I may have a haunted/possessed light fixture over my pool table.
I replaced the incandescent flood bulbs with LEDs
Turned on the fixture (hard wired) and saw the light was good.
Turned off the wall switch expecting, of course, the bulbs to go dark.
They didn't do that.
They went dim, but no off!!!!!
WTF?
Let There Be, Um, Dark?
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Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
Solution #2Head to the store and buy a LED complaint switch. Just make sure you get the correct style. Three way or signaler. If a three way you will need two.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#3Wait 'till the bulb's circuit board goes bad and the light starts strobing.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#4Dave Bair wrote:Wait 'till the bulb's circuit board goes bad and the light starts strobing.
I have that happen every 4 hours. I have 6 can lights that every day 11:30, 3:30, 7:30,11:30 they strobe. If they have been on all day or I just turned them on on the mark they strobe. I keep saying I am going to replace them, but they work fine otherwise so, I turn them off just before they will strobe, then wait 10 minutes to turn them back on.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#5
@Mike L,
The consistent timing suggests a programmed device, like a smart home controller, timer, or even a nearby appliance (e.g., HVAC or water heater) that activates every four hours, potentially causing voltage fluctuations or electromagnetic interference that affects the LEDs. I guess it could be the controller circuitry in the light, but to happen at such precise recurring intervals points to interference.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#6In a similar circumstance, I discovered that if there is one incandescent bulb on the circuit with one or more LED bulbs, the LED's do not act up by strobing.
Paul in Hunt Valley, MD
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#7
@Paul Leuba,
Interesting. When an incandescent bulb is added to the circuit, it apparently provides a constant load that “smooths out” minor voltage irregularities or transients. This can dampen the fluctuations that cause LED drivers to misbehave, resulting in strobing or flickering.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
Edited #8Dave Bair wrote:Wait 'till the bulb's circuit board goes bad and the light starts strobing.
I only have that happen when on a dimmer. Not all the time, depends on what else is on and what the dimmer is set at. Could be a bad bulb somewhere in the circuit or could be other interactions. I have never had the problem Mark is having though.
Added later 01 min 20 s:
Peter Martin wrote:@Paul Leuba,
Interesting. When an incandescent bulb is added to the circuit, it apparently provides a constant load that “smooths out” minor voltage irregularities or transients. This can dampen the fluctuations that cause LED drivers to misbehave, resulting in strobing or flickering.
I bet you could do the same thing with a high watt, low ohm resistor. AC is weird.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
Edited #9
@John in NM,
I bet you could do the same thing with a high watt, low ohm resistor. AC is weird.
Yep. I think this is what is happening if you are using a triac dimmer designed for incandescent lights. I don't know jack about wood, but I'm an EE and this will give me a chance to geek out.
Adding an incandescent light to a circuit with a triac dimmer and LEDs can stop the LEDs from flickering because the incandescent bulb provides a resistive load that stabilizes the triac's operation.
Traditional triac dimmers require a minimum load (e.g., 40W) to function properly. LEDs typically have low power consumption (5-15W) and non-linear characteristics, often falling below this threshold. This can cause the triac to misfire or turn off prematurely, leading to flickering.
An incandescent bulb is a purely resistive load that draws significant current (e.g., 60W or more). When added to the circuit, it increases the total load above the triac’s minimum requirement, ensuring stable operation.
LEDs with electronic drivers have erratic current draw (e.g., high inrush or pulsed currents), which can disrupt the triac’s ability to stay on during the AC cycle. The incandescent bulb’s consistent, resistive current draw helps maintain a steady current flow, preventing the triac from turning off unexpectedly.
The incandescent bulb’s resistance helps absorb voltage irregularities caused by the triac’s chopping of the AC waveform, providing a more stable voltage to the LED driver, which reduces flickering.
In essence, the incandescent bulb acts as a "dummy load," compensating for the LED’s low power and non-linear behavior, allowing the triac dimmer to operate reliably and eliminating flicker.
AC is weird.
So am I. 
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#10Saw this many, many times. Retired electrician of 43 years. Usually on electronic timers and older style dimmers. Your dimmers have to be designed for LED's and the electronic dimmers don't work PERIOD!!! Bulb manufacturers blame the timer people, timer people blame the bulb people. Sometimes even the dimmers claiming to work with LED's flicker when the slide on the side of the toggle is all the way up. Moving it down just a fraction usually stops the flickering. I love LED's but they sure do come with issues.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#11Fixed
1 "compliant" dimmer switch (@$30) and all's well that turns off well.
Thanks gents.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#12Note under the cover plate of your new dimmer switch you will find an adjustment to set the minimum dim that your LEDs will start up and run at.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#13Thanks, Walter.
Didn't think to look, but it's installed now and working properly.
Re: Let There Be, Um, Dark?
#14
This just came up in my YT recommended videos, so I thought I'd share it for those who may be interested:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbCPNC6V9Wo