GU 10 led lamps flashing when off

Hi could any one tell me if there is a fix for GU10 led lamps flashing when switched off. I have 2 C-Bus 2 8ch dimmers L5508 DIA series and 1 12 channel L5512 RVF. I am an electrician but I only did the programming and touch courses for my own benefit and to do my own home as nobody in my area 5 years ago.

 

I am going to assume that the GU10 LEDs you have bought are only flashing when connected to the dimmers, not relays. The outputs from the relays are fully disconnected when off, as the relay contacts are open, so there shouldn't be any flashing from them. If there is, then there may be a wiring fault.

The flashing of small loads on dimmers comes about because of the capacitors that are placed across the dimmer channels internally. There are necessary to meet the legal EMC requirements and you'll find them on just about any leading-edge dimmer. This means that there's a small amount of energy available on the output of the dimmer channel, even when it's off. This is sometimes enough to make CFL's or LEDs try and turn on, resulting in the flashing you see even when the dimmer is turned off.

A few different options are discussed in this thread, although I'd assume that's a different LED lamp to the ones you've got. In short, if you're going to stick with the LEDs you've purchased you need to either bleed that energy past the lamp somehow or you need to disconnect the LEDs from the dimmer when they're off. Putting more lamps on a channel can help too.

Unfortunately the LED lighting market is still very much in a state of change so, until things stabilise, it's a case of "buyer beware". There's lots of false claims out there or, as we say, "creative advertising".

There are some very good LED products out there, but they're often expensive and you need to research the dimming compatibility fairly carefully.

 

Many thanks

Thanks for the info you are correct this was only happening on the dimmers. I had only tried 1 lamp when I tried circuits where I now fitted 3 lamps the flashing stopped. Where I have single lamps like the toilet I will fit an isolating relay operated by the dimmer. Just for my info will this cap still be using power now that more than 1 lamp is fitted.
Mark

 

There will always be a little bit of power bleeding through this capacitor, regardless of how many loads you connect, but the amount is pretty small. I can't remember exactly how much it is but it's under 1W from memory.

 

Thanks

Thanks Again