LED Lights Won't Work in Some Recessed Fixtures
#9
It's kind of an odd problem.  I have recessed lighting in my kitchen.  I replaced the incandescent bulbs with LED lighting and after a couple of months, I noticed a couple of the lights flickering, then they just stopped working.  I thought I might have a problem with the fixtures themselves, but they work just fine with CFL or incandescent bulbs.  And, the LED lights work fine in other recessed fixtures in the kitchen.

Any thoughts on what might cause this?
Still Learning,

Allan Hill
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#10
(03-02-2019, 11:33 AM)AHill Wrote: It's kind of an odd problem.  I have recessed lighting in my kitchen.  I replaced the incandescent bulbs with LED lighting and after a couple of months, I noticed a couple of the lights flickering, then they just stopped working.  I thought I might have a problem with the fixtures themselves, but they work just fine with CFL or incandescent bulbs.  And, the LED lights work fine in other recessed fixtures in the kitchen.

Any thoughts on what might cause this?

Check the specs.  Some specifically state they will not work in "enclosed" fixtures.  I believe it is a heat issue.
I tried not believing.  That did not work, so now I just believe
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#11
Are the lights on a dimmer, and are they "dimmable"? The wrong type dimmer can cause problems. If you have one of the fancy LED compatible dimmers you might find a "lowest light setting' behind the switch plate. (Some will require you find the directions to follow the proper setting procedure.)  These types of switches have also caused problems when all of the bulbs are not the same; they especially don't like to power either incandescent or compact fluorescent bulbs with LED.
Sign at N.E. Vocational School Cabinetmaking Shop 1976, "Free knowledge given daily... Bring your own container"
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#12
Both the things mentioned above have been problems for me. The enclosed fixtures I didn't try to solve since there were so few in our house. But I've replaced a lot the old rotary dimmer switches to allow for LED bulbs. Just as well, I think those rotary dimmers really suck anyway.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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#13
(03-02-2019, 12:16 PM)fredhargis Wrote: Both the things mentioned above have been problems for me. The enclosed fixtures I didn't try to solve since there were so few in our house. But I've replaced a lot the old rotary dimmer switches to allow for LED bulbs. Just as well, I think those rotary dimmers really suck anyway.

LEDs are an electronic component and LED dimmers are pulse width modulated. Meaning they sort of re-create the sine wave to dim the LED. The adjustment changes the frequency of the pulse but not the voltage or amperage.

Incandescent lights are an electrical component and their dimmers use a rheostat. It's an adjustable resistor. Using a rheostat with LED lamps will ruin the lamps.
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#14
Most LED light bulbs exclude enclosed fixtures. Were your bulbs regular bulbs or LED flood lights?

I have had much better luck in recessed lights with the led floods
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#15
I got rid of all the recessed cans except one over the kitchen sink, which is inside a soffit.  The others were heat sinks, the amount of dirt in the insulation from airflow was amazing.  Put in J-boxes and surface mount down lights.  They aren't the prettiest thing, but you can't see them when they are on.

There are lots of led's meant to replace the trim on a can.  I would do that.
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#16
I've been installing These (Globe Electric Canless)  recessed lights for the downstairs kitchen/ dining room remodel. I wish they were available when I did the upstairs. No cans, just cut a 4-1/2 hole and pop them in. The lights have a pleasing color, more like an incandescent bulb. I'm using the cheap Lutron LED dimmer switches. All the wire connections are "push in" so no wire nuts and have enough slots to daisy chain the lamps. There is enough room in the box to split the circuit and have three wire nuts. You just need to buy one of these
for each light. Lamps are 9 watt and produce the equivalent a 60 watt bulb. Plenty bright. Much easier than cans and I can put lamps closer to joists, under ducts and pipes because there are no cans. The box stands about one inch tall over the sheetrock ceiling, the lamp itself sits nearly flush with the top of the sheetrock..
Neil Summers Home Inspections




I came to a stop sign and a skanky tweaker chick in a tube top climbed out of the brush and propositioned me.  She looked like she didn't have any teeth so I counted that as a plus.


... Kizar Sosay





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