Why does my light still blinks after I switch it off?

pop

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This is a newly installed light and I just realise that when I switch it off, it is not completely off. There is still a very faint blinking going on. It is so faint that I will only notice it if I look hard at it, and impossible to see in daylight. The blink occurs in intervals of a few seconds.

The light is a globe shape compact fluorescent using an E27 holder. It has a 2-way switch. It functions normally otherwise. Just very concerned that the blinking may suggest something of a current leakage. What can I do to trouble-shoot?

Appreciate your guidance, thanks. :)
 
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change the lamp to an ordinairy CLEAR lamp and then see what happens.

put the existing lamp elsewhere and see what it does. it my be a faultly lamp, but we will not know untill you try the above.

__________________________________________________________

there is always the possibility that your lamp has a part time job as a belicia beacon :LOL:

pedcrossing.jpg
 
I don't know the reason yet, but I had something similar with a 28W D style flourescent work light. Only I had it unplugged and I was walking along in the dark (very dark). The light was flickering, and it flickered more if I moved my hand across the cover.

The energy needed to cause this is very small, and we also have it with a 18" flourescent strip light.
 
Thks breezer, I'll have to buy another bulb to test it out. In my house, I only have one such bulb as the rest of the house uses different kinds of lights. Hence, I can't test this bulb at another point too.

What I can determine so far is that if I switch off the electricity supply at the circuit breaker, the blinking stops. In other words, I suspect the switch for this light is unable to completely cut of the electricity supply even when it is switched off.

oilman, are you saying that in your case, even when the bulb is unplugged, ie, no longer connected to the wires, it still glows, by the mere presence of your hand? This sounds like you generate sufficient static electricity (?) to cause the bulb to light up faintly. Interesting.
 
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I have exactly the same "fault?" with my energy saver bulb on the landing. Like you a two way switch, and it blinks at regular intervals when turned off. I have fitted an ordinary bulb to it, and the blinking stopped, so it must be some sort of external interference or static type charge..
Mine is within 2 feet of a smoke alarm. I thought it was probably that causing an eletric field..... Must admit, that i haven't really bothered about it, so i hope it's nothing serious.
Flashbang.
 
pop wrote:
oilman, are you saying that in your case, even when the bulb is unplugged, ie, no longer connected to the wires, it still glows, by the mere presence of your hand?

Yes. I had the light on, outside for about 3/4 hour. I disconnected it, wrapped the lead up, picked it up with my tools , carried it to the van, put it on the ground, put the tools away, picked up the light to put it away and noticed it flickered as I handled it. I tried moving my hand around ad found I could cause the flickering, so I carried it about 50 yards to show someone else, but the light there was too bright, so I carried it back again and I could still cause the flickering.

Hey! what do you mean, "...mere..." :eek:
 
oilman said:
Hey! what do you mean, "...mere..." :eek:

yeah, I mean it seems your hand generates some mild electricity. you should be "electricityman" and not "oilman" :p

Anyway, guys, I bought another bulb today and tried it. No more blinking. I supposed even when switched off, the light holder still carries a small current and the first bulb was just more sensitive to this small current.

some stats: first bulb is 18W cool white, 2nd bulb is 21W warm white, both energy saving type.
 
Well I turned off the mcb to wire up another socket and when I was working on it the rcd tripped. I guessed it was probably a small amount of current from my body going through the neutral wire that caused it to trip.

There is perhaps enough current through our bodies to cause the flickering on the lamps.
 
sorry to say, but i will bet it was a neutral to earth short that caused your rcd to trip
 

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