What Do Scorch Marks On Light Fittings Mean?

If you have scorch marks around your light fixture, is it the bulbs or something more sinister? Should you pay for an electrician to take a look?

It’s a sign that something is getting too hot. If you are using incandescent bulbs, they can get very hot and cause scorching. You could try a lower watt bulb and see if it makes a difference. LEDs can get hot if they are enclosed without airflow. It could be faulty wiring or loose wiring. Yes, get an electrician to take a look.

Contents

Can light bulbs burn the ceiling and light fitting?

Yes. If you have a light bulb not appropriately seated it can cause extra heat to build up that will present itself in scorch marks.

Check that your bulbs are secure and have the correct wattage for your light fitting.

If you feel your bulbs are fine and are seated correctly, you may have a problem with the wiring inside the light fixture, old wiring can short, or if the ends of the wires are loose and not terminated correctly can spark and build up heat quickly.

It would be best to get an electrician to look at this problem, and he will be able to diagnose an earth leakage and identify the problem accurately.

Do not use this light until it’s been checked to prevent a fire from occurring.

Why do LED light bulbs keep blowing?

Loose connections. The main reason LED light bulbs to keep blowing is that the connection is not good enough. If the connection between the bayonet and the socket is loose arcing will occur.

Arcing will cause the LED to flicker and even blow and can cause scorch marks around the light fitting.

Do you have a dimmer switch on the circuit? If the dimmer switch is not rated correctly, it will get hot and mess with your LEDs.

Most folks think that a dimer regulates the voltage. It does not. It turns the light on and off in nanoseconds to give the appearance of a dimmer bulb.

If you have problems with your LEDs blowing and have a dimmer on the circuit, call an electrician to diagnose the problem.

Why are there black marks on the wall or ceiling above a lamp?

It’s a common problem, but mainly there is nothing to worry about other than an unsightly dark mark on your ceiling.

It’s all to do with thermodynamics! When your light bulb is switched on, its gets hot, the air above the lightbulb rises as it becomes less dense when heated,

The dark ring is just an accumulation of dust in the atmosphere of your room which takes on a soot-like appearance when settled on the ceiling.

You could try a lower watt bulb or an LED that should be cooler when energised.

Why are my light bulbs turning black?

Incandescent bulbs lose some of their light-emitting properties over time as the filament in the bulb starts to deteriorate, which also coats the inside of the bulb with a soot-like material. It’s nothing to be concerned about.

How do I know if my light fixture is bad?

If your light fixture is scorched or has melted plastic, it’s safe to say it’s bad, and you would benefit from replacing the light fixture immediately.

Should you wish to verify, the light fitting is bad, and you will need a multimeter.

  • With the isolated circuit, strip the light fixture down to its bare components.
  • Turn your multimeter to 250 AC, touch the base of the light fixture connection with the red lead and the black lead to the metal screw on the casing. You should get a reading of 110 to 120 volts. The circuit is no longer isolated.

If you do not get a reading or a reading less than 110 volts, you may have a problem with your wiring and need an electrician to conduct a thorough wiring check.

How long should an LED light fitting last?

Most high-end LED lights boast a life span of 50,000 hours which is a whopping 10 years compared with an incandescent bulb lasting 1000 hours and a halogen bulb lasting 2000 hours.

However, it’s not all good news when it comes to LED bulbs and here are some negatives to buying a bulb that will last for years.

  • LED bulbs are expensive when compared to their counterparts.
  • Transformer compatibility is not sustainable over long periods causing the LED to become dim or break.
  • Overheating of the LED bulb reduces lamp life and the possibility of scorching the ceiling and the light fitting.
  • The bulb will shift colour over its life, losing its luminescence.
  • The standardisation of LED bulbs is not yet streamlined and, when fitted into ageing properties, can cause problems.

When should you not use LED lights?

LED light bulbs need airflow to keep them cool. Do not use an LED light bulb if you have a light fitting with a stated value of” NO”.

The light fitting does not have sufficient airflow to cool the bulb. The bulb will deteriorate quickly, and a fire may occur.

Can LED bulbs overheat?

Yes, but for different reasons than you may think. You possibly know that incandescent bulbs use heat to create light, but LEDs do not and should remain cool. However, the internal components of the LED light bulb are sensitive and can create enormous amounts of heat.

If an LED light bulb has been dropped in transit, it could be enough to upset the fine circuitry to cause heat to build within the bulb.

How do I stop my LED lights from overheating?

  • Only use your LED in a suitable rated fitting or enclosure; it’s important to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines
  • Avoid placing an LED in an enclosed fixture; it needs airflow to dissipate the heat
  • LED lighting mounts make a difference, so select the mount correct for your LED bulb

Similar Posts