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Electrical question.

Ohiosam

Ohiosam

*Supporting Member*
12,148
215
Mahoning Co.
Yesterday I replaced a CFL with an LED in a fixture on a 3 way switch. Last night my wife noticed the LED had a dull glow with the switch off. I tried the switches both ways and it still glowed. I'm guessing there's some stray voltage but how? Bad switch? Wiring mistake? Something else? This circuit was installed by a licensed electrician 25 years ago.

Btw Ace hardware has 60w equivalent LED bulbs for $2.99 with an Ace rewards card.
 
Ohiosam said:
It's a hard wired wall fixture, no plug.
Click to expand...

If you know the breaker being used, pop it and see if it goes out, the LED bulbs also have phosphor in them and I think it may have something too do with emitting the glow as well.... Our Xmas outdoor lights did the same but only on one strand (there were 4 strands) pulled the plug and it still glowed....
 
Check the volts in the socket with the switch off. If you're getting a reading you might have a hot neutral.

However I would be more inclined to point the finger at the three dollar led bulb.
 
Ok what I'm reading (or what I think I'm reading) is it that on a 3 way circuit one wire is always hot. The adjacent wires act as antennae picking up some voltage through electromagnetic radiation (radio waves). In an incandescent or CFL it's not an issue but LEDs will glow with a few milliamps of current. Most places it is a non-issue but this is our bedroom.
 
Ohiosam said:
Ok what I'm reading (or what I think I'm reading) is it that on a 3 way circuit one wire is always hot. The adjacent wires act as antennae picking up some voltage through electromagnetic radiation (radio waves). In an incandescent or CFL it's not an issue but LEDs will glow with a few milliamps of current. Most places it is a non-issue but this is our bedroom.
Click to expand...

Mood lighting lol
 
"J" said:
Mood lighting lol
Click to expand...

Oh how nice. There you go Sam. . . You can still make your wife glow!

We have a 3 way switch in our kitchen. I recently swapped the fixture. I was nervous because I had a reading of some low voltage creeping thru no matter how the light switches were configured.
 
[Q UOTE=Ohiosam;458538]Ok what I'm reading (or what I think I'm reading) is it that on a 3 way circuit one wire is always hot. The adjacent wires act as antennae picking up some voltage through electromagnetic radiation (radio waves). In an incandescent or CFL it's not an issue but LEDs will glow with a few milliamps of current. Most places it is a non-issue but this is our bedroom.[/QUOTE]
Also called a hot neutral. There's some fancy acronym for when it bleeds through the air. Electo something discharge. Glad you got it figured out.
 
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