Sage-Tips

Why is my new light fixture tripping the breaker?

When a light switch trips the breaker, a faulty light switch or light fixture is usually the cause. A wire may have come loose at the switch or fixture and is shorting out the hot wire. If a nail or screw has damaged the wire, you can replace the wiring around the fault by using junction boxes for the splice.

Why does my light bulb make a crackling sound?

Loose or faulty connections anywhere within an electrical circuit can lead to arcing as the current attempts to jump gaps. The current may arc, which creates the crackling or hissing sound you hear. If you hear these sounds or if you hear a loud pop from the light switch, it’s time to replace the switch.

Why do LED lights not work in some fixtures?

There might be a couple of reasons why sometimes you cannot simply put LEDs in any old fixture. As mentioned previously, if an existing fixture has a dimming feature, and your new LEDs are not compatible. You will run into trouble with dimming capability, such as flickering or strobing or incomplete dimming.

What happens if you wire a fixture backwards?

Tip. The fixture still works if you reverse the wires, but the socket sleeve will be hot, and anyone who touches it while changing a bulb can get a shock. When wired correctly, the socket sleeve is neutral and only the small metal tab at the base of the socket is hot.

Why does my fluorescent light keep tripping?

Circuit breakers can trip due to any number of problems. That can include water damage, frayed wiring, worn fittings, bad connections, faulty transformers or simply an electrical load that is more than the system can handle. The first step is to turn off all of the lights or appliances that the breaker controls.

Do LED light bulbs make noise?

LEDs lack a filament or firing arc so there are no “moving parts” to cause humming. Unfortunately, LEDs still suffer from electromagnetic (EM) hum caused by incorrect dimming or EM interference by other devices. But, if your lights hum when dimmed or installed into sockets connected to a dimmer, it’s simple to fix.

Why does my LED light make noise?

While most LED lights are dimmable, a common complaint is hearing a buzzing sound coming from the lights when they are dimmed. The cause is almost always a compatibility issue between the dimmer and the LED’s driver (power supply). CL dimmers will eliminate the buzzing on most brands of LEDs, but not all.

Can LED lights replace fluorescent tubes?

Yes, you can replace fluorescent tubes with LED tubes or LED-integrated fixtures. If you just want to replace the bulbs, you can use plug-and-play, direct-wire, or hybrid LED tubes. Plug-and-play tubes are the easiest to install as they do not require any rewiring to the fixture.

What happens if you connect the wrong wires on a light fixture?

But here’s the catch: If you connect the circuit wires to the wrong terminals on an outlet, the outlet will still work but the polarity will be backward. When this happens, a lamp, for example, will have its bulb socket sleeve energized rather than the little tab inside the socket.