LED light bulb in a glass of water. Why do LED lamps burn when the lights are off? Video: Energy-saving lamp flashes

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Details Published: 07/30/2015 09:36

Residents of the Philippines are familiar with problems with centralized power supply firsthand - more than 7,000 thousand islands of the state are forced to use, as a rule, “flammable” lamps after dark. Although products like kerosene are low in cost, they are potentially fire hazardous, provide “little” benefit to human health and the environment, and, in the end, are simply inconvenient.

In addition, such lighting requires some constant financial “infusions” and, together with other inconveniences, this pushed the startup’s authors to search for a new solution. Eventually they developed SALt(Sustainable Alternative Lighting) - a lamp that can burn for 8 hours on one glass of water and two teaspoons of salt.

Greenpeace volunteer and part-time engineer at De La Salle University Aisa Mijeno came up with the idea of creating “ salt lamp"While staying with local Filipino tribes, observing their life and communicating with them after sunset in the light of kerosene lamps. At that time, she was struck by the idea of finding an alternative to the unsafe light source, replacing it with something that the island country has more than enough of – salt water.

The SALt lamp (translated from English as “salt”) is an LED lamp, the energy source for which is galvanic cell. The role of the electrolyte in it is played by simple salt water, into which two electrodes are placed. Like most similar batteries, the electrodes that transmit the charge have limited period services.

The development team claims that their " salt lamp"can shine for 8 hours a day for approximately 6 months, and after this period the anode must be replaced. Be that as it may, seawater lamps require much less maintenance than their paraffin counterparts.

“This is not just a product - it is a social movement,” says SALt on its official website. One way or another, the startup has already won many prizes and awards, including Asia Entrepreneurship Award 2015, Kotra Award - Startup Nations Summit 2014, National Research Foundation TechVenture 2015 and others.

According to the inventors, the finished product - a salt battery - will not only provide light to homes without a central power grid, but will also allow charging mobile devices(smartphones, tablets) via USB port, built into the side of the lamp.

To begin with, the startup intends to release about 600 LED lamps SALt for local islander tribes. And in the future, they plan to put the production of LED salt lamps on an assembly line and release the finished version to the mass market at the beginning of 2016. On this moment You can place a pre-order on the company's website. The cost of the product has not yet been disclosed.

Video: startup SALt

There is an energy-saving lamp in every home. Is there any harm, why do energy-saving lamps burn out or smell, what to do if the light bulb blinks, crackles or breaks in this article.

In this article we will consider the following questions:

Energy-saving lamps include lamps that operate on glow effects due to the luminescence of the phosphor and the emissivity of LEDs. They have a traditional design: a glass bulb mounted in a base (cartridge).

The action of the lamps is based on the launch of a gas-discharge process, causing the glow of the phosphor concentrated on the walls of the glass bulb of the lamp. The gas discharge process is caused by high voltage acting on a gas medium consisting of an inert gas and mercury vapor. This process is called avalanche emission of electrons from the cathode towards another electrode.

Modern energy-saving lamps do not require separate power sources, use the type of socket familiar to incandescent lamps, are technologically advanced and meet electrical safety requirements.

Why is an energy-saving light bulb harmful?

Due to the fact that the gaseous environment of a fluorescent lamp contains a certain amount of mercury vapor, as a result of which there is a danger of poisoning. Long-term human contact with mercury vapor and its chemical compounds ends in death, but it should also be understood that even short-term contact can cause poisoning and even a neurological disease - mercurialism.

Ultraviolet radiation comes out through the glass bulb of a fluorescent lamp, which can pose a danger to people with sensitive skin. Its danger lies in its effect on the eyes, damaging the retina and cornea.

Harm from energy saving light bulbs lies in the danger of poisoning with mercury vapor and exposure to ultraviolet radiation on the cornea and retina.

Energy-saving light bulbs on the market are positioned not only as economical, but they are also more reliable than incandescent lamps. Included in fashion various devices, making life easier for people in the metropolis. These are backlit switches. If the illumination is provided by a neon light bulb, then the lamp is constantly under voltage, which leads to its premature consumption and rapid failure.

Another reason that energy-saving lamps burn out quickly may be a closed lampshade or other enclosed space where ventilation is difficult. Answer the question: " Why do energy-saving light bulbs burn out? " Analysis of its switching circuit and voltage surges will also allow. As they say, nothing lasts forever.

Why do energy-saving lamps smell or stink?

A foreign odor from an energy-saving lamp may be due to the heating of its plastic elements. The semiconductor elements of the power supply, located in the base of the lamp, operate in key mode. This is the most energy-heavy mode of operation of switching elements - transistors. The transistors on the board are located without heatsinks, heat dissipation is minimal, through a plastic case. Therefore, the odor may come from the plastic elements used in the electric lamp.

If an odor is detected, the source should be thoroughly examined. Because the smell can be caused not only by the lamp, but also by the socket in which it is inserted, and the insulation of the supply wires. The element that produces the odor must be replaced with a new, serviceable one. It is important to know that the socket into which the light bulb is inserted also has a limitation on the power of the inserted load. This load should never be exceeded.

There are also cases where the source of the odor was the varnish that was used to cover the circuit board of the lamp power supply. This is evidence of dishonesty of the lamp manufacturer, who decided to use an inappropriate element in the product. To avoid this, it is necessary to monitor the standards on the lamp packaging that the lamps must comply with. The more standards a lamp meets, the better. A lamp that emits an unpleasant odor should be replaced.

The smell from energy-saving light bulbs should prompt a search for a possible source of fire. Serviceable elements operate with virtually no odor.

Why do energy-saving lamps that are turned off blink?

The flashing of electric lamps is clearly visible in dark time days or in a dark room. These are noticeable flashes of light with a frequency of approximately once per second. Here the problem may also be hidden in the backlit switch. The problem does not exist on switches that do not have such backlighting.

The reason is this. Every energy saving lamp has a capacitor that runs the lamp. When the switch is turned off, it lights up LED lights. This means that a small electric current passes through it (from the mains and through our energy-saving lamp).

It is this small flowing current that charges the capacitor, which at a certain point in time starts the energy-saving lamp. Then a small flash occurs and the capacitor discharges again and the process repeats. This is why energy-saving light bulbs flicker.

Why does an energy-saving light bulb crack?

An extraneous sound effect occurs due to a malfunction of the power supply elements of the lamp itself. Let us remind you that it operates in pulse mode; if the power supply elements are faulty, an unpleasant chirping noise may occur.

The sound may also have a contact origin due to bad contact in the cartridge. If the effect is of contact origin, it is easily eliminated by restoration good contact. First of all, you need to tighten the lamp in the socket.

When a positive result is not achieved in this way, it is necessary, with the switch turned off and the lamp unscrewed, try to pull out the lamp tongue on which it sits in the socket. The last experiment is to replace the lamp with a new one or test it in a different socket.

When an energy-saving light bulb cracks, you need to check the lamp itself and the socket in which it is included.

What to do if the light bulb breaks

When Powersave lamp broken, it is necessary to carefully collect the remains of the lamp, observing safety precautions. This is to ventilate the room so that the remaining mercury vapor evaporates. Carry out wet cleaning of the room using a soapy water solution.

When cleaning, you should use rubber gloves; after cleaning, wash your hands thoroughly with soap, removing all possible remnants of the lamp from the room.

How to recycle energy-saving light bulbs?

It must be remembered that fluorescent lamps are not thrown away like regular garbage, where they break down and everyone breathes mercury vapor, but recycling energy-saving light bulbs occurs by handing them over to the appropriate collection points.

Bottom line

There are a lot of problems with energy-saving fluorescent lamps. The most common are flashing, sound effects and foreign unpleasant odors may arise. In order to prevent these phenomena, it is necessary to choose lamps from time-tested manufacturers that satisfy a large number international standards (from five), use energy-saving LED lamps.

Video: Energy saving lamp flashes. Causes and how to eliminate

With the switch off? This is a question that interests many users of modern LED lighting. Is it dangerous or not? What are the reasons for this phenomenon? What are the best lamps to use at home? We will try to answer these and other questions in the article.

What is this

It is an ordinary lamp, which consists of many semiconductor crystals and optical system. This semiconductor device, transformative electrical voltage into lighting. The spectrum of emitted light depends on the chemical composition of the semiconductor. The first such device appeared in 1968 and was very expensive, and mass production of lamps was launched only in the 21st century. Their design resembles a mini-computer and includes a case, LED, diffuser, radiator, driver, and base. If the LED lamp glows when the switch is off, do not panic. There are several logical explanations for this phenomenon.

Peculiarities

With the switch off? It should be noted that the LED bulb is economical. It reduces electricity costs by almost six times. Long term service is one of the features of the device: the lamp retains its ability to illuminate for fifty thousand hours. It turns on immediately, without delay, like regular incandescent lamps. The LED does not contain hazardous elements, such as mercury and other heavy metals, which would have harmful effects. Negative influence on human health. In addition, the device practically does not heat up during operation, since it does not emit heat. White light does not irritate the human eye, even so bright.

pros

What should I do if the LED lamp glows when the switch is off? This is not dangerous ? The mysterious afterglow does not pose a danger to humans. LED devices have many advantages:

Compared to conventional lighting, they consume a small amount of energy (10 volts) to evenly illuminate even a large room;
do not emit ultraviolet light and do not damage human eye tissue;
do not heat the air;
long service life allows for significant savings (if the light bulb shines for five hours every day, it will last for ten years);
environmentally friendly compared to energy-saving devices;
their body is durable, protected from strong impacts and damage;
weigh little;
warms up in one second.

One of the reasons why an LED lamp glows when the switch is off is because there is such a function in the switch.

Minuses

If the LED light glows when the light switch is off, there may be a problem with the wiring. Despite the innovation, functionality and specifications, such lamps still have disadvantages:

the main disadvantage is the high price of the device compared to energy-saving and incandescent lamps;
many users are annoyed by the light spectrum of LEDs; they are not used for reading books or hard work;
Due to the massive use of LED lighting, electricity prices may rise.

These small disadvantages do not cover the significant advantages, which include energy savings, quality and safety.

Causes

What should I do if the LED lamp glows when the switch is off? "RadioKot" - a forum dedicated to electronics, contains a lot useful information about this theme. According to forum members, there may be several reasons for the weak light after switching off.

Incorrect electrical wiring connection.
The switch has neon lighting.
The LED lamp turned out to be of poor quality.
The LED lamp has additional options(slowly extinguishing lamp).

LED lamps are designed in such a way that their main job is to constant pressure. There is a rectifier inside the device, which receives current. Sometimes it happens that after turning off the lamp burns dimly or flickers. Problems with wiring and poor quality of LEDs used are the main reasons for this phenomenon. If the device uses a resistor, it keeps the diodes glowing. Electricity accumulates in them, so even after turning off the lamps emit a weak light.

This happens when the backlit switch is open. In this case, the current to the lamp comes from the switch itself. It does not affect the network load. The current performs the function of charging the capacitor. When charging reaches a certain level, it flashes and turns off. Thus, the process proceeds in a circle, and short blinks occur in the lamp or LED strips.

If you don't want to experience flickering lights during or after a shutdown, choose the right lamp. Conscientious manufacturers always indicate instructions on the packaging, which indicate the operating principle of LED lighting devices and recommendations for correct operation. It is not advisable to use LED bulbs together with backlit key switches, photocells, brightness controls, timers. All this interferes with the operation of the product and causes periodic blinking.

Unfortunately, lighting fixtures are often counterfeited. When purchasing, try to carefully study the packaging in which the lamp is located. The cause of burning after switching off, as well as blinking, is sometimes incorrect installation. If this problem bothers you, try to fix it yourself. Check that the light bulb is screwed in securely (with the power off). Remember that the simultaneous use of switches with neon lights (they are needed to recognize their location) and LEDs is not recommended.

Environmental friendliness

Are LEDs safe or not? Many people believe that these lamps are dangerous to human health. If we compare them with energy-saving ones, which contain mercury, we can say with confidence: LED lighting is the future. They are not only economical, but also environmentally friendly. The lamps protect the environment because they do not emit heavy metals after disposal. Their design is such that the devices operate without dangerous, harmful, toxic substances in their composition. Why does the LED lamp light up when the switch is turned off on the car? The cause may be incorrect wiring connections or an incorrectly selected light bulb.

Dangerous or not

Why does the LED lamp light up when the switch is off? There are different reasons, one of which is a malfunction of the device or its poor quality. If we compare LED lamps and traditional ones (fluorescent, mercury, metal halide, sodium) - the first are completely safe. Traditional modern lighting devices contain up to 100 mg of mercury vapor. If they are damaged during transportation or after they have served their useful life, toxic substances are released into the atmosphere. Mercury is dangerous not only for environment, but also for a person in any of its states - liquid or gaseous.

Exploitation

Does the LED lamp glow when the switch is off? It is recommended to replace the device with a new one if there are no problems with the electrical wiring. Try not to neglect the rules for using LED lamps, then they will work properly.

Dismantling and installation of the device is carried out with the electricity turned off.
Do not allow the LED lamp to come into contact with water.
It is not recommended to use the lamp unless it is protected from water and dust.
Lamps cannot be used in devices with a brightness control.
If the LED is used in a circuit with a switch that has a neon backlight, the light will glow faintly when turned off.
Connecting the lamp to a voltage different from the rated voltage leads to a reduction in service life.
Temperature changes in the operation of the lamp lead to its failure.
LEDs do not need to be recycled as they contain no hazardous substances.
The lamps are guaranteed for three years from the date of purchase.

LED lighting can completely replace traditional lighting. Such light bulbs are used in any lighting fixtures and interiors, depending on a person’s preferences.

Price

In the course of the article, we found out why the LED lamp glows when the switch is off. But whether to use it or not is up to everyone to decide for themselves. The objective disadvantage of LEDs is their high cost. average price for lamps is two hundred rubles. The cost depends on the design of the device, its size and manufacturer. Over time, LEDs will become more accessible to the public.

The design of LED lamps differs significantly from the design of conventional incandescent lamps. This is often the explanation for why LED lamps continue to light when the switch is turned off (sorry for the tautology).

LED lamp device

Despite the variety of models and differences technical solutions Depending on the manufacturer, each LED lamp has the following main components:

base;
frame;
LEDs;
driver.

As in conventional lighting fixtures, the base is used for fastening, and the body is used to accommodate the main elements. Some of the lamps are equipped with radiators for cooling. Lighting sources are LEDs - semiconductor elements that convert electrical energy into light radiation. The voltage they consume is significantly lower than the usual 220 V, and therefore the power is much less than that consumed by ordinary light bulbs. This is the basis for savings in the operation of LED lamps. But to create the required voltage, it is necessary to use special converters (drivers) that lower it to the required value. This is where the main differences appear. The converter is a complex device consisting of electronic components: diode bridge, resistors, transistors, capacitors, chokes, and sometimes transformers.

Why do LED lamps work after being turned off?

The glow of the device when it is turned off can be caused by several reasons.

Operation of the capacitor included in the driver

The ability of an LED lamp to continue to work when the light is turned off causes quite a logical surprise among many consumers. Electricity is not supplied, but the device is functioning. The next question then arises: where does the food come from? Some electronic components capable of storing electrical energy. A capacitor is one of them. It is part of the LED lamp. While it glows from the network, it accumulates electricity. When the electricity is completely turned off, the container releases the accumulated energy and acts as a in this case voltage source. It is because of this detail that LED lamps may burn briefly after being turned off.

Capacity is considered reactance, because it is capable of returning consumed power to the network. If it were not an integral element of LED lamps, then they would not be able to shine when the electricity was turned off. Similar to how ordinary lamps stop working after being turned off, because they are very simple devices, which do not contain reactive elements. When the electricity stored by the capacitor runs out, it stops being a power source and producing voltage, as a result of which the LED lamps stop receiving energy and go out. In this case, the accumulated charge is only enough for a few seconds to maintain the operation of the device after turning off.

It is unlikely that this couple of moments of glow needs to be eliminated. Moreover, capacitance plays an important role in power conversion: it smoothes out ripples in voltage after a decrease.

LED switch

If the LED lamp glows for a long time after being turned off, then the reason is different. The lighting fixture may be used in conjunction with a switch. Very often an LED switch is used, which, in addition to the main function of disconnecting electrical circuit, also performs an additional function: it shines when the lamp is turned off. To do this, it is equipped with an LED, which is supplied with voltage when the light bulb is not working. Thanks to parallel connection The lamp is not receiving power. That is, at this moment, an electric current passes through the switch LED, which charges the above-mentioned capacitor. When the latter accumulates a sufficient amount of electricity, it begins to send it to the network, acting as a power source. LED light bulbs receive this electricity and glow. After the reactive element is discharged, there is no energy and the light bulb stops burning. The capacitor is then charged again and the process repeats. It will light up and then go out, which visually looks like blinking.

Important! This drawback disrupts the normal operation of the device, increases the amount of electricity consumed, and shortens its service life.

It is necessary to consider what can be done to eliminate the described defect.

Ways to eliminate flickering

The easiest way out is to replace the switch with another one that does not light up. Once the entire circuit is open, it will not glow, so no voltage will be required during the shutdown, and no current will flow to recharge the capacitor. The advantages of this method are speed and simplicity, but its disadvantage is the additional financial costs of a new switch.
Self-removal of the backlight from the switch. In this case, you will need to disassemble the lamp body, unscrew or use wire cutters to bite off the wire that goes to the resistor and LED.
Adding a shunt resistor. This method Suitable for those who want both the LED light and the switch to glow in the dark. But its implementation requires some technical steps. First of all, you will need to purchase a resistor with a resistance of about 50 kOhm and a power of 2-3 W, this can be found in any radio parts store. Then you need to remove the lamp shade, and plug the wires coming from the resistor into the terminal block to which the network wires are connected.

Important! Before starting work, you should de-energize the circuit by turning off the machine, and when working, you must follow safety precautions. Do not do this work yourself if you are not confident in your abilities. Working with high voltage is dangerous to life!

As a result, the resistor will be connected in parallel with the lamp and, when it is turned off, the current flowing through the switch LED will also flow through the resistor, and not through the driver capacitor, so it will not have the opportunity to recharge. As a result, the LED lamp will not light when the switch is off.

If the owner does not want to do electrical work, as suggested by the described methods, then you can simply additionally screw in a regular incandescent lamp if there is a free socket in the chandelier. The disadvantages of this method is that it will shine when the LED lamp is turned off. This will change the blinking to constant. Another disadvantage is that the screwed-in light bulb will consume electricity at times when lighting is not required at all.

Errors when connecting electrical wiring to the switch

If the LED lamp continues to work even when it is turned off and the person does not use the backlit switch, then the reason may be incorrect wiring: a zero was connected to the switch instead of a phase. In this case, when the circuit is opened, the zero is switched off, not the phase, as a result of which the wiring is energized. As a result, the lamp lights up when the switch is off. This situation must be corrected by connecting the wires correctly. Otherwise, during a scheduled replacement of the lighting fixture, even when everything is turned off, there will be a danger of getting hit electric shock, because the wiring will be live.

Whatever method you choose to eliminate the blinking of LED lights after turning off, compliance with safety regulations is mandatory, and error-free connection of the wiring to the switch is the key normal operation devices.

Salt water lamp

Designer: Siyu Huang and Jiahui Song

The Clear Light Lamp uses salt water to conduct electricity and make the lamp work. Essentially, salt water replaces regular wires to reduce energy loss. The lamp is equipped with a voice switch and a metal plate on which the main control elements are located.

This is a handheld flashlight that does not require fuel.

It was developed by Raphael and Aisa Migeno - twins.

The prerequisite for the invention was problems in the Greenpeace communities where Aisa worked. There is no electricity or gas here; it is impossible to buy kerosene for lamps due to disruptions in transport. But salt water is something that is available everywhere and is inexpensive.

The lamp can work for 8 hours on a glass of water and two teaspoons of salt. Two different types of metal are immersed in salt water. They shed excess electrons, which then travel from one metal to another through a wire, producing electricity that powers the LEDs. The lamp is absolutely fireproof. It even has a USB port for charging smartphones.

The inventors propose to apply the same principle to street lamps using sea water.

In the future, there may be power plants operating on this principle.

Even though the lamp rods will need to be replaced every 2 years, this is a very economical option for residents of the Philippines.

The brother and sister dream of eventually building a large salt water generator capable of powering an entire house. In the meantime, they are preparing to launch mass production of their lamp, with the help of investors and grants from organizations such as USAID.

The issue of finding alternative energy sources is especially acute in developing countries, because they are limited in material resources and do not have a particularly developed infrastructure for supplying electricity, especially environmentally friendly ones. Another problem that arises when installing state-of-the-art solar panels and wind turbines is the lack of qualified personnel.

But as it turned out, in the case of such countries it is not at all necessary to turn inside out, but just remember simple things. For example, about a solar lamp that runs on salt water, which, in addition to lighting, gives it the opportunity to serve charger for small gadgets such as mobile phones.

Apart from a special light source, we don’t need anything supernatural. It is enough to dissolve 16 salts in 350 ml of water in a special bag and pour the resulting substance into the lantern’s container. And no batteries, which is very convenient and environmentally friendly. Once inside the flashlight, the salt solution acts as an electrolyte, interacting with the magnesium wire (negative electrode) and carbon wire (positive electrode). It is indeed capable of generating small amounts of electricity. True, it is still unknown what to do if only sea water is at hand.

The manufacturing company claims that such lamps are capable of generating electricity for eight hours and have a power of 55 lumens. In this mode, they can work up to 120 hours, after which the magnesium electrode will have to be replaced. The lamps have a special USB port for connecting devices when charging.

Lamp operation:

The operation of the lamp is based on the principle of operation of a galvanic cell. The lamp uses salt water as the electrolyte in a voltaic battery. Two electrodes are placed in an electrolyte solution, energy is generated and this in turn lights the lamp.

The lamp is designed to cause as little harm to the environment as possible, using renewable energy sources. It has the ability to stay on for about eight hours a day and work for six months.

Aisa Mieno works at SALt (Sustainable Alternative Lighting). She founded this company with the goal of supplying 600 lamps to the local population of the Philippines.

Mieno's future plans are to increase production in 2016 and bring these products to the mass market. The planned improvement will allow the LED lamp to work longer and recharge mobile phones