Installing LED tube battens in garage

[Brian trousers]

Hello,

I'm currently installing these LED tube lights in my garage (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fluorescent-Replacement-daylight-ultra-light-unbreakable/dp/B00XN3CGJO) using these fixtures (Twin 4FT 1200mm Batten Fitting For LED Tubes - https://www.simplelighting.co.uk/2-120-cm-batten-fitting/).

I have the fixtures hooked up to mains plugs running to one socket (I am a total novice when it comes to anything electrical and thought this would be the easiest way).

I have 2 twin-tube 4ft fittings attached to a switched 3 way adapter, attached to an extension cable which is attached to a multi-socket extension lead. 1 further twin-tube 4ft fitting is attached directly to the multi socket extension lead. All 3 fittings are running to the same socket.

Unfortunately a few of the lights flicker and the socket is making a crackling sound whenever I try to run them all at once.

The instruction manuals that come with the fittings and tubes don't seem to have much info, but I've tried to narrow it down to a few possible problems.

1 - The tubes I have are retrofit and require a magnetic ballast to work correctly? (The fixtures have no ballast and are direct wire LED only?)

2- My adapter/extension lead/multi socket combo is too complex/dangerous?

3- The overall amp load from 3 fixtures and an electric garage door opener is too high for one socket?

4- There is a problem with the socket (the wiring in the garage generally looks old)?

5- Something else?

Any help would be greatly appreciated, just want to see if there's some simple I'm missing before I get an electrician in to have a look.

Cheers,

Brian

 

[KEV 1 N]

Sounds like you need to employ an electrician if the socket is crackling, don't like the use of adaptors and extension leads!
Usually the LED lamps work direct off mains voltage and you have to bypass the ballast in your fitting.
I would definatly get someone to look at your wiring.

 

[telectrix]

what he said ^^^^^^.

 

[Brian trousers]

Cheers Kev 1 N.

The fittings I have are advertised as specifically designed for LED tubes (there's no ballast in the fitting).

I read something online about there being an LED driver inside the casing of the tube itself, does this do what the ballast would do for a traditional T8 Fluorescent bulb (regulating current?)?

They light when plugged in but tend to flicker. Trying to work out if the problem is the tubes, fittings, connections or socket. The instructions that came with the tubes and fittings are pretty much useless.

 

[dmxtothemax]

I doubt that your outlet is over loaded !
More likely the outlet is faulty, causing poor contact between the plug pins and the outlet contacts.
I would just replace the outlet and the plug with new ones.

 

[happysteve]

The combination of fittings and tubes should be ok.

It is likely that your socket outlet is faulty, and/or there is a poor connection (either in the socket, in the plug that going into the socket, or between the plug and the socket). So, as per the post above, really.

There is also an outside chance that you've added a partial short circuit - something like a single strand of a flexible cable softly touching an adjacent neutral - when you connected up one of the lights. This might cause crackling and flickering due to fluctuations in current draw (and hence voltage drop)... but it's the least likely scenario. If the flickering/crackling happens when you plug one particular light in, obviously investigate that one.

But it's more likely to be the socket. Get someone in to have a look at it, perhaps.

 

[Brian trousers]

Just checked the plug from the multi extension going to the outlet, looks like the live pin is burnt/melted a bit so I unplugged everything. Does this help clarify what the problem might be?

 

[telectrix]

getting close. fit a new plug and see what happens.( fuse according to the size of cable,e.g. 13A for 1.5mm). check that the socket connections aren't damaged.

 

[happysteve]

Well, it confirms that you've got a problem! It doesn't confirm the cause, just the effect. It might have been high resistance in the plug that caused it, or high resistance in the socket termination, or high resistance between the socket and the plug.

Lacking specialist kit to investigate this properly, you could do as telectrix suggests and try a new plug. If it crackles as before, the problem is likely to be the socket outlet. If that's the case, it will probably need replacing. An electrician will not only be able to do this for you, but also confirm that the circuit is safe for continued use.

If a (potential) customer phoned me with those symptoms, I wouldn't advise plugging anything in until I'd had a look at it, though.

 

[Brian trousers]

Cheers telectrix, steve, will try a new plug as suggested.

 

[redbarnman]

Having multiple extension leads is not a great idea for a long term installation. It would not cost too much to get a local electrician in to do a bit of fixed wiring and put in a new socket. LED's present a different type of load than fluorescents, they have very high transient inrush current every time they switch on - that's not when you turn on the light switch but 50 times per second. Trailing edge dimmers were introduced so that you are only turning off a low current rather than trying to control a high transient current. That high inrush current can also cause radio interference. So with LED's all connectors, sockets and plugs need to have very good low resistance electrical contacts/connections and the chances are that your old socket has oxidised contacts and perhaps a loose terminal screw. Ether way get it replaced before it catches fire. I once came across a demonstration board showing 13 different ways of incorrectly wiring up a 13A plug so take care and do it properly.

 

[Brian trousers]

Thanks redbarnman. Since I changed the extension with the burnt plug going to the outlet, the crackling noise from the outlet has stopped and all the lights appear to work ok.

I intend to get the set-up installed properly by an electrician when I can, but in the mean time, would it be advisable to unplug everything when I'm not in the garage?

 

[redbarnman]

Better to leave it connected and undisturbed, turning off the socket will isolate the circuit just as effectively