How to Fix Track Lighting Flicker

LED bulbs aren't bulbs in the same sense as incandescent or halogen ones, and they are a little more complex. What this means for you, annoyed as you are by flickering LED track lights, is that you might have to do some detective work to find the problem. Of course, if a bulb is flickering, it's always possible that something is wrong with it. You can try to fix the flicker by changing the bulb. If that doesn't work, it's time to start the investigation.

An LED bulb is a collection of circuit elements called diodes, whose usual purpose is to rectify alternating current into direct current. Those diodes in an LED bulb happen to emit light in the process. They are more sensitive to incoming voltage than conventional bulbs, and low voltage flickering light bulbs are commonly a result of unstable input voltage.

MR16 LED bulbs have a multifaceted background that reflects the light generated by the LED. These bulbs also often have GU10 bases, which consist of a pair of pins that must clamp securely into the "tombstone," which is another word for the socket. The first thing to do is to check for loose bulbs. Grasp each flickering bulb, give it a slight push and try turning it to the right. If it's already tight, it won't move, so try the next one.

Next, turn off the power to the light fixture's circuit by switching off the correct breaker in you home's breaker box (do not just turn off the light switch). Remove the terminal panel on the track lighting fixture, then confirm the power is off by testing the wires with a non-contact voltage tester. When you're sure the power is off, check the fixture wiring. If any of the wire nuts are loose, the wires are probably not in complete contact. That's a possible cause of intermittent flickering LED lights. Reconnect any loose wires, and tighten loose wire nuts by screwing them clockwise.

Finally, check the connections at the switch by removing the switch cover and inspecting the wire connections. Tighten any loose wire connections, then reinstall the switch cover and turn on the breaker to restore power to the circuit.

If you use a dimmer switch to control the light fixture, it could be causing the flicker even if it's operating normally, says Lamp HQ. The problem could be that you're using the wrong kind of bulbs or the dimmer isn't the right type for LED bulbs.

Many contemporary LED bulbs are dimmable, but because LEDs last so long, it's possible the ones in your fixture were manufactured before dimmable bulbs were common. If that's true, the repair strategy is easy: replace the bulbs with dimmable ones.

The track fixture may already have dimmable bulbs, and if they flicker, it could be because the dimmer switch isn't designed to work with LED lights. The minimum load that older dimmers need to function is often too low to fully energize LED bulbs. Replace the old switch with a new dimmer switch designed for use with LED bulbs.

If you can't trace the cause of the LED bulb flicker to the bulb, the track fixture or the lighting circuit, you might have a systemic wiring problem that needs to be addressed by an electrician. Pay attention to when the flickering occurs and note whether it happens when someone in the house turns on a large appliance or one, such as the refrigerator, cycles on by itself. If you see a correlation, there's a problem in the electrical panel or your home's wiring.

The cause of the flicker could be the signal coming from the power line, although this is rare. However, it's worth asking your neighbors if they are having similar issues. If so, call the power company.