Overhead light flashing on and off by itself (not switched on)

[Tamsin Moore]

Hello,


Sorry if this is the wrong forum to post in, but I have a problem with my hall light switching on and off by itself. It's a ceiling light and it has two switches, however it isn't switched on but is flashing on and off as I said. Any help is appreciated, thank you!!

 

[telectrix]

could be a dodgy switch. try feeling the action as you switch on/off. a dodgy one may seem less positive than a sound switch.

 

[Tamsin Moore]

could be a dodgy switch. try feeling the action as you switch on/off. a dodgy one may seem less positive than a sound switch.

Is it dangerous at all?

 

[telectrix]

not immediately, but to be certain, get a local electrician round.

 

[The Ghost]

Is it LED

 

[telectrix]

Is it LED

as in ZEPPELIN?

 

[Tamsin Moore]

Is it LED

It's not LED no just a regular ceiling light with a bulb.

 

[Tamsin Moore]

not immediately, but to be certain, get a local electrician round.

Would I need to get them out today?

 

[The Ghost]

Have you tried changing the bulb?

 

[Tamsin Moore]

Have you tried changing the bulb?

I haven't, I assumed it was a problem with the switches as the light isn't switched on?

 

[davesparks]

Is it a low energy lamp of some sort?

These lamps can flash when they are switched off due to something called capacitive coupling in the cables, this is most likely to occur when there is two way switching.
The simple solution is to change the lamp for a different type.

 

[The Ghost]

Then it is as our @telectrix has said a dodgy switch, which will mean calling in an electrician then. As for dangerous, well many fires from electrical source are loose connections. I do not wish to cause unnecessary alarm however...

 

[Tamsin Moore]

Is it a low energy lamp of some sort?

These lamps can flash when they are switched off due to something called capacitive coupling in the cables, this is most likely to occur when there is two way switching.
The simple solution is to change the lamp for a different type.

The bulb is an energy saving bulb but it's just a regular light socket.

 

[Richard Burns]

There could be a range of issues here.
The switches may be faulty or if the bulb is a compact fluorescent or LED and not a normal filament bulb then there could be a voltage induced by the two way switch cable, if this is the case then changing the switching by turning on at one point and off at the other may alter things. Then changing the bulb for a non energy efficient one would solve the induced voltage but not the switch.
There might be a connection occurring between cables in the ceiling rose, but you should hear sparks or smell burning if this were the case, if so then the circuit should be switched off at your fuse box.
An unlikely situation might be that the cable is loose in the supply side and whilst you think the light is off it is actually on and only just making contact at the loose connection, this could be checked by switching a switch and seeing if the light comes on normally.

From your last post try putting a filament bulb in place.

 

[davesparks]

The bulb is an energy saving bulb but it's just a regular light socket.

So the problem is most likely to be what I posted above.
The low energy lamp is flashing due to the effect of capacitive coupling.
Replace the lamp with a different type, such as a filament lamp, and it will stop happening.

For reference what you are referring to as a bulb is a lamp, a bulb is something you plant in the garden.

 

[Tamsin Moore]

There could be a range of issues here.
The switches may be faulty or if the bulb is a compact fluorescent or LED and not a normal filament bulb then there could be a voltage induced by the two way switch cable, if this is the case then changing the switching by turning on at one point and off at the other may alter things. Then changing the bulb for a non energy efficient one would solve the induced voltage but not the switch.
There might be a connection occurring between cables in the ceiling rose, but you should hear sparks or smell burning if this were the case, if so then the circuit should be switched off at your fuse box.
An unlikely situation might be that the cable is loose in the supply side and whilst you think the light is off it is actually on and only just making contact at the loose connection, this could be checked by switching a switch and seeing if the light comes on normally.

From your last post try putting a filament bulb in place.

There's no burning smell or anything like that and the fuse is still on. When I switch the light on it does still come on normally. I don't have a filament bulb to replace it with at the minute, if it is a problem with the engery saving one.

 

[Tamsin Moore]

There could be a range of issues here.
The switches may be faulty or if the bulb is a compact fluorescent or LED and not a normal filament bulb then there could be a voltage induced by the two way switch cable, if this is the case then changing the switching by turning on at one point and off at the other may alter things. Then changing the bulb for a non energy efficient one would solve the induced voltage but not the switch.
There might be a connection occurring between cables in the ceiling rose, but you should hear sparks or smell burning if this were the case, if so then the circuit should be switched off at your fuse box.
An unlikely situation might be that the cable is loose in the supply side and whilst you think the light is off it is actually on and only just making contact at the loose connection, this could be checked by switching a switch and seeing if the light comes on normally.

From your last post try putting a filament bulb in place.

There's no burning smell or anything like that and the fuse is still on. When I switch the light on it does still come on normally. I don't have a filament bulb to replace it with at the minute, if it is a problem with the engery

So the problem is most likely to be what I posted above.
The low energy lamp is flashing due to the effect of capacitive coupling.
Replace the lamp with a different type, such as a filament lamp, and it will stop happening.

For reference what you are referring to as a bulb is a lamp, a bulb is something you plant in the garden.

Thanks for the correction, as you can probably tell I know nothing about electrics! I don't have a filament lamp to replace with at the moment but thanks for the help.

 

[Bob Geldoff1234]

"For reference what you are referring to as a bulb is a lamp, a bulb is something you plant in the garden."

Try typing 'bulb' into google and see what comes up. To any lay person it's called a light bulb.

Also try typing 'lamp' into google and you will get table lamps........

 

[davesparks]

"For reference what you are referring to as a bulb is a lamp, a bulb is something you plant in the garden."

Try typing 'bulb' into google and see what comes up. To any lay person it's called a light bulb.

Also try typing 'lamp' into google and you will get table lamps........

Typing bulb into google yielded an energy supply company called bulb as the first result.

But this is irrelevant, Google does not dictate the meaning of words or their correct application.

 

[telectrix]

had one recently (in a bathroom) , old batten holder which was arcing from the perm. L to the SW L, this acting as an intermittent switch. customer could, however hear it sparking.