I don’t mean actually shouting at one – although maybe you have – but you’ve tried to switch it on, and it just decides to switch itself off immediately?
Few things are as frustrating, especially when you’re relying on that light.
So, what could be causing your light bulb to rebel?
If LED light is switching off immediately, it’s likely a fault with the bulbs driver causing a problem with stepping down the voltage or power supply. Faulty wiring and poor bulbs quality can also cause this issue.
In this article, I’m going to explain in a little more detail:
What could be causing the LED bulb to switch off immediately
Whether there’s a difference if the light stays on for a few seconds first
Reasons your LED bulbs may turn on and off randomly
How you can fix these problems
4 Reasons Why LED Lights Turn Off By Themselves Immediately?
LED lighting that switches on but turns off immediately isn’t super common but can be caused by:
A faulty LED driver
Cheap LEDs that aren’t well-made
Issues with the power supply
Faulty wiring
Let’s dive into each of these potential solutions for why your LED light stopped working.
LED Driver Failing
Potential cause of LED lights failing to stay switched on is a failed driver. The driver is a critical component that helps manage the step down in power, converting the mains AC current into DC and reducing the voltage to the level needed.
So where mains-powered LED lights step the voltage down in the power supply, for LED bulbs, it happens at the bulb itself, and it’s caused by the driver.
If the driver has a fault, it might not be managing the voltage correctly, either causing an overload of the bulb or just preventing the right amount of power from sustaining the light.
Drivers have a longer life span and should work for the duration of the bulb, which for LEDs should be many years.
Poor Quality Bulb
Ultimately, if you’ve bought a cheap LED light then it might just never work properly. Low manufacturing standards or damage in shipping can cause a light to fail even before it’s installed.
While it can be tempting to buy a cheap bulb, it’s not worth it if you’re just wasting money on something which doesn’t work.
Power Supply Issues
A faulty power supply is the usual cause of LEDs turning off immediately after they’ve turned on, as long as the lights aren’t wired into the main lighting circuit.
Reasons that the power supply can fail include:
Wear and tear due to age
Location – if it’s outdoors and exposed to the elements or indoors with poor air circulation
Low manufacture quality
Regardless of the reason, when the power supply develops a fault, it will typically cause it to overheat and shut down.
It might start working again after a while once it’s cooled down. Still, it would likely fail again quickly if the initial reaction was causing the light to turn off immediately.
Even if it isn’t going into a sort of thermal shock, the damage from overheating could cause it to struggle to provide the necessary wattage needed for your LED lights, which is what would cause them to shut down after the initial instant burst of power.
Faulty Wiring
It could be that your LED bulbs turn off immediately or flicker because of faulty wiring. If there’s a loose connection, often at the light switch, the circuit may only connect for a second before breaking again.
It’s rare for a circuit to fail along the wiring in the walls or ceiling. It can degrade, but usually it’s safe and will last many, many years.
So if the problem is wiring, it’ll either be at the light switch or in the light fixture. Check other solutions first, but consider replacing the switch or checking the wire connections if no bulbs work properly.
LED Light Bulb Turns Off After A Few Seconds
An LED light that turns off a few seconds after switching on is likely overheating. LEDs are designed to work in cooler temperatures – if they get too hot, they will fail and switch off.
While not extremely common, it’s also not too rare when you have recessed lights in the ceiling, especially if the fixtures were initially designed for other types of light bulbs that normally generate more heat.
LEDs operate best in cooler temperatures and usually have heat sinks built into the light to help transfer heat away.
If the light bulb is in a recess that doesn’t also have some form of heat management, then there’s nowhere for the heat from the bulb to go.
This can cause the bulb to essentially get too hot quickly, which will make it turn off until it has cooled down.
The problem can affect other LED lights too, including strip lights, but it’s usually caused by the same issues that can also cause a light to turn off immediately:
A failed or wrong power supply
Faulty wiring
Even with LED bulbs, overheating could be a fire hazard, especially if the fixtures are installed in close contact with insulation or other combustible materials, and the wiring quality is poor.
Light Stays On For A Few Seconds After Turning Off The Switch
If your LED light stays on for a few seconds after being switched off, it’s either because there is residual voltage in the circuit, or the light switch has failed and is still connecting.
Residual voltage tends to be stored by capacitors, so in a lighting circuit they would be within the bulb itself. It’s a sign the bulb is failing, and may need to be replaced soon.
However, it shouldn’t be dangerous, so if you don’t mind the light staying on for a few seconds, just keep using it until the bulb completely dies.
Otherwise, the problem is with the light switch. If it’s not snapping cleanly and breaking the circuit, it could still have a connection that causes the light to remain on.
Light switches don’t last forever, so you may just need to replace one to fix the issue.
Why Do LED Lights Turn On And Then Off Randomly?
There are several potential reasons why an LED light turns on and then off randomly:
Power fluctuations
Loose wiring
Incompatible lights on a dimmer circuit
Power Fluctuations
If your LED light turns itself on and off, it could be due to power fluctuations. If it’s happening regularly, you’ll need to get a professional electrician to look at your home circuit as it could be serious.
Lights shouldn’t be able to turn off and on when they’re off, and your circuit breaker could have a dangerous fault. Considering getting it checked out ASAP.
Loose Wiring
Loose wiring in the switch could cause your lights to turn on and off randomly. Light switches should have a clean break when off, but when they wear down they can retain enough of a connection for current to pass through on occasion.
So your switch might be ‘turning on’ for the briefest of seconds every now and then. If this is happening, it means there’s still a gap in the circuit but it’s not wide enough. This can also be dangerous, as arcing current causes a lot of heat and can cause fires.
Get the switches replaced if they’re old.
Incompatible Lights On A Dimmer Circuit
If you’re using non-dimmable lights on an LED dimming circuit (or even an old regular dimmer switch) then they won’t work properly. It’s possible that the lights may turn on and off randomly.
It can also cause LED light flickering instead of staying on all the time. Make sure, if you want a dimmer switch, that you buy an LED dimmer and compatible, dimmable LED bulbs.
How To Fix LED Light That Turns Off?
To fix an LED light turning off, you should identify whether the problem is with the LED bulb, all LED lights on that circuit, or the entire circuit. Then you can take the right action.
Replace the LED bulbs that are having problems with old incandescent bulbs, if you can. If that fixes the issue, you know it’s because you’re using LEDs. If the incandescent light fixture still doesn’t work, it’s a problem with the wiring.
Here’s a look at the potential problems and solutions:
Problem
Solution
One bulb isn’t working, but other LED lights do work
Replace the bulb with a new one.
LED lights don’t work, but halogen or incandescent lights do. The LEDs don’t feel hot.
Check the circuit breaker for faults. If it’s fine, install one old bulb and the rest as LEDs as this can solve the issue.
LED light overheating.
The fixture needs a better heatsink or may need replacing if it’s a recessed light
The light switches are old and don’t feel like they’re snapping.
Replace the light switch(es).
No lights are working correctly and are flashing/turning on and off. The light switches seem fine.
There’s an issue on the wiring circuit, or you have power fluctuations. Call an electrician.
The light turns on and off and is powered by a plug.
The power supply is likely faulty – replace it.
Final Words
LED lights are great when they work – they’re efficient, long-lasting, and will save you money. But just like any bit of tech, they can have their little quirks or problems.
Sometimes, they just refuse to stay switched on.
These aren’t normal, though and most of the time, LED lights will work perfectly fine, but if you do have any issues, I hope this has explained them and helped you find a solution.
