<![CDATA[Electrical Project]]>Nothing is sadder than electrician’s house with an electrical problem. Especially the house of a retired electrician who has no excuse not to fix it. That would be “my” house. 🤔

Flickering lights. All LEDS, all on one circuit. I got this, right?

House built 2017. Lots of fancy new electronic GFI/AFCI circuit breakers. I was still working when they first came out and they were nothing but trouble. Swapped out the AFCI feeding that circuit for a standard breaker and tightened up every connection in the panel while I was in there. Didn’t find anything obviously wrong and the lights still flickered. 🙁

Next step is the one no one wants to take, especially the customer who watches in horror as the hours add up. Map out each of the receptacles, switches, and fixtures on the circuit, open them up one by one, then re-make every connection. This includes the ones behind furniture and under beds. 😱 It did indeed take hours and I didn’t find anything wrong.

But the lights did stop flickering - for about an hour. Then they started up again, worse than ever. What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is going on? 🤔 I’m certainly not going to call someone - back in the day “I” was the one other Sparkeys called when they couldn’t figure something out. Have I lost my mojo in my dotage? 😱

I know the definition of insanity but I couldn’t think of anything else so I did every connection again. Another day, no love. Consulted AI, consulted Reddit, phoned a friend.

Phoned another friend who is not an electrician but is instead a retired electronics guy. He was of little help but he did tell me that his garage door opener will not work if you install an LED lamp in it. They emit all sorts of electrical noise. Maybe thats a clue? When one talks they all listen? UGH. LEDs were just becoming popular when I retired and I don’t know much about them but this made sense. Resolved to take each fixture out of the circuit one by one and see what happens. Would have to wait until I got back from vacation.

Before I left the problem went away for a while. Then it came back. Then it went away again. Then it came back after I went to the garage for something, thereby triggering the motion sensing light switch. Garage lights on = flicker. Garage lights off = no flicker. AHA! 👍

Got back last night and I changed one of the lights in the garage this morning. Success! 👍

Maybe too much inside baseball, but if it starts happening at yiur house try unscrewing all of the LED bulbs one by one and see if the problem goes away. Could save you $hundreds.

]]>https://wtf.coffee-room.com/topic/3429/electrical-projectRSS for NodeTue, 21 Apr 2026 02:08:12 GMTMon, 20 Apr 2026 19:15:02 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Electrical Project on Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:03:13 GMT]]>Glad you fixed it. My father was an electrician, retired, union, the whole nine yards. I used to call him when I needed advice about anything electrical. I couldn't tell you how to rewire a lamp. Go figure.

]]>https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24173https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24173Tue, 21 Apr 2026 02:03:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Electrical Project on Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:51:24 GMT]]>I had that very problem with my basement lights. Dumb luck solved it without all that because I did not know that’s what an electrician would do.

]]>https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24172https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24172Tue, 21 Apr 2026 01:51:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Electrical Project on Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:59:25 GMT]]>Engineers call this a "complex system." 😄

I have lots of dimmers, lots of LEDs and fluorescent lights. I also have a sensitive hearing. I hear things that I am fairly certain can be attributed to my lights and dimmers. I try not to think about them. 🤷

]]>https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24170https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24170Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:59:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Electrical Project on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:18:24 GMT]]>@Steve-Miller oh wow!! What a saga!!! So glad you got it fixed! Esp because flickering lights are the worst!!!

]]>https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24163https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24163Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:18:24 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Electrical Project on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:05:33 GMT]]>Good story. Glad I was not involved.
Thanks for the advice.
My electrical skills don't extend much past rewiring a lamp.
Have a friend who rewired and 18 wheeler, my hot tub and many other things. With that I don't need to know a lot about electrical things.

]]>https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24162https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24162Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:05:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Electrical Project on Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:37:02 GMT]]>Diagnosis is often the real skill... Especially when the fix is easy!

]]>https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24161https://wtf.coffee-room.com/post/24161Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:37:02 GMT