Fixing LED Lights: Practical Tips And Advice
It is believed that the lifespan of LED lights is almost infinite or at least very long. It's not always true when it comes to outdoor lighting, especially in winter. In the USA, Canada and most of Europe winter is usually very damp, so the water can get into lighting fixtures. LED outdoor lights are supposed to be sealed, but the assembling is not always perfect. And when water gets into a LED light, it causes corrosion which will obviously ruin the electronics inside.
This issue can be easily fixed. The first step is always to check out the quality of sealing and add a drop of grease to stop water from getting into the light.
Take a look at some of most common LED light problems and the ways to avoid or fix them:
LED String Lights Failures
When it comes to LED string lights, it is vital to detect the failed light and replace it as soon as possible. There are two main ways of making string lights - in first case failed bulb will stop the work of the whole string, and in second case the string will still be working but the rest of LED bulbs will be under the higher voltage which may cause additional failures.
While in second case the solution is quite simple - just replacing the failed LED bulb will solve the problem, in first case everything is not so clear. If the one bulb is not working the whole string fails, so the failed light usually cannot be detected. Thus you'll need to pull out each bulb and successively insert a new one in its place until you find the failed one. Read the user's manual before doing this.
Sometimes you may detect the stuck caps. In this case drip a bit of WD40 lubricant onto the connection of the cap and the socket and cautiously pull out the bulb.
Outdoor LED lighting failures
Statistically the most failures of outdoor LED lighting are caused by corrosion. There are two different metals inside the LED light fixture - the socket contact and the LED lead. When exposed to water (and even oxygen, from which the air we breathe consists), these materials can undergo a chemical reaction that causes corrosion and finally failure of the light bulb. Luckily it's easy to enhance the waterproof characteristics of an outdoor lighting by using some dielectric grease. It will stop the humidity and air from getting into the LED light and consequently prevent the corrosion.
A Problem with Flickering LED Lights.
One of the most common problem with LED lights is that they can flicker very often. LED bulbs are not cheap, and even replacing the old bulb with the new one doesn't always solve the problem. Still, this trouble can usually be fixed.
If flickering isn't permanent and happens occasionally, the reason is usually voltage changes. If your LEDs flicker when you turn on some large household appliances at the same time, this means that there are voltage fluctuations within the wiring of your house. The most large appliances need more electric power to start than to work consistently, so turning them on will often cause power surges that affect not only LED lights, but the home's whole electrical system. These power surges can cause big problems which might not even be covered by insurance, so fixing this issue is vital. And of course you can thank your LED lights for signalizing the problem. The fixing of this problem isn't cheap, but it must be done. The high wattage appliances should be moved to their own 240 volt circuits. This will help to minimize power drop problems and at the same time will stop LED lights from flickering.
The simple loose connection of a LED light bulb with the socket can also cause flickering. Check out the connections and screw the bulb into the socket tighter if necessary.
When we replace the old incandescent light bulbs with the new LED lights, we don't usually think about the switches. However if you have an old dimmer switch, it may not always be compatible with the contemporary LEDs. Try to replace a couple of LED light bulbs with the CFL lights. This will correct load problems and most likely fix the flicker of remaining LEDs.
As you can see, most of the problems can be fixed by yourself. Still, if you need to change wires, it's better to call the pro electrician. Also in some cases you'll need building permits, so make sure that you don't break any laws.
Good luck!
