Gu10 flickering issue after power cut

[ericmark]

I know with wife's bedroom we had a problem, if one quartz bulb used, the LED flicker stopped in other four bulbs, these were G9 not GU10 bulbs, and it seems the electronic light switch did have some bearing on what was going on.

In the end, my wife got some illegal bulbs, as no lumen or wattage marked on the bulbs, which were much larger, so the covers over the bulbs could no longer be used, but the flicker stopped. As you can see, new bulb far larger with GU10 the inside of the bulb varies a lot, with just a printed circuit plate, or a far more complex design, and when we buy the bulbs, we don't have a clue what is inside them. The capacitor is designed to smooth the supply, so the bulbs don't flicker, but there is no standard as to what size it should be, the G9 bulbs one failed, so I looked inside, and the capacitor was huge, actually found the fault, simple dry joint, wetted with a soldering iron and now back in service.

Most of my GU10 bulbs are now the smart type, and they seem to be better, also means when I pop in the kitchen to make coffee, the whole room does not need to be lit like a Christmas tree. But really just a whim, who wants a colour changing kitchen? However, less flicker noticed. But swapping makes of bulbs is an expensive exercise, and never sure it is going to work, if you can get an old quartz halogen bulb, try one and see if it makes a difference, that way you will know bulb fault or other fault.

 

[ebee]

The skill is knowing which two wires can be twisted together

That might be connected to the bit about doing it "SAFELY" too Bernard!

 

[ericmark]

Oh, I remember the book on electrics my dad bought me, showing how to join wires with the Western role, and the talk about solder creeping and the failure of soldered joints, as to the argument about twisting wires together and the problems with fatigue when untwisted for testing, that still goes on. My son pointed out a problem with testing, and when asked when he last did an EICR on his own house, silence was the stern reply.

I do have one clip on lamp which takes GU10 bulbs, that I find handy to program in a smart bulb before I fit them in a ceiling lamp. I think one problem is an LED is a diode, and it can so easy end up like a transmitter, and the bulbs affect each other. There seems to be no reason why using one old quartz bulb should stop the LED shimmer, but I know it does.

 

[GinGaz]

standard light switches.

 

[GinGaz]

How often do they flicker ? Is it normal ( no flickers ) for most of the time and ocassionally a short period of flickering ?

It might be that restoring power ( the 5 hour power cut ) required re-routing the local supply network. Your area may now be supplied from a line that also feeds industrial users,

Do your neighbour's lights have a similar problem ?

Can be fine for a day then they start to flicker again ...

 

[GinGaz]

How often do they flicker ? Is it normal ( no flickers ) for most of the time and ocassionally a short period of flickering ?

It might be that restoring power ( the 5 hour power cut ) required re-routing the local supply network. Your area may now be supplied from a line that also feeds industrial users,

Do your neighbour's lights have a similar problem ?

next door is an Airheads B n'B, nobody there at the moment

 

[GinGaz]

Dimmers or standard switches

Standard switches

 

[GinGaz]

If you plug a lamp into a 13A socket, does it also flicker when the lights do?

How many trip switches in your CU for lighting? Do lights on different circuits (eg upstairs/downstairs) all flicker?

Upstairs and downstairs on two different circuits, both flickering ... nothing has tripped.

 

[ericmark]

Can be fine for a day then they start to flicker again ...

I would consider maybe a voltage variation. UK voltage is 230 +10% - 6% so 216.2 to 253 volts, my own house the solar software shows me the voltage, 249.5 at the moment, and it does not vary that much, but last house, it was also a bit on the high side, then solar panels fitted to a load of homes, I will guess they complained the voltage too high, as suddenly we saw the voltage drop.

In my case, the kitchen fluorescent lamp failed, and I had to change it to LED, but it seems likely after a major power cut, the voltage could change, even if within the limits. I have seen many bulbs rated at 220 volts, and they should work OK at 230 volts, but if on the limit and 252 volts, I can see there could be a problem, and the same other way, if supply at 218 volts, still within limits, but could cause a problem.