Smiths/Timeguard Copyswitch controlling a 4 X GU10 lamp fitting.
When I replace all 4 GU10s with LED GU10s they all flash when they should be off.
If I replace one LED with a halogen GU10 - all is well.
Presume some "minimum load" has been fallen short of... any fixes?
Jim K
Induced voltage. CFL lamps do it as well.
When the single GU10 filament lamp is in, all the power goes through that, and heats up the filament very slightly, but not visible to the eye.
It's just a capacitor, possibly with a shunt bleeder resistor for safety and possibly with a small series resistor to reduce peak currents and save the switch contacts.
Wired across the lights it will present a low impedance in comparison with the leakage path through the stray capacitance in the wiring and any semiconductor switch (triac). Hence the voltage appearing across the lights when switched off will be too small to lead to any flickering effects or the like.
It's a useful item to know about, with wider application then just the Smiths/Timeguard products. Flickering CFLs, unwanted illumination of neon indicators, etc.
I would have thought that it was just a cap and resistor in series. I must buy one to see what is inside them. I have used similar things in the past on boiler Y plans.
Ta for responses.
So is it something about the copyswitch or the wiring?
Ta Jim K
Er.... If you plse
Jim K
The switch
cheers never use the f***er anyway so it's time it went - anyone?
Jim K
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Ask the community — no account required