Why do my 3w LED bulbs glow faintly when powered off?

[vishalrao]

Hello!

I have a light fixture with two bulb holders and wired for two-way switching.

Earlier it housed 7w LED bulbs which didn't have the issue I'm facing after I fitted it today with 3w Halonix-branded (actually 2.9w as printed on the box) LED bulbs.

This evening I noticed they both faintly glow when they're switched off. I don't see this with couple of same bulbs fitted in another light fixture in the same house.

What could be the issue?

Is it potential wiring issue with the two-way switches like a short-circuit or current leakage or something like that?

In any case I'll be informing and getting an electrician to check this out.

Thanks!

 

[mbhangui]

Hello!

I have a light fixture with two bulb holders and wired for two-way switching.

Earlier it housed 7w LED bulbs which didn't have the issue I'm facing after I fitted it today with 3w Halonix-branded (actually 2.9w as printed on the box) LED bulbs.

This evening I noticed they both faintly glow when they're switched off. I don't see this with couple of same bulbs fitted in another light fixture in the same house.

What could be the issue?

Is it potential wiring issue with the two-way switches like a short-circuit or current leakage or something like that?

In any case I'll be informing and getting an electrician to check this out.

Thanks!

Do you have a line tester? Remove the bulb. The bulb holder will have two points inside. Switch off the bulb. Remove the bulb. Keep the switch off. Use the line tester and see if the tester glows in one of the points. If it glows when the tester is touched to any one of the points it means that the switch is connected to the neutral instead of the phase line. Ask the electrician to interchange the wires inside your switch board.

This points to the live wire directly going to the bulb holder. The correct wiring ensures that the live wire gets cut off when the switch is in the off position. Also the correct wiring is when the live connection goes the center terminal in the bulb holder. If you have the old type of holder it doesn't matter. If you have holder which accepts bulb with the screw type, then the center terminal should be phase/live connection.

 

[vishalrao]

Thank you - yes I suspect the same thing you mentioned - no I don't have a tester - getting an electrician to check it first thing.

 

[mbhangui]

Thank you - yes I suspect the same thing you mentioned - no I don't have a tester - getting an electrician to check it first thing.

This is dangerous if live wire is directly going to one of the terminal. Be very careful when removing the bulb. Wear a latex glove or remove the bulb by touching only the glass/plastic portion of the bulb. Don't touch any metal parts. Also remove bulb while wearing shoes/rubber slippers.