Recessed LED lights glow while off, but only when laptop is charging

[benwa100]

I am mostly curious as I don't think this is a very important issue.

In my bedroom I have 2 overhead recessed LED lights that are not on a dimmer. After several years of living with no issue, last week I noticed that they remained faintly on after turning the light switch off. They glowed faintly and persisted for at least 1 hour. After some investigating, I found that if I unplug my laptop that charges at a nearby outlet, the glowing stops immediately. If I plug the laptop back in, the glowing comes right back. The outlet is in between the light switch and the overhead LED lights, but the outlet is not on a switch.

Any ideas as to what is going on? I have tried plugging in some other devices to the same outlet and it doesn't make the LEDs glow. Is the laptop battery somehow powering the LEDs?

Thanks!

 

[Megawatt]

I am mostly curious as I don't think this is a very important issue.

In my bedroom I have 2 overhead recessed LED lights that are not on a dimmer. After several years of living with no issue, last week I noticed that they remained faintly on after turning the light switch off. They glowed faintly and persisted for at least 1 hour. After some investigating, I found that if I unplug my laptop that charges at a nearby outlet, the glowing stops immediately. If I plug the laptop back in, the glowing comes right back. The outlet is in between the light switch and the overhead LED lights, but the outlet is not on a switch.

Any ideas as to what is going on? I have tried plugging in some other devices to the same outlet and it doesn't make the LEDs glow. Is the laptop battery somehow powering the LEDs?

Thanks!

The first thing that comes to mind is you possibly have your switch going bad. Try changing your switch and see if that helps.

 

[benwa100]

Do you mean replace the switch that controls the lights or the outlet where I plug in the laptop? To the best of my knowledge, they are totally separate from each other. I find it really bizarre that the ceiling lights only glow when I plug in a laptop to the separate outlet.

 

[Megawatt]

Do you mean replace the switch that controls the lights or the outlet where I plug in the laptop? To the best of my knowledge, they are totally separate from each other. I find it really bizarre that the ceiling lights only glow when I plug in a laptop to the separate outlet.

Change the switch and yes it is bizarre and your switch could be acting like a triac which leaks voltage even when off

 

[benwa100]

Thanks so much for your advice!

 

[Timbo]

Do let us know the outcome.