Lighting backfeed

[Jchandler1965]

I have install canister lighting in my livingroom. Run by three switches. All switches work just fine. Problem is when lights are off they have a very low glow to them like there is a backfeed. What coulsd be the causes?

 

[Megawatt]

I have install canister lighting in my livingroom. Run by three switches. All switches work just fine. Problem is when lights are off they have a very low glow to them like there is a backfeed. What coulsd be the causes?

Jsander you are getting some kind of back feed. How many lights per switch and are they all on their own circuit or are they other loads on that same circuit

 

[Megawatt]

Jsander you are getting some kind of back feed. How many lights per switch and are they all on their own circuit or are they other loads on that same circuit

Jchandler welcome to the forum

 

[Megawatt]

I have install canister lighting in my livingroom. Run by three switches. All switches work just fine. Problem is when lights are off they have a very low glow to them like there is a backfeed. What coulsd be the causes?

You have to be careful with lighting, reason is the base that the bulb screws in to is actually connected to the neutral and the center tap inside the base is connected to the hot. Could you have crossed the polarity of just one of the lights. I’ve seen them crossed and the light works but it’s making the frame hot because some and not all lights don’t have a ground in the fixture

 

[DPG]

Are these LED lights?

 

[Jchandler1965]

Jsander you are getting some kind of back feed. How many lights per switch and are they all on their own circuit or are they other loads on that same circuit

Six lights on the circuit. Two rooms.

 

[Megawatt]

Are these LED lights?

@DPG I don’t know if they are LED lighting or what so I assumed they was regular bulbs. He’s got something funky going on and without pictures I’m just guessing

 

[Megawatt]

Six lights on the circuit. Two rooms.

@johandler Are these LED lights that you installed

 

[Jchandler1965]

Are these LED lights?

They are LED lights

 

[Megawatt]

They are LED lights

Are you still having that problem and are those regular switches with just 2 screws and a green screw for the ground

 

[DPG]

They are LED lights

Thought they might be. Have a search on here for threads on capacitive pickup and snubbers, and I think you may find your answer.

 

[Megawatt]

Thought they might be. Have a search on here for threads on capacitive pickup and snubbers, and I think you may find your answer.

DPG it’s like your saying it’s just wires

 

[Megawatt]

DPG it’s like your saying it’s just wires

Jchandler did you buy switches specific to LED lights

 

[Jchandler1965]

Are you still having that problem and are those regular switches with just 2 screws and a green screw for the ground

Three way switches with ground.

 

[Megawatt]

Three way switches with ground.

Jchandler you do not need 3 way switches and you need to purchase just single switches with 2 screws with 1 on each side and a green ground screw. I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on so when you get the switches make sure that they will work on LED lighting. I still think something is crossed in the new wiring but either you take pictures that we can look at or change the switches. Let us know and we will get it fixed

 

[DPG]

Did you read post #11?

 

[Megawatt]

Did you read post #11?

@DPG Yes for some reason I’m struggling with this and it should be so simple

 

[Jchandler1965]

Jchandler you do not need 3 way switches and you need to purchase just single switches with 2 screws with 1 on each side and a green ground screw. I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on so when you get the switches make sure that they will work on LED lighting. I still think something is crossed in the new wiring but either you take pictures that we can look at or change the switches. Let us know and we will get it fixed

The lights are controled from three different locations. Why would i not need three way switches?

 

[Megawatt]

Jchandler you do not need 3 way switches and you need to purchase just single switches with 2 screws with 1 on each side and a green ground screw. I’m still trying to figure out what’s going on so when you get the switches make sure that they will work on LED lighting. I still think something is crossed in the new wiring but either you take pictures that we can look at or change the switches. Let us know and we will get it fixed

Jsander you are getting some kind of back feed. How many lights per switch and are they all on their own circuit or are they other loads on that same circuit

jchandler I seen your video is those lights on a breaker by there self

 

[Jchandler1965]

jchandler I seen your video is those lights on a breaker by there self

Those three swtches control 4 total lights on one cuircut

 

[Megawatt]

Those three swtches control 4 total lights on one cuircut

@Jchandler1965 I went back and read your profile and it appears to be a great job you did but since it’s on it’s own circuit and you have all your neutrals wired together right and you are breaking only the hots through the light switches. One question after watching your video it makes me think are them type of switches you are using LED compatible. In my mind your installation looks good so we can’t see the actual wiring it has to be them push switches can leak voltage and make your lights do some funky things. Every thing we have discussed it has to be the switches, I’ve seen worse and LED lighting and plain old switches just don’t work right. Replace the switches with LED compatible switches. Good luck

 

[Jchandler1965]

@Jchandler1965 I went back and read your profile and it appears to be a great job you did but since it’s on it’s own circuit and you have all your neutrals wired together right and you are breaking only the hots through the light switches. One question after watching your video it makes me think are them type of switches you are using LED compatible. In my mind your installation looks good so we can’t see the actual wiring it has to be them push switches can leak voltage and make your lights do some funky things. Every thing we have discussed it has to be the switches, I’ve seen worse and LED lighting and plain old switches just don’t work right. Replace the switches with LED compatible switches. Good luck

Thank you for your assistance.

 

[Megawatt]

Thank you for your assistance.

Jc let me know if changing the switches work. We are here to help and would like to hear if it worked or not. Have a great day

 

[DPG]

What are the LED compatible switches and how do they differ from normal ones? Do they have components in them to counter any inductive or capacitive pickup?

 

[Megawatt]

What are the LED compatible switches and how do they differ from normal ones? Do they have components in them to counter any inductive or capacitive pickup?

@DPG when LED lighting first come out people started having trouble with their lights. Now they make switches for LED lighting but people go out and buy just any old switch without a thought of their lighting. It has to be the switches, DPG we’ve worked our minds hard over this. The regular switch can leak voltage at maybe 20-30vac and if that’s not it I don’t know what to tell him
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@DPG when LED lighting first come out people started having trouble with their lights. Now they make switches for LED lighting but people go out and buy just any old switch without a thought of their lighting. It has to be the switches, DPG we’ve worked our minds hard over this. The regular switch can leak voltage at maybe 20-30vac and if that’s not it I don’t know what to tell him

The contacts on regular switches don’t open far enough which leads to leaking. I don’t know if you have ever worked on the old Allen Bradley PLC s and on digital outputs there contacts are called triacs which would leak 50vac so I guess I’m trying to tell you that regular switches act like triacs

 

[DPG]

I don't believe the contacts on a mains light switch don't open enough to fully break the circuit.

Obviously I get the theory of triacs and electronic switching and dimming, but we are talking straight on/off switches here

 

[Megawatt]

I don't believe the contacts on a mains light switch don't open enough to fully break the circuit.

Obviously I get the theory of triacs and electronic switching and dimming, but we are talking straight on/off switches here

DPG if the switches don’t work I don’t know what else to tell him. If all the neutrals are wired correctly and the grounds made up I just don’t see another way that this problem could happen