Hi.

Some of the lights in my house are behaving strangely. One of them
behaves normally when turned on but blinks rapidly on and off every
four seconds when the light is switched *off* (a bit disturbing) and
another one two floors below is just not working.

I will have to get a professional electrician in to help with this
because I know nothing about the subject but what could be the
explanation (particularly with the light that's on when it's off)?

Eq.

Paul E Collins wrote:
Hi.

Some of the lights in my house are behaving strangely. One of them
behaves normally when turned on but blinks rapidly on and off every
four seconds when the light is switched *off* (a bit disturbing) and

What sort of bulb? (low energy by any chance?)

another one two floors below is just not working.

Could be lots of things... replace the bulb?



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
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| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

"John Rumm" wrote:

[light blinking when the switch is off]

What sort of bulb? (low energy by any chance?)

Yep, it's a Philips 60W energy saver.

another one two floors below is just not working.

Could be lots of things... replace the bulb?

Possibly I just wondered if the two things together were likely to
indicate an electrical problem throughout the whole house. There was a
thunderstorm last night and a three-hour power cut in the area, in
case those things could be related.

Eq.

Paul E Collins wrote:
"John Rumm" wrote:

[light blinking when the switch is off]
What sort of bulb? (low energy by any chance?)

Yep, it's a Philips 60W energy saver.

another one two floors below is just not working.
Could be lots of things... replace the bulb?

Possibly I just wondered if the two things together were likely to
indicate an electrical problem throughout the whole house. There was a
thunderstorm last night and a three-hour power cut in the area, in
case those things could be related.

Eq.


nope. Just some capacitative pickup.

If only they would sire a high resistance across the bulbs..

"Paul E Collins" wrote in message
...
Hi.

Some of the lights in my house are behaving strangely. One of them behaves
normally when turned on but blinks rapidly on and off every four seconds
when the light is switched *off* (a bit disturbing) and another one two
floors below is just not working.

I will have to get a professional electrician in to help with this because
I know nothing about the subject but what could be the explanation
(particularly with the light that's on when it's off)?

Eq.


Would that be a Philips energy saving bulb by any chance? If so, contact
them via the web site and they will exchange them. There were thousands
sold through Morrisons a while back that were faulty and should have been
recalled. It's caused by a tiny current flowing between earth and neutral
triggering the circuit and making the tube flash quickly every few seconds.
I had suspected it was my mobile phone or a nearby phone transmitter
triggering it, but that wasn't the case. If I still had the official
admission from Philips I would post it.

I had 6 of them replaced, all I had to do was say where I got them and also
give the bar code on the box.

Philips know about the faulty bulbs but they are still being sold.

On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 22:17:28 +0100, "Paul E Collins"
mused:

"John Rumm" wrote:

[light blinking when the switch is off]

What sort of bulb? (low energy by any chance?)

Yep, it's a Philips 60W energy saver.

another one two floors below is just not working.

Could be lots of things... replace the bulb?

Possibly I just wondered if the two things together were likely to
indicate an electrical problem throughout the whole house. There was a
thunderstorm last night and a three-hour power cut in the area, in
case those things could be related.

Change the lamp downstairs, get a decent energy saving lamp.
--
Regards,
Stuart.

On 20 Jun, 22:17, "Paul E Collins"
wrote:
"John Rumm" wrote:

[light blinking when the switch is off]

What sort of bulb? (low energy by any chance?)

Yep, it's a Philips 60W energy saver.

Its a standard issue with cfls and some lighting wiring. Solution is
either of:
Put a filament bulb on the same circuit as the cfl
Put a high value resistor across the light fitting (switched L to N).
- Note you need a 400v resistor, not a 0.3w 200v type.
- 2x 200v Rs in series is ok
- calculate value to dissipate 0.25w.


another one two floors below is just not working.

Could be lots of things... replace the bulb?

Possibly I just wondered if the two things together were likely to
indicate an electrical problem throughout the whole house. There was a
thunderstorm last night and a three-hour power cut in the area, in
case those things could be related.

Eq.

No and no. Prime suspects would be a wire loose at switch or light
fitting, or a bad switch.


NT

wrote:

On 20 Jun, 22:17, "Paul E Collins"
wrote:

"John Rumm" wrote:


[light blinking when the switch is off]

What sort of bulb? (low energy by any chance?)

Yep, it's a Philips 60W energy saver.


Its a standard issue with cfls and some lighting wiring. Solution is
either of:
Put a filament bulb on the same circuit as the cfl
Put a high value resistor across the light fitting (switched L to N).
- Note you need a 400v resistor, not a 0.3w 200v type.
- 2x 200v Rs in series is ok

Since when were resitors rated for voltage, apart from EHT?

Dave

Dave said the following on 21/06/2007 00:25:

snip


Since when were resitors rated for voltage, apart from EHT?


Dunno. At least the last 30 years.

Rumble said the following on 21/06/2007 10:30:
Dave said the following on 21/06/2007 00:25:

snip


Since when were resitors rated for voltage, apart from EHT?


Dunno. At least the last 30 years.

http://docs-europe.electrocomponents...6b8059e7d0.pdf

http://docs-europe.electrocomponents...6b80098b49.pdf

Dave wrote:
wrote:

On 20 Jun, 22:17, "Paul E Collins"
wrote:

"John Rumm" wrote:


[light blinking when the switch is off]

What sort of bulb? (low energy by any chance?)

Yep, it's a Philips 60W energy saver.


Its a standard issue with cfls and some lighting wiring. Solution is
either of:
Put a filament bulb on the same circuit as the cfl
Put a high value resistor across the light fitting (switched L to N).
- Note you need a 400v resistor, not a 0.3w 200v type.
- 2x 200v Rs in series is ok

Since when were resitors rated for voltage, apart from EHT?


Actually, they all are.

Its about insulation breakdown an arcing between the spiral cut carbon
film that forms the resistor.

Typical small stuff is rated (I thought) to about 400V..but I would be
chary of using em on mains anyway. Mains rated ones are more likely to
be carbon rod types.



Dave

On 21 Jun, 00:25, Dave wrote:
wrote:
On 20 Jun, 22:17, "Paul E Collins"
wrote:
"John Rumm" wrote:

[light blinking when the switch is off]

What sort of bulb? (low energy by any chance?)

Yep, it's a Philips 60W energy saver.

Its a standard issue with cfls and some lighting wiring. Solution is
either of:
Put a filament bulb on the same circuit as the cfl
Put a high value resistor across the light fitting (switched L to N).
- Note you need a 400v resistor, not a 0.3w 200v type.
- 2x 200v Rs in series is ok

Since when were resitors rated for voltage, apart from EHT?

Dave

I dont know a specific date, but it'll go back at least to when Rs
were miniaturised, and maybe much further. The common 0.25w and 0.3w
resistors are normally 200v rated.


NT