Led light fittings constantly dim

[Paulmccaffrey3009]

Hi new on here I am an adult apprentice fitted 2 new led fittings in an old house connected them up and at first switched on and off ok but my cousin called me telling me they aren’t switching on any more.

I have went back and checked they are just constantly dim.

It is not dimmer switches just 1 gang 1 way switches
Have no idea what’s gone wrong
Help would be appreciated
Thanks

 

[David Prosser]

I have a couple of faulty/very dim LED fittings, both had poor or no neutral connections (factory worker had not stripped the insulation before fitting crimp).

If you are an apprentice get whoever you work with to come with you to guide you through the fault finding.

 

[littlespark]

Have you got a voltage tester to hand?
Check you've got 230v at the point of connection.
Are these '230v' LED's (plug into a normal lampholder, GU10, or whatever) or are they ones with a driver? Check the voltage on the output of the driver.
Also check it is a driver, and not a transformer. Transformers that came with 12v halogens are no good for 12v LED

If you've got 230v at the point of connection, then you've got faulty fittings if all the terminations are done properly.

 

[Paulmccaffrey3009]

I’m on holiday for two weeks my older cousin is who I work with he is up north working in Peterhead
Really at a loss I took the fittings down to ensure no loose connections also

 

[Paulmccaffrey3009]

It’s getting 230v as it switched on ok first few times then after I’d left the issue arose.

Thought it was transformer that’s built onto fitting

Sorry it is a driver

 

[littlespark]

The main difference between drivers and transformers is that drivers can handle the lower power used by LED fittings, whereas transformers are robots in disguise.

 

[marconi]

Philips SceneSwitch: Switch light settings without switching bulbs | Philips Lighting - http://applications.nam.lighting.philips.com/blog/index.php/2016/09/20/philips-sceneswitch-switch-light-settings-without-switching-bulbs/

Have you perhaps fitted a Philips sceneswitch LED lamp which has 3 brightness levels or something similar? We have one on our landing which is controlled by a one way switch. When first turned on it illuminates at one of 100%, 40% or 10% levels. When turned off for a while and then turned on again it illuminates at the level it was at when last turned off (say 40%). So, to sequence to another light level(10%) one has to turn it on(40%) and then turn it off-on quickly. And then off-on again to sequence to the next (100%)and then off-on to return back to the first light level(40%). Maybe this is what you have installed?

 

[Paulmccaffrey3009]

No the leds are like built into the light fitting I’m gonna take fittings down and test by connecting plug and plugging into a switched socket to ensure the fitting works the fact that there is two light fittings on the one circuit makes me think there may be perhaps a fault in the circuit

 

[marconi]

Please let us know how you get on.

Just a thought - perhaps swap the switch for a new one. The surge current of the new LED lamps and their driver may have been the final straw for the contacts of the current switch.

 

[GeorgeCooke]

The main difference between drivers and transformers is that drivers can handle the lower power used by LED fittings, whereas transformers are robots in disguise.

What?

A transformer is a wire wound device that changes AC voltage or current by electromagnetic induction. They can handle low power (or zero power output) with no problems.

A driver is a device specially designed to "drive" LEDs usually constant DC current, though the term is often used for constant DC voltage.

 

[littlespark]

I only said all that to squeeze a joke in.

There are situations where a transformer for halogen 12v lamps didn't work properly for 12v LED. I'm now thinking its when theres a dimmer in circuit.

 

[Paulmccaffrey3009]

Found out there was a lowered ceiling in bathroom and junction box for the downstairs lighting circuit there was loose neutral in the junction box must have came loose during installation.
Only issue is having to lay the upstairs flooring tomorrow

Thanks for the help everyone

 

[David Prosser]

So poor neutral it was then. Yours hiding in the circuit (well done for finding the -------) mine much easier as it was in the fittings. Sorted ! I'm guessing they worked dimly due to the amount of leakage to earth.

 

[Octopus]

Out of interest, during your fault finding did you do Zs at the light fitting?

I would have thought that a poor or lacking neutral would have been obvious using the 3 cable connections.

 

[Paulmccaffrey3009]

When checking it with test lamps I must have been pushing neutral up with lamps and was making connection as in junction box it was a snapped single core in neutral so was making sometimes I assume that’s why they worked fine when I’d left and perhaps opening and closing of toilet door affected the connection in junction box which was situated just above the door in toilet ceiling