Why are my lights flickering

Start with the simple things

Before worrying, check the easy causes. A globe that isn't screwed or clipped in firmly can flicker. So can a globe near the end of its life. Try tightening it, or swap it with one you know works. If the flicker moves with the globe, you've found the culprit.

If you've recently changed to LED globes in an old fitting, especially one with a transformer or on a dimmer, compatibility is the next most likely reason.

LED and dimmer mismatches

LEDs need a dimmer designed for them. Older dimmers were built for halogen and incandescent globes, and they often cause LEDs to flicker, pulse or hum at lower settings. Non-dimmable LEDs on a dimmer will also misbehave. Changing the dimmer to an LED-rated model, or using fittings listed as compatible, usually fixes it.

Old halogen transformers

Many 1990s and 2000s homes have low-voltage halogen downlights with a transformer for each light. Put a modern LED globe into one of those and the transformer may not recognise the tiny load properly. The result is flickering, especially when the light first switches on. Replacing the whole fitting with an integrated LED downlight removes the transformer from the equation.

Failing LED drivers

Integrated LED fittings have a driver that can wear out, especially in hot roof spaces. Flicker that starts suddenly in one light that used to be fine often points to a failing driver. The fix is usually replacing the fitting or its driver.

When several lights flicker together

If lights across a room or a whole circuit flicker at once, the cause is often further back in the wiring. It might be a loose connection at a switch, a junction in the ceiling, or at the switchboard. Loose connections create heat, and heat is how electrical fires start, so this is not something to ignore.

When the whole house flickers

Lights dimming briefly when the air conditioner, oven or pool pump starts can be normal if it's slight and short. If it's strong or happens constantly, the house may have a problem with its main connection, the neutral, or the supply from the street. Flickering across the whole house combined with appliances acting strangely is a reason to call straight away. Sometimes the issue is on the network side, in which case we can tell you and point you to the right people.

Signs you need help now

Turn off the affected circuit at the switchboard and call an electrician if you notice:

• A burning or hot plastic smell from a switch, light or power point.
• Buzzing or crackling from a switch or the switchboard.
• Scorch marks or discolouration around a fitting.
• Switches or cover plates that feel warm.
• Flickering along with tingles from taps or appliances.

These can point to a dangerous fault. Our emergency electrician service runs 24 hours for exactly this kind of situation.

Older switchboards and wiring

Homes around Port Kembla, Berkeley and Warilla with older wiring and ceramic fuses are more likely to have tired connections. If you've got a mix of flickering, tripping and an old board, it might be time to talk about a switchboard upgrade.

How we find the fault

Fault finding is about working methodically: which lights, when, how often, and what else is running at the time. If you can note those details before we arrive, it saves time. Customers have told us we've fixed problems other electricians couldn't resolve, and it usually comes down to patiently testing each part of the circuit until the cause shows itself.

Let's sort it out

If it's a lighting compatibility issue, our lighting page explains our LED upgrade work.

Call or text Kalani on 0424 400 346. A short video of the flicker is often the most useful thing you can send.