While LED lights are energy-efficient and long-lasting, flickering can be both disruptive and annoying. There are actually many hidden culprits behind this problem. By identifying the cause and taking the right remedy, you can restore your LED lights to their original glory. Below, we’ll detail common causes of LED light flicker and provide practical fixes.
Why do LED lights flicker?
Voltage instability
- Grid fluctuations: When the voltage in your home fluctuates, the LED lights may flicker.
- Electrical interference: When some high-power electrical appliances are started or running, they may cause voltage fluctuations, which in turn affect lighting stability.
LED Driver power supply problem
- Poor quality driver power supply: The driving power supply is a key component of LED lights. If it is damaged, the light may flicker. Some low-quality LED lights use a poorly designed driver power supply that is prone to flickering when the voltage changes.
- Driver aging: As the usage time increases, the driver’s power supply may age and fail to output stable current.
The LED light itself is faulty
- Poor contact of LED chips: If the LED chips are not firmly welded or the internal circuit is damaged, it will cause flickering.
- LED light aging: Although LED lights have a longer lifespan, aging bulbs can still cause problems.
Switch problem
- Poor quality switches: Some low-quality switches generate a tiny current when closed, causing the light to flicker slightly.
- Incompatible dimmer switches: A dimmer switch that is not compatible with the LED light may cause the light to flicker. Especially, for a triac dimmer, there are different types for it in markets, easier to be incompatible if the dimmable downlights and dimmer are not same from suppliers.
How to fix LED light flickering problem
Check for voltage problems
- Test voltage stability: Use a multimeter to check whether the home voltage is stable. If you find that the voltage fluctuates frequently, you need to contact the power company.
- Use a voltage stabilizer: Equip sensitive electrical appliances or lamps with a voltage stabilizer to reduce the impact of power grid fluctuations.
Replace the LED driver power supply
- Purchase high-quality power supplies: Choose a reliable brand of driver power supply to ensure its output stability.
- Replacement method: After turning off the power, disassemble the lamp and replace the driver module, and ensure that the connection is firm.
Maintenance lamps
- Check the lamp beads: Turn on the lamp and observe whether the LED chips have obvious signs of burning or are loose. If necessary, replace the LED chips.
- Clean the interface dust: Use a dry cloth or blow air to remove the dust on the lamp interface to improve the contact effect.
Optimize switch usage
- Replace with a high-quality switch: Choose a switch that is compatible with LED lights to avoid problems caused by microcurrent.
- Replace the dimmer: If using a dimmer switch, make sure it supports the low-current dimming mode of the LED lamp.
How to prevent LED lights from flickering
Use high-quality products
- Choose LED lights and accessories from a reliable LED light supplier in Nigeria to avoid low-priced, low-quality products.
- When purchasing, pay attention to the output parameters of the driver power supply and choose a model that supports a wide voltage range.
Regular inspection and maintenance
- Check the wiring and interfaces of the lamps every once in a while and clean the dust in time
- Pay attention to the environment in which the appliance is used and avoid using the lamp in high humidity areas for a long time.
Configuring grid protection equipment
- Install a grid voltage stabilizer at home to reduce the impact of voltage fluctuations on your equipment.
- Install overvoltage protection devices for important electrical appliances to avoid damage caused by excessive voltage.