Need help repairing a bathroom light fixture

[Gib106]

Hello everyone.

I am trying to fix a bathroom light fixture that quit working and can't seem to get it right. I don't have any experience with LED's/lights. I thought I had figured out the correct driver and LEDs but, when I apply power, the lights flash like a strobe light. it is a 3 light fixture. I attached each LED to a heat sink (with paste) then to the light bar with heat sink paste. The 3 LEDs are connected in series. any advise on whether I have the incorrect driver for these lights would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

This is the light fixture I am trying to fix:

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Check your wiring job. If you matched color to color for wiring the l.e.d. driver, you messed up. Normally, black is hot, neutral is white, and red is switched for 120 volt circuit. However, I see on the l.e.d. driver that on the d.c. output side, white is negative and red is positive. On the 120 volt input side, blue is neutral and brown is hot. You have to match those colors to the normal black (hot), white (neutral), and red (switched) in the existing fixture. There might not even be a red as it might dead end at the switch, before the fixture (depends on how it got wired).

You may have also overheated the l.e.d. driver by putting it in an enclosed space. Thermistors tend to blow under these conditions and then the light will strobe endlessly. You could have also wired it wrong, blown the thermistor when the device started burning up and had the same effect.

 

[Gib106]

@Hooked on Fenix, Thank you for the reply. Sorry for the delayed response, I've been really busy traveling for work.

I double-checked and as far as I can tell, I have it wired correctly. I have not attached it to the wall. I tested it first so I don't think overheating has been an issue. It started strobing as soon as I first connected power, it has never lit correctly. It's a single pole switch that only has Positive (black) and Neutral (white) wires. I think that I have the incorrect driver for the 3 LEDs that I'm trying to use, I don't think I'm calculating it correctly. If anyone can help me figure out the proper driver for the LEDs or visa versa I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Your switch is wired wrong. Neutral wires don't go to the switch. They get wirenutted together in the box. On a single pull switch, you should have a ground (green or bare copper) and two hots (black and red). Neutral is the return current of the circuit, whatever is unused. The black is the power into the switch. The red is the switched wire that turns on and off with the switch. If that was replaced with a neutral, you basically have power going into the switch from both sides with the white wire side having less stable current. You might have the voltage of the black wire plus the voltage of the white wire going to your light (120+120=240 volts). That's enough to overheat the light and blow the thermistor causing it to strobe. Who wired the switch?

 

[Gib106]

You are correct, I incorrectly described the switch. However, I have not messed with the switch or wiring, it has been installed and working correctly for years. All I have done is remove the light from the wall and reuse the two wires previously connected to the light.

I have extra LEDs and just made a test circuit with new LEDs and the same driver (only one I have). It is also strobing. I am pretty sure now that I have the correct driver and LEDs. So I am thinking the driver is bad/blown.

 

[aznsx]

I have no experience w/LEDs either so can't really help, but I know what I would do in a similar situation. If I were working with parts / components from different suppliers, I might take a different approach; however since it appears you're working with parts / components from a single source, and they are apparently / likely intended / sold for use together, my first move would be to contact Support @ that supplier. I would take advantage of that single point of contact / responsibility.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Are those two probes with wires wrapped around going to the two hots (black and red wires) at the switch or the hot and neutral going to the light fixture? The l.e.d. driver input side should be connected to the hot and neutral from the light fixture. If you're testing it from the switch, disconnect the black wire from the switch (turn off circuit power at circuit breaker first. Then test with contact tester otherwise known as Wiggy). Wire nut black wire to brown wire from l.e.d. driver. Remove switch. Pull white wires forward. Loosen wire nut on white wires. Slide in stripped end of blue wire from l.e.d. driver in with white wires and tighten wire nut. Turn on circuit breaker to test. Note: this bypasses the switch so there is no on/off except at the breaker. Remember to turn the power back off before reconnecting the switch for safety. Turn it back on when done.

If any of this becomes above your pay grade or you don't feel comfortable doing it, hire an electrician.