2-way circuit issue

[snhunt]

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Hi there,

I’ve just moved into a new flat with a two-way circuit in the hallway. For some reason using two large LED bulbs (E27 4W dimmable) doesn’t seem to work on this circuit (not using a dimmer switch), but using two standard, non-dimmable LEDs seems to work fine.

Does anyone know why the larger bulbs don’t come on at all? Would fitting a dimmer switch for LEDs make any difference?

Thanks!

 

[SparkyChick]

Were LED lamps in there when you moved in or have you taken out filament bulbs and replace with LEDs?

 

[snhunt]

Were LED lamps in there when you moved in or have you taken out filament bulbs and replace with LEDs?

So only one fitting had a bulb in it and I think it was a standard incandescent filament (though possibly a low-energy fluorescent bulb...can't really remember).

 

[SparkyChick]

Could be with an E27 bulb, if the fittings have had filament lamps in for a long time, if they've been screwed in too tight and/or the end contact has gotten hot, it could have lost it's spring resulting in a poor or non-existent contact with the end of the bulb. The non-dimmable ones may have a long enough point to make contact, the non-dimmable ones not. In which case, new fittings time or if you're not planning on dimming stick with the non-dimmable ones, but personally I would still look at getting the fittings changed to avoid any possibility of arcing caused by poor contact because bad contact is a fairly big contributing factor in electrical fires.

Without being there and being able to test it's practically impossible to provide a definitive answer. I'd recommend having a look in the directory here and finding a local spark and getting it checked out.

 

[snhunt]

Could be with an E27 bulb, if the fittings have had filament lamps in for a long time, if they've been screwed in too tight and/or the end contact has gotten hot, it could have lost it's spring resulting in a poor or non-existent contact with the end of the bulb. The non-dimmable ones may have a long enough point to make contact, the non-dimmable ones not. In which case, new fittings time or if you're not planning on dimming stick with the non-dimmable ones, but personally I would still look at getting the fittings changed to avoid any possibility of arcing caused by poor contact because bad contact is a fairly big contributing factor in electrical fires.

Without being there and being able to test it's practically impossible to provide a definitive answer. I'd recommend having a look in the directory here and finding a local spark and getting it checked out.

Will do. That's really helpful – thanks for the advice!

 

[snhunt]

Could be with an E27 bulb, if the fittings have had filament lamps in for a long time, if they've been screwed in too tight and/or the end contact has gotten hot, it could have lost it's spring resulting in a poor or non-existent contact with the end of the bulb. The non-dimmable ones may have a long enough point to make contact, the non-dimmable ones not. In which case, new fittings time or if you're not planning on dimming stick with the non-dimmable ones, but personally I would still look at getting the fittings changed to avoid any possibility of arcing caused by poor contact because bad contact is a fairly big contributing factor in electrical fires.

Without being there and being able to test it's practically impossible to provide a definitive answer. I'd recommend having a look in the directory here and finding a local spark and getting it checked out.

Actually – I just realised that my friend already changed the fittings and installed new E27 fittings to replace the ceiling roses. So maybe it's something other than bad connections?

 

[SparkyChick]

Ok, so maybe it's as simple as the ends of the bulb... some E27s are a bit flatter and may not make good contact with the fitting.

Are the dimmable bulbs good quality? Do they work in another fitting?

I'd be inclined to find yourself a reputable local spark and get them to have a look. Maybe there is someone on the forums local to you?