Installing Canned Lighting Cans In Ceiling With Cramped Space

[Nifty]

Well, I just had a realization: My computer fan makes more noise than the lights in my new office, and I don't ever think about my computer fan noise.

So, out of principle it still really bothers me that the LED's make noise, but I'm realizing that I probably won't even notice it.

I still have the option to uninstall them and return them, but I hate the thought of doing that.

 

[HayZee518]

the buzzing from a florescents come from the iron laminations of the ballast, which is a transformer. the iron laminations vibrate from something called eddy curernts. I have never taken apart a cfl or an led spot but I'm assuming there is a type of transformer inside that reduces the voltage and a bridge rectifier or half wave diode assembly to change the ac to dc to operate the bulbs. the voltage drop across an led is 1.2 volts.

 

[HayZee518]

I tried to do some research on LED bulbs. #1 It satisfied my first suspisions that these things operate on DC power. Well, now I got AC going into them. How do they work? A diode is a semi-conductor that permits AC power to flow in one direction only. Given an AC waveform, during one half of the sine wave [positive going] the diode conducts. the other part - the part that goes below the zero line is cut off. What happens to this stuff. Simple it is given off as heat. So the next cycle it conducts, then cuts off and so on.... An LED bulb contains all of the components of a conventional diode with the exception that it has a lens to amplify the light produced. There's a load resistor that limits current so it doesn't burn out the instant power is applied. The electronics does contain a very small transformer diodes [regular ones] and some capacitors. The bulb actually runs on something called capacitive discharge. A capacitor is charged and as it gets to its threshold it discharges through the LED. Thats why the things flicker. That's why you have your noise or buzzing! The LED is turning on and off 120 times a second but barely visible to you. CFLs on the other hand are really compact florescents or long tubes coiled up to compact size and uses the same principle as regular long tube T-8 tubes. The enclosed electronics generate a high voltage to heat mercury to vaporise it so the tube conducts from one end to the other. The phosphor coating inside glows and this provides usable light.

 

[Nifty]

Very interesting info!

What's odd is that I have many other LED bulbs that have standard sockets on them that I use throughout the house and they function perfectly well with no noticeable buzzing. I'm not sure why I get buzzing from these and not those.

 

[sumi]

That is strange... HayZee, what do you think?

 

[Pushkins]

I have 17 LED can lights in my home not one of them "buzzes". Are these specific LED lights or standard recessed light fittings with LED bulbs ?

 

[HayZee518]

Are your "other" brands the same bulb as used in the cans?

 

[HayZee518]

That is strange... HayZee, what do you think?

I don't see why unless the magnetics produced by the internal transformer has something to do with the lamp's close proximity to the metal cans

 

[Nifty]

The cans, baffle, LEDs, etc. all came in one recessed LED kit here. They were all parts made to go together.

I first thought it was the dimmer switch, but I removed it and tried just a on/off switch and they still buzz. Again, it's not super loud, but it is noticeable.

I'm a tiny bit tempted to pull them out and install 5" cans and buy my own LED bulbs (that I already use in other fixtures) and put those in... but as I go down that path I end up saying, "Oh, it's not a big deal since it isn't that loud, my computer makes more noise than they do, and I'll have music on all the time anyway."

On the plus side, I discovered that 3 cans in that room is PLENTY of light!

 

[sumi]

I'm just worried that the cause of the buzzing may be end up being something serious. I asked DH and he said the lights (LED) he fitted before only buzzed when they weren't installed 100% correctly, when something was lose and needing adjusting. Other than that I don't know.

 

[Nifty]

I'm not too worried about it being a safety issue. I pulled the lights out of the cans and housing and the buzz is definitely coming from the LED itself. I'm slightly tempted to unplug the unit and wire it up to a completely different circuit in the house... maybe one where I know I have LED's running fine and see if that makes a difference. That way I could really narrow it down 100% to the LED and nothing to do with the wiring / circuit. I could go to Home Depot and buy a different company's LED and see if that makes any difference.

... or just live with it as it is.

 

[sumi]

Quote: "I'm slightly tempted to unplug the unit and wire it up to a completely different circuit in the house... maybe one where I know I have LED's running fine and see if that makes a difference. That way I could really narrow it down 100% to the LED and nothing to do with the wiring / circuit."

That sounds like a good idea! I'm a firm believer of "better safe than sorry", especially when it comes to things like electricity!

 

[HayZee518]

Take one of your other led bulbs, the one(s) that don't buzz and put it into the can and see if IT buzzes. That way you can eliminate the cause of it.