.

The individual lamps have internal power controllers which are taking short pulses of power at 12 volts to obtain an average voltage of arround 3 volts to drive the LED. ( on for 25% off for 75% ) but the current during the ON is 4 times the average current. If all individual lamps take a pulse at the same time the instant current load on the supply (Halolite 1-16w) will be 4 times the expected amount. This might overload the supply and cause a voltage drop. The system becomes unstable and the drivers inside the individual drivers become starved of power.

Assuming the Halolite 1-16w LED Constant Voltage is a constant 12 volt output ( when used correctly ) you MIGHT be able to test this by running the LEDs from a 12 volt car battery instead of the transformer as a test. ENSURE YOU GET THE POLARITY CORRECT and ensure the lamps are suitable for running from a 12 volt DC source.

There are complex ways to solve this problem using batteries or capacitors to smooth out the voltage variations on the supply. A simple solution MIGHT be to use a higher powered supply.

 

[riveralt]

Bearnard - how does that explain that the lights worked for a couple of years?
When you say 'drivers within individual drivers' do you mean the drivers within the lamps (if they have any) and the separate LED driver.

Just trying to get my head around what you are saying - but please keep it in laymans language

 

[bernardgreen]

In each individual lamp there has to be something that controls the current through the LED device. Putting 12 volts directly onto the LED without current control will destroy the LED element. Often these are a switched mode current control.

The 12 volt "transformer" is also a switch mode power supply that produces a "constant" voltage on it's output.

how does that explain that the lights worked for a couple of years?

It is possible that over the years the overloading of the "transformer" by pulsed demands from the lights has been stressing it and some over-loaded components in its voltage regulation circuit have finally failed. It may still read as 12 volts average on a meter but could be a series of very rapid pulses the average of which is 12 volts.