GU10 LED Problem :(

Meepster

Ettenna wrote: »

Any idea why they would make the fuse box hum? It definitely is the LED lights because when I took them out there was no noise.

I'm guessing you have MCB's? (fuses with the flip switch on it)

sillygoose

MCB's are magnetically triggered, there is an electromagnetic coil in them that at a high enough current (overload) releases the lever against its spring. In this case the current flow is so violently spiked its enough to turn that coil winding into a small loudspeaker!

Meepster

sillygoose wrote: »

MCB's are magnetically triggered, there is an electromagnetic coil in them that at a high enough current (overload) releases the lever against its spring. In this case the current flow is so violently spiked its enough to turn that coil winding into a small loudspeaker!

Pretty much what I was going to say, when the OP had stated what kind of fuses they had

The spiking is occuring around 60 times per second (due to the clipping done by the dimmer) which is creating the hum. If you slowed the noise down, you would find out it is actually a series of "clicks".

Ettenna

Yes i have got MCB's. So does that mean that I can't use LED's, or when I change the switches the humming will stop? :undecided

vaio

change the switch and I'd guess all will be fine, to double check can you fit the led bulbs into a circuit that doesn't have a dimmer attached?

james2012_2

Did you not notice the disclaimer at the bottom of the web page?

LED BULBS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR USE WITH DIMMER SWITCHES.

or has it been recently added?

Meepster

Ettenna wrote: »

Yes i have got MCB's. So does that mean that I can't use LED's, or when I change the switches the humming will stop? :undecided

As long as you swap the dimmers for normal switches the LEDs will be fine and the fuse board should no longer hum

KillerWatt

Ettenna wrote: »

Yes i have got MCB's. So does that mean that I can't use LED's, or when I change the switches the humming will stop? :undecided

Either swap for a standard light switch, or buy a dimmer that can handle CFL/LED lamps.

Ettenna

I changed the switch in the dining room for a non-dimmer one and fitted the two remaining LED's. They work with no humming, no flickering and no blowing :):)

Just got to decide what wattage and colour to get for the other bulbs - I think the bright white will get on my nerves after a while (it really is very bright).

Thank you all for your help. This site is so helpful. xx

Meepster

Ettenna wrote: »

I changed the switch in the dining room for a non-dimmer one and fitted the two remaining LED's. They work with no humming, no flickering and no blowing :):)

Just got to decide what wattage and colour to get for the other bulbs - I think the bright white will get on my nerves after a while (it really is very bright).

Thank you all for your help. This site is so helpful. xx

Glad you've got it sorted, now you can sit back and not have to worry about replacing them for a LONG time

As for the colour, you can get some which give out more of a yellow light (instead of the really stark white light emmited by the normal white LED's) but these tend to be a little more expensive.

But if the light is too bright, why don't you consider using a dimmer switch? <<<<JOKE

Enjoy