Since LED bulbs landed in our homes we have seen how their useful life and energy efficiency have been key factors in getting rid of halogen bulbs once and for all. In addition, for an LED bulb to turn on not too much current is neededsomething that we can consider as a point in our favor.
However, this can also be a problem for us when even with the switch off, the LED bulbs They stay lit dimly or blinking. In this article we wanted to provide an answer to why they stay on in this way.
Why does your LED bulb stay on even if you have turned it off from the switch?
If the LED bulb remains partially lit despite having turned it off from the switch, it means that It is still receiving current from somewhereThis can come from several points, and in this article we have compiled the most frequent causes for our LED bulb to remain partially lit.
Switches with signal light
One of the most common causes is for the use of switches with signaling lightthat is, those switches that have a dim light to let you know where the switch is when we are in the dark. The problem is that this light is installed in parallel to the switch, so this small current can cause the LED bulb to partially turn on.
In this case we can proceed by directly removing the signal light, changing the switch for a normal one, or if you want to keep your signal light you can always add a resistor in parallel to the switch to prevent the current from reaching the bulb.
Bad installation of the switch
Another common cause is the fact that have a bad switch installation. And as in the vast majority of Spanish homes, we have three cables: phase, neutral and earth. The switches must cut the phase, or the phase and the neutral simultaneously. The latter type is called bipolar switches.
If the switch is acting on the neutral, it means that the installation has not been done correctly, as this can cause a small current can flow to the LED bulbcausing it to turn on. To solve this problem we must install a bipolar switch that cuts both phase and neutral.
Return currents through the neutral
Among the causes that can make our LED bulb turn on we also find the neutral return currents. And if any of the appliances we have at home generate these neutral return currents, No matter how small the current is, it can light up our LED bulb. partially. In this case, a bipolar switch that cuts phase and neutral can also be used.
Remember that LED bulbs can be turned on with just a small current, something that did not happen with halogen bulbs.
Dirt on the switch
It could also be that the switch connected to the bulb is full of dirt, causing it to small electric currents are generated which may end up turning on the light bulb partially. In this case, the best thing we can do is to disassemble the switch, clean it well and try again. If it does not work, we can perhaps try buying a new switch.
A previous version of this article was published in 2023.
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