Ice lamp against water. Why does the LED lamp glow when the switch is off? What to do if the light bulb is broken

With the switch off? This is a question that interests many users of modern LED lighting. Is it dangerous or not? What are the reasons for this phenomenon? What are the best lamps for home use? We will try to answer these and other questions in the article.

What is it

It is an ordinary lamp, which consists of many semiconductor crystals and an optical system. It is a semiconductor device that converts electrical voltage into light. The spectrum of emitted light depends on the chemical composition of the semiconductor. The first such device appeared in 1968 and was very expensive, and the mass production of lamps was launched only in the 21st century. Their design resembles a mini-computer and includes a case, LED, diffuser, heatsink, driver, base. If the LED lamp glows when the switch is off, do not panic. There are several logical explanations for this phenomenon.

Peculiarities

With the switch off? It should be noted that the LED-bulb is economical. It reduces electricity costs by almost six times. Long service life is one of the features of the device: the lamp retains its ability to illuminate for fifty thousand hours. It turns on immediately, without delay, like ordinary incandescent lamps. The composition of the LED does not contain hazardous elements, such as mercury and other heavy metals, which would have a negative impact on human health. In addition, the device practically does not heat up during operation, since it does not radiate heat. White light does not irritate the human eye, even so bright.

pros

What should I do if the LED lamp is on when the switch is off? This is not dangerous ? The mysterious afterglow does not pose a danger to humans. LED fixtures have many advantages:

• compared to conventional lighting, they consume a small amount of energy (10 volts) to evenly illuminate even a large room;
• do not emit ultraviolet light and do not damage the tissues of the human eye;
• do not heat the air;
• long service life allows significant savings (if the light bulb shines for five hours every day, it will last for ten years);
• environmentally friendly compared to energy-saving devices;
• their body is durable, protected from strong shocks and damage;
• weigh little;
• heat up in one second.

One of the reasons why the LED lamp glows when the switch is turned off is the presence of such a function in the switch.

Minuses

If the LED lamp is lit when the illuminated switch is off, there may be a wiring problem. Despite the innovation, functionality and technical characteristics, such lamps still have disadvantages:

• the main disadvantage is the high price of the device, compared with energy-saving and incandescent lamps;
• many users are annoyed by the spectrum of LEDs, they are not used for reading books or painstaking work;
• due to the massive use of LED lighting, electricity prices may rise.

These small drawbacks do not cover significant advantages, which include energy savings, quality and safety.

Causes

What should I do if the LED lamp is on when the switch is off? "RadioKot" - a forum dedicated to electronics, contains a lot of useful information on this topic. According to the members of the forum, there may be several reasons for the weak light after turning off.

1. Incorrect wiring connection.
2. The switch has a neon backlight.
3. The LED light is of poor quality.
4. The LED lamp has additional options (slowly fading lamp).

LED lamps are designed in such a way that their main work is constant voltage. Inside the device is a rectifier, which receives current. Sometimes it happens that after turning off the lamp is dimly lit or flickers. Wiring problems, poor quality of the LEDs used are the main reasons for this phenomenon. If the device uses a resistor, it keeps the diodes glowing. They accumulate electricity, so even after the lamps are turned off, they emit a weak light.

This happens when the illuminated switch is open. In this case, the current to the lamp comes from the switch itself. It does not affect the network load. The current performs the function of charging the capacitor. When the charge reaches a certain level, it flashes and turns off. Thus, the process proceeds in a circle, and there are short flashes in the lamp or LED strips.

If you don't want to experience flickering light during or after turning off, choose the right lamp. Conscientious manufacturers on the packaging always indicate instructions that indicate the principle of operation of LED lighting devices and recommendations for correct operation. It is undesirable to use LED lamps together with illuminated rocker switches, photocells, dimmers, timers. All this interferes with the operation of the product and causes periodic flashing.

Unfortunately, lighting fixtures are often faked. When buying, try to carefully study the packaging in which the lamp is located. The cause of burning after turning off, as well as flashing, is sometimes an incorrect installation. If this problem bothers you, try fixing it yourself. Check if the light bulb is screwed in securely (when the power is off). Remember that the simultaneous use of switches with neon lights (they are needed to recognize their location) and LEDs is not recommended.

Environmental friendliness

Are LEDs safe or not? Many believe that these lamps are dangerous to human health. If we compare them with energy-saving ones, which contain mercury, we can say with confidence: LED lighting is the future. They are not only economical, but also environmentally friendly. The lamps keep the environment intact, as they do not emit heavy metals after disposal. Their design is such that devices work without dangerous, harmful, toxic substances in the composition. Why is the LED lamp on when the switch is off on the car? The reason may be an incorrect wiring connection or an incorrectly selected light bulb.

Dangerous or not

Why is the LED lamp on when the switch is off? The reasons are different, one of which is a malfunction of the device or its poor quality. If we compare LED lamps and traditional ones (fluorescent, mercury, metal halide, sodium), the former are completely safe. Traditional modern lighting devices contain up to 100 mg of mercury vapor. If they are damaged during transportation or after they have served their time, toxic substances enter the atmosphere. Mercury is dangerous not only for the environment, but also for humans in any of its states - liquid or gaseous.

Exploitation

Does the LED lamp glow when the switch is off? It is recommended to replace the device with a new one if there are no problems with the wiring. Try not to neglect the rules for operating LED lamps, then they will work properly.

1. Dismantling and installation of the device is carried out with the electricity turned off.
2. Do not allow the LED lamp to come into contact with water.
3. It is not recommended to use the lamp unless it is protected from water and dust.
4. Lamps must not be used in appliances with a dimmer switch.
5. If the LED is used in a circuit with a switch that has a neon backlight, the tab will glow faintly when off.
6. To reduce the service life leads to the connection of the lamp to a voltage other than the rated voltage.
7. Temperature changes in the operation of the lamp lead to its breakdown.
8. LEDs can not be disposed of, as there are no hazardous substances in the composition.
9. Lamps are warranted for three years from the date of purchase.

LED lighting can completely replace traditional lighting. Such light bulbs are used in any lighting fixtures, interior, depending on the preferences of the person.

Price

In the course of the article, we found out why the LED lamp glows when the switch is off. But to use it or not - everyone decides for himself. An objective disadvantage of LEDs is their high cost. The average price for lamps is two hundred rubles. The cost depends on the design of the device, its size and manufacturer. Over time, LEDs will become more accessible to the public.

salt water lamp

Designer: Siyu Huang and Jiahui Song

The Clear Light lamp uses salt water to conduct electricity and make the lamp work. Essentially, salt water replaces conventional wires to reduce energy loss. The lamp is equipped with a voice switch and a metal plate on which the main controls are placed.

This is a handheld lantern that does not require fuel.

It was developed by Rafael and Aisa Midgeno - twins.

The prerequisite for the invention was the problems in the Greenpeace communities where Aisa worked. There is no electricity and gas here, it is impossible to buy kerosene for lamps due to interruptions in transport. But salt water is something that is everywhere and is inexpensive.

The lamp can work 8 hours on a glass of water and two teaspoons of salt. Two different types of metal are immersed in salt water. They shed excess electrons, which then travel from one metal to another through a wire, producing the electricity that powers the LEDs. The lamp is absolutely fireproof. It even has a USB port for charging smartphones.

The inventors propose to apply the same principle to street lamps using sea water.

In the future, perhaps, there will be power plants operating on this principle.

Although the lamp cores need to be replaced every 2 years, this is a very economical solution for the Filipinos.

The siblings dream of building a large salt water generator that can power an entire house in the future. In the meantime, they are preparing to launch mass production of their lamp, with the help of investors and grants from organizations such as USAID.

The issue of finding alternative energy sources is especially acute in developing countries, because they are constrained in material resources and do not have a particularly developed infrastructure for supplying electricity, especially environmentally friendly. When installing state-of-the-art solar panels and wind turbines, another problem arises - the lack of qualified personnel.

But as it turned out, in the case of such countries, it is not at all necessary to turn inside out, but it is only worth remembering simple things. For example, about a solar lamp that runs on salt water, which, in addition to lighting, makes it possible to serve as a charger for small gadgets, such as mobile phones.

In addition to a special light source, we do not need anything supernatural. It is enough to dissolve 16 salts in 350 ml of water in a special bag and pour the resulting substance into the lantern container. And no batteries, which is very convenient and environmentally friendly. Once inside the flashlight, the saline solution acts as an electrolyte, interacting with the magnesium wire (negative electrode) and the carbon wire (positive electrode). It is indeed capable of generating small amounts of electricity. True, it is not yet known what to do if only sea water is at hand.

The manufacturer claims that such lamps are capable of generating electricity for eight hours and have a power of 55 lumens. In this mode, they can work up to 120 hours, after which the magnesium electrode will have to be replaced. The lamps have a special USB port for connecting devices while charging.

Lamp operation:

The operation of the lamp is based on the principle of operation of a galvanic cell. The lamp uses salt water as an electrolyte in a galvanic battery. Two electrodes are placed in a solution with an electrolyte, energy is generated and it in turn lights the lamp.

The lamp is designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible using renewable energy sources. She has the ability to stay on for about eight hours a day and work for six months.

Aisa Mieno works for SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting). She founded this company with the goal of supplying 600 lamps to the local population of the Philippines.

In the future, Mieno plans to increase production in 2016 and bring these products to the mass market. Planned improvement will allow the LED lamp to last longer and recharge mobile phones

An energy-saving lamp is in every home. Is there any harm, why energy-saving lamps burn out or smell, what to do if the light bulb flashes, cracks or breaks, you will learn from this article.

In this article, we will consider the following questions:

Energy-saving lamps include lamps that work on glow effects due to the luminescence of the phosphor and the emissivity of LEDs. They have a traditional design: a glass flask mounted in a base (cartridge).

The action of the lamps is based on the start of a gas-discharge process that causes the glow of a phosphor concentrated on the walls of the glass bulb of the lamp. The gas discharge process is caused by a high voltage acting on a gaseous medium consisting of an inert gas and mercury vapor. This process is called the avalanche emission of electrons from the cathode towards another electrode.

Modern energy-saving lamps do not require separate power sources, they use the type of cartridge familiar to incandescent lamps, they are technologically advanced and meet electrical safety requirements.

Why is an energy-saving light bulb harmful?

Due to the fact that the gaseous environment of a fluorescent lamp contains a certain amount of mercury vapor, as a result of which there is a danger of poisoning. Long-term human contact with mercury vapor and its chemical compounds ends in death, but it should also be understood that even short-term contact can cause poisoning and even a neurological disease - mercurialism.

The glass bulb of a fluorescent lamp emits ultraviolet radiation, which can be dangerous for people with sensitive skin. Its danger lies in the impact on the eyes, damaging the retina and cornea.

The harm from energy-saving light bulbs lies in the danger of mercury vapor poisoning and exposure to the cornea and retina of the ultraviolet radiation.

Energy-saving light bulbs on the market are positioned not only as economical, but they are also more reliable than incandescent lamps. Fashion includes various devices that make life easier for a person in a metropolis. These are light switches. If the illumination is carried out by a neon light bulb, then the lamp is constantly energized, which leads to its premature resource consumption and rapid failure.

Another reason that energy-saving lamps burn out quickly may be a closed ceiling or other enclosed space where ventilation is difficult. Answer the question: " Why do energy saving light bulbs burn out? " analysis of the circuit for its inclusion, power surges will also allow. As the saying goes, nothing is eternal.

Why do energy-saving lamps smell or stink?

A foreign smell from an energy-saving lamp may be due to the heating of its plastic elements. The semiconductor elements of the power supply located in the base of the lamp operate in key mode. This is the most difficult mode of operation of switching elements - transistors in terms of energy. There are transistors on the board without heatsinks, heat removal is minimal, through a plastic case. Therefore, the smell can be given by the plastic elements used in the electric lamp.

If an odor is detected, the source should be carefully examined. Because the smell can be given not only by the lamp, but also by the cartridge into which it is inserted, and the insulation of the supply wires. The element that emits the smell must be replaced with a new, serviceable one. It is important to know that the cartridge into which the light bulb is inserted also has a limit on the power of the inserted load. This load should never be exceeded.

There have also been cases where the source of the odor was the varnish that was used to coat the circuit board of the lamp's power supply. This is evidence of the dishonesty of the lamp manufacturer, who decided to use an inappropriate element in the product. To avoid this, it is necessary to control the standards on the packaging of the lamp, which the lamps must comply with. The more standards a lamp meets, the better. The lamp emitting an unpleasant odor must be replaced.

The smell from energy-saving light bulbs should be the reason for the search for a possible source of ignition. Serviceable elements work practically without a smell.

Why do the energy-saving lamps that are off flash?

The flashing of electric lamps is clearly visible at night or in a dark room. These are such noticeable flashes of light with a frequency of about once per second. Here, the problem may also be hidden in the backlit switch. There is no problem on switches that do not have such a backlight.

The reason is as follows. Every energy-saving lamp has a capacitor that starts the lamp. When the switch is off, its LED lights up. This means that a small electric current passes through it (from the network and through our energy-saving lamp).

It is this small flowing current that charges the capacitor, which at a certain point in time starts the energy-saving lamp. Then a small flash occurs and the capacitor discharges again and the process repeats. That's why energy-saving light bulbs flicker.

Why does an energy-saving light bulb flicker?

An extraneous sound effect occurs due to a malfunction of the power supply elements of the lamp itself. Recall that it works in a pulsed mode, if the elements of the power supply fail, an unpleasant chirring may occur.

The sound may also be of contact origin due to poor contact in the cartridge. If the effect is of contact origin, then it is easily eliminated by restoring good contact. First of all, it is necessary to tighten the lamp in the cartridge more strongly.

When a positive result is not achieved in this way, it is necessary, with the switch off and the lamp unscrewed, to try to push the tongue of the lamp on which it sits in the cartridge. The last experiment is to replace the lamp with a new one or check it in another cartridge.

When an energy-saving light bulb crackles, it is necessary to check the lamp itself and the cartridge in which it is included.

What to do if the light bulb is broken

When an energy-saving lamp breaks, carefully collect the remains of the lamp, observing safety precautions. This is to ventilate the room so that the remnants of mercury vapor evaporate. Wet cleaning indoors should be carried out using a soapy water solution.

When cleaning, use rubber gloves; after cleaning, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, removing all possible remnants of the lamp from the room.

How to dispose of energy saving light bulbs?

It must be remembered that fluorescent lamps are not thrown away as ordinary garbage, where they break and everyone breathes mercury vapor, but recycling of energy saving light bulbs is carried out by handing them over to the appropriate collection points.

Outcome

There are many problems with fluorescent-type energy-saving lamps. The most common are flashing, sound effects and extraneous unpleasant odors can occur. In order to prevent these phenomena, it is necessary to choose lamps from time-tested manufacturers that meet a large number of international standards (from five), use energy-saving LED-type lamps.

Video: Energy-saving lamp flashes. Causes and how to fix

Many of the more than 7,000 islands that make up the Philippines do not have electricity - and when the sun sets below the horizon, the necessary light can be obtained mainly from kerosene lamps. And, as you know, kerosene, although incredibly cheap, is catastrophically harmful to the environment and human health. These factors led the startup SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting) to find the best solution. The lamp they developed burns for 8 hours and requires only a glass of water and two teaspoons of common salt.

Greenpeace engineer and volunteer Isa Micheno came up with the idea for SALt after living with a Filipino tribe for a while, using only kerosene lamps for lighting. She decided to replace these harmful and dangerous lamps with something that is plentiful in the Philippines: sea water.

The SALt LED lamp works on the basis of a galvanic battery, the electrolyte of which consists exclusively of salt water with two immersed electrodes.

As with any battery, charge-carrying lamp electrodes will not last forever. According to the developers, one lamp can be used for eight hours a day for six months, after which the anode will need to be replaced - which, however, is much less troublesome than constantly refueling kerosene lamps. The inventors also claim that the finished product will be able to charge smartphones via a USB port.

The company intends to deliver 600 lamps to Filipino tribes to begin with, but it also plans to scale up production and bring the lamps to market in early 2016. The price of the finished lamp has not yet been finally determined.

The device of LED lamps differs significantly from the device of conventional incandescent lamps. This is often the explanation for why LED lamps continue to burn when the switch is off (sorry for the tautology).

Device of LED lamps

Despite the variety of models and the difference in technical solutions depending on the manufacturer, each LED lamp has the main components:

• plinth;
• frame;
• LEDs;
• driver.

As in conventional lighting fixtures, the plinth is used for fastening, and the body for placing the main elements. Some of the lamps are equipped with radiators for cooling. Light emitting diodes are semiconductor elements that convert electrical energy into light radiation. The voltage they consume is much lower than the usual 220 V, and therefore the power is much less than that consumed by ordinary light bulbs. This is the basis for the savings in the operation of LED lamps. But to create the desired voltage, it is necessary to use special converters (drivers) that lower it to the required value. This is where the main differences come in. The converter is a complex device consisting of electronic components: a diode bridge, resistors, transistors, capacitors, chokes, and sometimes transformers.

Why do LED lamps work after turning off?

The glow of the device when it is turned off can be caused by several reasons.

The operation of the capacitor included in the driver

The property of the LED lamp to continue to work when the light is off for many consumers is quite a logical surprise. Electricity is not supplied, but the device is functioning. Then the next question arises: where does the food come from. Some electronic components are capable of storing electrical energy. The capacitor is one of them. It is part of the LED lamp. During its glow from the network, it accumulates electricity. When the electricity is completely turned off, the capacitance gives off the accumulated energy and acts in this case as a source of voltage. It is because of this detail that LED lamps can burn for a short time after being turned off.

The capacitance is considered reactance, since it is able to return the consumed power to the network. If it were not an integral element of LED lamps, then they could not shine when the electricity was turned off. Similar to how ordinary lamps stop working after being turned off, because they are very simple devices that do not contain reactive elements. When the electricity accumulated by the capacitor runs out, it ceases to be a power source and produce voltage, as a result of which the LED lamps cease to receive energy and go out. In this case, the accumulated charge is only enough for a few seconds to keep the device running after it has been turned off.

It is unlikely that this couple of moments of glow needs to be eliminated. Moreover, capacitance plays an important role in power conversion: it smooths out voltage ripples after a decrease.

LED switch

If the LED lamp glows for a long time after turning off, then the reason is different. Perhaps the lighting device is used in conjunction with a switch. Very often, an LED switch is used, which, in addition to the main function of disconnecting the electrical circuit, also performs an additional one: it shines when the lamp is turned off. To do this, it is equipped with an LED, which is energized at the moment when the light bulb is not working. Due to the parallel connection, no power is supplied to the lamp. That is, at this moment, an electric current passes through the switch LED, which charges the aforementioned capacitor. When the latter accumulates a sufficient amount of electricity, it begins to give it to the network, acting as a power source. LED light bulbs receive this electricity and glow. After the reactive element is discharged, there is no energy, and the light bulb stops burning. The capacitor is then charged again and the process is repeated. It will then shine, then go out, which visually looks like a blink.

Important! This drawback disrupts the normal operation of the device, increases the amount of electricity consumed, and shortens the service life.

It is necessary to consider what can be done in order to eliminate the described defect.

Ways to eliminate blinking

1. The easiest way out is to replace the switch with another one that does not light up. After opening the entire circuit, it will not glow, so during the disconnection no voltage is required, and the current that recharges the capacitor will not flow. The advantages of this method are speed and simplicity, but its disadvantage is the additional financial cost of a new switch.
2. Self-removal of the backlight from the switch. In this case, you will need to disassemble the lamp housing, unscrew or bite off the wire that goes to the resistor and the LED with wire cutters.
3. Adding a shunt resistor. This method is suitable for those who want both the LED bulb not to blink and the switch to glow in the dark. But for its implementation, some technical actions are required. First of all, you will need to purchase a resistor with a resistance of about 50 kOhm and a power of 2-3 W, this can be found in any radio parts store. Then you need to remove the lamp cover, and plug the wires extending from the resistor into the terminal block to which the network wires are connected.
   

   Important! Before starting work, the circuit should be de-energized by turning off the machine, and safety precautions must be observed during work. Do not do this work yourself if you are not confident in your abilities. Working with high voltage is life-threatening!

   As a result, the resistance will be connected in parallel with the lamp, and when it is turned off, the current flowing through the switch LED will also pass through the resistor, and not through the driver capacitor, so it will not get a chance to recharge. As a result, the LED lamp will not light when the switch is off.

If the owner does not want to deal with electrics, as the described methods suggest, then you can simply additionally screw in an ordinary incandescent lamp if there is a free cartridge in the chandelier. The disadvantages of this method is that it will shine when the LED lamp is turned off. Thus, the blinking will be replaced by a constant one. Also, the disadvantages include the fact that a screwed-in light bulb will consume electricity at those moments when lighting is not required at all.

Errors when connecting electrical wiring to the switch

If the LED lamp continues to work even when it is turned off, and the person does not use the backlit switch, then the reason may be incorrect wiring: a zero was connected to the switch instead of a phase. In this case, when the circuit is opened, zero is turned off, and not the phase, as a result of which the wiring is energized. As a result, the lamp is lit when the switch is off. This situation must be corrected by connecting the wires correctly. Otherwise, during the planned replacement of the lighting device, even when everything is turned off, there will be a danger of getting an electric shock, because the wiring will be energized.

Whichever way you choose to eliminate the flashing of LED lights after turning off, compliance with safety regulations is mandatory, and error-free wiring to the switch is the key to the normal operation of the device.