LED Christmas light stay lite(dimly)

Started by ice49, November 07, 2010, 12:11:45 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

ice49

 B:(
I am getting ready for the Christmas light season and remembered that last year when I used new LED light strings for the out door lights I had a problem. Using the  X-10 AM466 ( or equal) 3-Pin Appliance Modules to controll on/off, I would have part of on or two of the seven attached strings remain glowing when switched off, due to a 12volt feedback in the circuit.
I used a couple of different modules and switched the type and brands of LED lights without change. When I switched to conventional incandescents everything was normal.
Can anyone explain or suggest a cure.
Thank you so much.
Ice49

Brian H

#1
You can add one 4 watt incandescent night light bulb to the output on the appliance module. Maybe using a power tap on the modules output so both the night light and the LED lights can be connected to the module.

Some have used a 47K {47,000} Ohm 1/2 watt resistor. Maybe mounted in a AC plug and insulated so it does not touch anything.

dave w

Brian provided the cure. The explaination is the Appliance Module leaks a small amout of current through the load for:  local control (on older modules), and sensing it's own output state ("am I ON or OFF"). This leakage is sufficient to keep LED lights dimmly lit. Putting an addition load on the module (the nite light) shunts the leakage current so the LEDS extinguish.
"This aftershave makes me look fat"

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk