Electrical Experts: Ceiling light diag

[Ahoragi]

Wondering if you guys can help out with this electrical gremlin with the light above the kitchen sink. Flip the switch and it comes on, nice and bright. Wait about a min or three, it varies, and the light starts flickering or shuts off or both. Wiggle the switch and nothing. Turn it off and on and the light comes back on, rinse and repeat. One thing we notice is that the light never fully turns off, there is a slight glow in the led when the switch is off. This has happened since we moved into this house in 2024.

The wife has been complaining for me to fix this for the past two years. I think I am about to pass the time limit of delaying this before she starts really nagging on me about it.

What do you guys think is the issue or how can I go about diagnosing this?

Wiring? Lamp itself? Switch?

I have a wire tester and I can clearly follow the "hot" wire through the ceiling when the switch is off which we know it's hot already since the LED stays slightly lit. It goes to the similar but larger lamp in the middle of the kitchen. This middle lamp is turned on by a different switch by the door. No issues with this one.

 

[zrock]

Is that switch pulling power from the plug or is the plug pulling power from the switch.. If the switch is pulling its power from the plug i would bet that GFI circuit is interrupting it. You should have had a electrician come in when you first noticed it as if that is a loose or bad wire somewhere that is a recipe for a fire. Should have also been caught and noted on the home inspection

 

[Whitenuckler]

Wondering if you guys can help out with this electrical gremlin with the light above the kitchen sink. Flip the switch and it comes on, nice and bright. Wait about a min or three, it varies, and the light starts flickering or shuts off or both. Wiggle the switch and nothing. Turn it off and on and the light comes back on, rinse and repeat. One thing we notice is that the light never fully turns off, there is a slight glow in the led when the switch is off. This has happened since we moved into this house in 2024.

The wife has been complaining for me to fix this for the past two years. I think I am about to pass the time limit of delaying this before she starts really nagging on me about it.

What do you guys think is the issue or how can I go about diagnosing this?

Wiring? Lamp itself? Switch?

I have a wire tester and I can clearly follow the "hot" wire through the ceiling when the switch is off which we know it's hot already since the LED stays slightly lit. It goes to the similar but larger lamp in the middle of the kitchen. This middle lamp is turned on by a different switch by the door. No issues with this one.

I believe those type take a bulb. If so replace the bulb(s) and try that. If the bulb is not replaceable I'd put a newer LED one in. I did that all over my house although now they say the blue light from them is bad for you.
edit - the next thing I'd try is with the power off (beware there could be two breakers), re-do all the connections to the fixture.

 

[Ahoragi]

I believe those type take a bulb. If so replace the bulb(s) and try that. If the bulb is not replaceable I'd put a newer LED one in. I did that all over my house although now they say the blue light from them is bad for you.
edit - the next thing I'd try is with the power off (beware there could be two breakers), re-do all the connections to the fixture.

It's has LED.

Is that switch pulling power from the plug or is the plug pulling power from the switch.. If the switch is pulling its power from the plug i would bet that GFI circuit is interrupting it. You should have had a electrician come in when you first noticed it as if that is a loose or bad wire somewhere that is a recipe for a fire. Should have also been caught and noted on the home inspection

Weird thing is they flickered as I was messing with it. I am going to check the wiring. From what I can see, the outlet and the light switch are on different breakers. The kitchen light, dining room fan/light, sink light, and hallway light are all on the same breaker.

If I am correct, this particular fixture is still lightly lit when the switch is OFF means the switch is still sending some power to the fixture in OFF mode? Would this be an issue with the switch?

 

[Ahoragi]

Digging in and I see the ground wire for the light switch is hooked onto the ground wire of the outlet and not the switch itself. Is there a reason they would ground that wire into outlet?

 

[begreen]

It looks like the switch is fed from the light fixture, not the GFI outlet. Somehow, power is bleeding to the light. With the switch off, there should be no power at the light. The reason could be simple or it could be complicated. It's just in series with the power being fed a the light fixture. This will take some tracing to find the leakage, starting at the light fixture. If all is proper there, then it could be something done wrong at the panel with the neutral or ground on this circuit.

 

[Ahoragi]

It looks like the switch is fed from the light fixture, not the GFI outlet. Somehow, power is bleeding to the light. With the switch off, there should be no power at the light. The reason could be simple or it could be complicated. It's just in series with the power being fed a the light fixture. This will take some tracing to find the leakage, starting at the light fixture. If all is proper there, then it could be something done wrong at the panel with the neutral or ground on this circuit.

If there was something done wrong at the panel, wouldn't that affect all the lights on this circuit?

I have a voltage tester. There is no power on either lines at the switch with the switch ON. There is power at both lines with the switch OFF. This does not seem normal in my head but what do I know lol.

When looking at the led light with the switch off, there are two bulbs that are burnt out and two that are half brightness. Could it just be a bad light fixture?

 

[Whitenuckler]

If there was something done wrong at the panel, wouldn't that affect all the lights on this circuit?

I have a voltage tester. There is no power on either lines at the switch with the switch ON. There is power at both lines with the switch OFF. This does not seem normal in my head but what do I know lol.

When looking at the led light with the switch off, there are two bulbs that are burnt out and two that are half brightness. Could it just be a bad light fixture?

I would not worry about no ground to the light switch. The box is metal and the screws that hold it to the box are metal. The light fixture should only be in that switch circuit as it's not a 3 way or 4 way switch. I'd replace the switch.

 

[Ahoragi]

I would not worry about no ground to the light switch. The box is metal and the screws that hold it to the box are metal. The light fixture should only be in that switch circuit as it's not a 3 way or 4 way switch. I'd replace the switch.

Replaced the switch and no change. However I did discover something. With the switch off, I went to install the lamp back on the post and half of the LEDs turned off. I switched it ON and then started tapping the screws holding that LED board to the lamp frame (there are three) and the LEDs flicked off every time I tapped the screw. Yanked on wires and no change. Only tapping those screws sets it off. I believe this is a faulty light fixture. With two of the LEDs burnt out and one brighter than the others plus tapping it flicks it off is a pretty solid diagnosis wouldn't you say?

I also read on Home Depot's product Q&A that someone asked a question regarding theirs staying dim with light switch off and the manufacture stated faulty light fixture.

 

[Whitenuckler]

Replaced the switch and no change. However I did discover something. With the switch off, I went to install the lamp back on the post and half of the LEDs turned off. I switched it ON and then started tapping the screws holding that LED board to the lamp frame (there are three) and the LEDs flicked off every time I tapped the screw. Yanked on wires and no change. Only tapping those screws sets it off. I believe this is a faulty light fixture. With two of the LEDs burnt out and one brighter than the others plus tapping it flicks it off is a pretty solid diagnosis wouldn't you say?

I also read on Home Depot's product Q&A that someone asked a question regarding theirs staying dim with light switch off and the manufacture stated faulty light fixture.

Replace it. I ordered mine on Amazon.