LED Lights Don't Fully Turn Off With Relay Switch

[tedp]

I just replaced a Leviton VRI06 switch with a relay version (VRS15) so I can power LED bulbs with no flickering. Interestingly, when the switch is turned off, the lights don’t fully turn off: they go into a very low dim state. It’s bizarre since I thought the VRS15 should be a relay, and therefore not allow any electrics to couple into the load wire.

Has anyone seen anything like this?

Thanks

[sparkejj]

This topic may be of interest.

[silvereagle2208]

@tedp

The topic that oTi@ links to describes my experiences with a Leviton VRS15 and DirectLED FL Fluorescent Replacement tubes. However, you state that you are using a VRS15 to control LED bulbs. What type base do your bulbs have? If you have an A-19 bulb shape with an Edison base (E26/E27), you might try using an EarthLED Thetalux Pro - 9 watt bulb. I found that this bulb has a large enough leakage current that it will work with a no-neutral VRI06 switch. If it will work with a VRI06 switch, it should work with a VRS15 as well.

I searched for over a year to find an Edison base LED bulb that would work with a VRI06 switch. The ThetaLux Pro is the only LED bulb I have found that will work with this switch.

[tedp]

[quote=“silvereagle2208, post:3, topic:172066”]@tedp

The topic that oTi@ links to describes my experiences with a Leviton VRS15 and DirectLED FL Fluorescent Replacement tubes. However, you state that you are using a VRS15 to control LED bulbs. What type base do your bulbs have? If you have an A-19 bulb shape with an Edison base (E26/E27), you might try using an EarthLED Thetalux Pro - 9 watt bulb. I found that this bulb has a large enough leakage current that it will work with a no-neutral VRI06 switch. If it will work with a VRI06 switch, it should work with a VRS15 as well.

I searched for over a year to find an Edison base LED bulb that would work with a VRI06 switch. The ThetaLux Pro is the only LED bulb I have found that will work with this switch.[/quote]

Hi silvereagle2208,

Thank you for the feedback. I am actually using candelabra LED bulbs for an outside chandelier. When I had the VRI06 installed, the LEDs would actually turn on, but they would buzz like crazy (and somewhat flicker). I was hoping a relay would address the problem, and it does as far the the buzzing is concerned. I am miffed as to why there would be any current flowing on the normally open part of the relay when the switch is off. I have an email into Leviton, and am still awaiting a response.

Regards
-Ted

[sparkejj]

@tedp

I am miffed as to why there would be any current flowing on the normally open part of the relay when the switch is off. I have an email into Leviton, and am still awaiting a response.

This, supposedly, is an email answer from Leviton, quoted in the topic I linked to earlier:

@oTi@

There is a slight bleed through in the cap that allows some electricity to flow through when “off”. This is why you still see your rope lights on at very low levels when the switch is off (the minimum recommended wattage is 14W on this switch because of this).

Are the LEDs under or over the 14W recommended minimum?

[silvereagle2208]

@tedp

I don’t know how many lamps are in your candelabra, but if one of the lamps could be an incandescent lamp all the remaining lamps could be LEDs. This would save you a great deal of energy. Also, you might also try see if you could combine one fluorescent lamp in combination with the LED lamps. That would be an even better approach it were to work.

Several months ago Tim Alls began a very useful thread regarding using dummy loads to eliminate flickering when using LED lighting. The thread can be found at http://forum.micasaverde.com/index.php/topic,9262.0.html. It is a long thread, but it contains a great deal of useful information dealing with your issues.