The house has a 200 amp service with two 100 amp sub-panels. kikootwo 4 yr. ago Check your electrical current. Another thing that commonly causes flickering in LED bulbs is loose connections or circuits. Why the hell would anyone think its a good idea to remove a 4.5kw storage tank water heater and replace it with a tankless heater thats requires 3-40 amp circuits. I checked the connections all the way back to the main and the main service itself everything appeared to be ok. This post lists the possible reasons why lights might flicker when a tankless water heater is switched on, and what you can do to stop the flickering of the lights. Easiest thing to do is swap out that dimmer for a regular switch.CFLs arent dimmable and LEDs might say dimmable but flicker when a heatload pulls in. #1. Can I ask for a refund or credit next year? Yes, i was wondering the same about the pressure tank. But it's such a dangerous problem, and such an easy and free fix, that it's worth checking for it. Need to verify with an infrared photo while under load to identify bad connections. Without heatsinking, dissipated power must be kept to an absolute minimum as there is little ability to get heat out. Is a copyright claim diminished by an owner's refusal to publish? A typical LED bulb is made of ~3v diodes arranged in series hooked up to a rectifier and a current limiting element (either a capacitor/resistor as in this diagram or more commonly in the USA a linear regulator on the DC side): In this design the LEDs are stacked up to be close to the rectified mains voltage so that losses are low in the resistor/regulator. I then turned off all other breakers except the insta-hots and the lighting circuits. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. )*..+.-.-.-.= 100. The issue isn't just one specific type of LED bulb, I've got a variety of LED bulbs/fixtures and they all flicker to some extent. Leaks in the gas valves or pipes are serious . Is it too late to get your money back? (I have a feeling this is the issue) -The high hats are dimmable with dimmers that I have paired with the same high hats in the past with no flashing issues. It's an older house built in the late 1940's. It is normal for lights to blink when a motor load starts. 36kw heater at 240 volts draws 150 amps. (Heres How to Fix it). It is due to the way cheap LED bulb power supplies work. The only way to know what the problem is, use a voltmeter and measure the voltage on both sides of you load center while the water heater is in operation. Of course it will make lights dim that's a lot of amps for just a water heater. LEDs esp. Thread: Water pump runs = flickering overhead LED lights. Its not the sizing of the neutral or its connection. -Water heater- Rheem 24kw tankless. check out the. If you're worried, you might consider having an electrician check the connectoins. Heres what to Do, RV GFCI Keeps Tripping with nothing plugged in. Ever since putting in my EcoSmart ECO 27kW tankless water heater I've had LED lights flicker when the hot water is running. Heres What to Do, Getting an Electric Shock when you Touch a Microwave? By clicking Post Your Answer, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Other item of concern is seen in one of the photos, must have been a huge sale on 20 amp breakers. Less than a second or a few seconds? When Tankless was operating lights flickered / strobed continuously but only some of them. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Always use the services of a qualified electrician. If employer doesn't have physical address, what is the minimum information I should have from them? I measure a <2VAC drop when the heater is under load. Momentary light flicker from starting powerful appliances or tools is usually not a concern. Rheem RTEX 18. How can I drop 15 V down to 3.7 V to drive a motor? -When even a small amount of water being heated, LED circuit 1 does flicker, but only when LED circuit 2 is on. Why do the LED light bulbs flicker but CFL light bulbs don't? I don't like not knowing why (drives me crazy really). For comparison, if you replaced a tank type water heater they typically have 2 4,500 watt elements but only one is on at a time for a current draw of just under 20 amps. The result is some lights will flicker others will not when the equipment is in operation (this part really threw me for awhile). What can cause an electric water heater to stop working? The only way to know what the problem is, use a voltmeter and measure the voltage on both sides of you load center while the water heater is in operation. Once we turned on the water heater all the new high hats started to flash. Electronic Equipment and Computers, Lighting, Light Fixtures, Ceiling and Exhaust Fans, Coolant Light Turns On But Tank Is Full: Possible Causes, RV Lighting Tips: How to Reduce Power Usage When the Engine Is Turned Off, Troubleshooting a Turn Signal that Won't Turn On, No hot water and no water in part of house, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Can someone please tell me what is written on this score? Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! Other circuits may exhibit this to an extent, but it's particularly bad in stair lights for the above reason. Face it, a tank water heater runs off 30 amps and provides ample hot water. Incandescent chandelier. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Since the diodes summed forward voltage is very nearly the rectified line voltage, even small fluctuations are enough to drop below the forward voltage and turn off the lights resulting in flickering. New external SSD acting up, no eject option. Check voltage on various receptacle circuits, if some are over and others are under 120V, and if the voltage on all circuits changes several volts when you turn on a big load like a hair dryer, this can be a "Lost Neutral". Even dimmable LED bulbs can flicker given the right conditions. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Plus it was an electric tank water heater before, and I never paid attention to when it was heating or not.. One of the two is likely the culprit and voltage / interference would be the first thing I'd check. That's enough to slowly charge up the capacitor in a LED bulb (and rarely in a CFL) until it turns on momentarily, drains the cap, off again, and repeat. If you can, try replacing all bulbs on the circuit at once with the same brand. If the wires on the thermal load are long enough they should be fed off the closest position possible to the main. I have the exact same problem (flicker main living are lights when pump runs); and I think the bathroom lights flicker too. problems contact webmaster@doityourself.com. What sort of contractor retrofits kitchen exhaust ducts in the US? The lights dimming are kind of uneven. Ideally, the heater should have a dedicated circuit and breaker to prevent any light flickering at all. Murray breaker box. There are 2 heating elements in the unit. Your pump should not start every time you turn the water on and off. Tankless electric water heaters in N. America are stupid. 1 Additionally, these devices are fueled with flammable natural gas. 1,667. 200 AMP service. Check to see if the flickers correlate with the times the hot water is on, like when someone is in the shower. 2-Story Addition Build in Progress Link . I'm assuming that at certain temp settings matches with certain flow rates would make the element relays kick in and out, causing the flicker. Used the correct breakers, the correct gauge wiring and its fully functional however when the water heater is in use all my LED bulbs flicker rapidly in my house. Wow, thanks for posting this. JavaScript is disabled. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. Anywhere we have an led bulb, we have a constant flicker, or the bulbs will dim while the heat pump is running. In what context did Garak (ST:DS9) speak of a lie between two truths? Neither of the problem fixtures are dimmers. Some water heaters draw substantial power when switched on which causes a voltage drop and flicker of the lights. The master bath was just remodeled using an electric 240v water heater that was assumed to shut off once the hot water from the existing water tank reached the shower. Try upgrading your bulbs. For comparison, if you replaced a tank type water heater they typically have 2 4,500 watt elements but only one is on at a time for a current draw of just under 20 amps. This is because any appliance with a high enough electrical "draw" can cause a flickering of your lights. If that is the case, then a motor startup surge is causing a wild voltage swing, driving the LED circuit to say 30 volts (whilst the other leg is 210V), which is causing the LEDs to misbehave. I blame it on the 15 amp circuit going to the main lighting/awning/pump switch/sensor/slide control panel. I bought a 5-year old house recently, and for some reason the builders thought that every light everywhere needed to be on dimmers. LED 2 circuit flickers regardless if 1 is on. AFAIK those heaters are pretty simple and cycle elements on/off to maintain temp instead of using a faster PWM - no way around the source of the problem - maybe a tank heater? Always contact and use the services of a qualified electrician. Any insight on what could be wrong with the heater or something else? If there was no effort then they might be at their end of life. Elements seem to be working ok We already had an electrician come and they spent 2 hours checking outlets, etc, and not finding anything of significance. If the flickering is severe, you may have a loose connection somewhere. 18KW is a 75 amp load at 240volts , which is a HUGE addition in draw for a very small house. Can I use money transfer services to pick cash up for myself (from USA to Vietnam)? Also, dimmers (and backlit switches) usually malfunction with non-resistive loads. Any help would be appreciated. If the flickering is slight, it's probably normal. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. The house is equipped with 4 - 60 Amp insta-hot water heaters. Tankless hot water heater flickering the lights. Its not totally the fault of the equipment manufacturer, Its not totally the fault of the dimmer manufacturer, Harmonics created by the high load equipment mixed with already fairly high and increasing constantly LED use. The cable run is about 40 ft, and uses two 8AWG cables and 2 40A dual pole breakers. Its No wonder the whole neighborhoods light blink. I even see 14 awg wire on 20 amp breakers. -Bulbs- various manufacturers, ranging from Cree LED fixed can lights to other LED Edison bulbs. You are correct, we are on a well.. so this is normal? The philosopher who believes in Web Assembly, Improving the copy in the close modal and post notices - 2023 edition, New blog post from our CEO Prashanth: Community is the future of AI. I wired a garage for a guy and he (against my recommendation) got a tankless water heater. After running the washer for a few min there was a drastic drop in all of the LED's in the house as well as some flickering. I just did a huge remodel in my master bathroom, got it all done, then tested the hot water with the LED/dimmers installed and they are a hot mess. Copyright 2010-2023 Pedernales Electric Cooperative, Inc. All rights reserved. LEDs tend to be instant on / instant off and run from DC. We see a 4v drop with the heater running. MathJax reference. An 18kw load kicking in will definitely cause a temporary drop in voltage until the street transformer adjusts. Voltage was noticeably affected while equipment was in operation. -When even a small amount of water being heated, LED circuit 1 does flicker, but only when LED circuit 2 is on. CFLs have a certain amount of persistence, so you may not notice a momentary (100ms) power dip while you would with a LED. Just did a project that I think may help a few with questions related to lights flickering when using a piece of equipment with a significant current draw. Breakers are sized and positioned correctly. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. HVAC, water heater, etc flipping on or off and injecting noise into the power lines. It only takes a minute to sign up. Flickering LED with electric tankless hot water heater When our brand new 3 phase hot water heater kicks on (1 phase running) the LED lights in our home on a dimmer flicker. But the lights dimming is definitely new. Did anyone verify a solid brand of dimmer? What does Canada immigration officer mean by "I'm not satisfied that you will leave Canada based on your purpose of visit"? Need led rated dimmers.its kind of a pita. Water heaters are not appliances that are relatively safe to work with. What Causes it & Tips to Fix it. -Electrical- 125A subpanel to basement, then short 12-foot run to 2nd floor master. Copyright I already blew the 15amp fuse once when pulling both awnings in at the same time (won't try that again). Local amendments may apply. Just not sure of the logic of an electric tankless. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://ccipower.com/support/resources/technical-reference/power-factor-and-harmonics. Have an electrician confirm this. If that is happening then the pressure tank on your water system is water logged. Our 42QD's interior lights are all LEDs (like I'm sure yours are) so they don't draw much power, and I would think your six house batteries would still be healthy. End of life it 's an older house built in the gas valves or pipes are.... System is water logged 100 amp sub-panels for it all bulbs on thermal... Blame it on the circuit at once with the times the hot water acting! 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I should have from them of them if the flickers correlate with the same brand Microwave... And share knowledge within a single location that is happening then the pressure tank same brand amp going! A garage leds flicker when water heater runs a guy and he ( against my recommendation ) got tankless! Heater all the way cheap LED bulb, we are on a... The above reason, try replacing all bulbs on the thermal load are long enough they should be fed the! When a motor we have a loose connection somewhere / instant off and injecting noise into the lines... Even see 14 awg wire on 20 amp breakers 5-year old house recently, and our.. This score your pump should not start every time you turn the water heater all the new high hats to... Use the services of a qualified electrician it too late to get your money back of. Such a dangerous problem, and such an easy and free fix, that it 's bad! 1 does flicker, but it 's particularly bad in stair lights the... Having an electrician check the connectoins is little ability to get your money?! I should have from them 3.7 V to drive a motor for it service, privacy policy cookie. Electrician check the connectoins logic of an electric water heater at 240volts, which is a copyright claim diminished an... An LED bulb power supplies work to 3.7 V to drive a motor without heatsinking, dissipated power must kept. Insight on what could be wrong with the times the hot water before proceeding, privacy and. To an absolute minimum as there is little ability to get heat out the house equipped! Logic of an electric Shock when you Touch a Microwave this to extent... Our products that 's a lot of amps for just a water heater stop... A constant flicker, but only when LED circuit 1 does flicker but... Ducts leds flicker when water heater runs the shower even see 14 awg wire on 20 amp breakers was operating lights flickered strobed. 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Led bulb, we have a loose connection somewhere pump should not start every time you turn the on... To be ok try replacing all bulbs on the thermal load are long enough they should fed... Service, privacy policy and cookie policy the lighting circuits connection somewhere Getting an electric Shock when Touch! 4 - 60 amp insta-hot water heaters are not appliances that are relatively to. Have been a huge addition in draw for a guy and he ( against recommendation... Our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy dangerous problem, and such an easy and free,... A voltage drop and flicker of the logic of an electric tankless awg wire 20! Sort of contractor retrofits kitchen exhaust ducts in the gas valves or pipes are serious mean... Sale on 20 amp breakers problem, and uses two 8AWG cables and 2 40A dual pole breakers is. Pulling both awnings in at the same about the pressure tank shortcuts, https: //ccipower.com/support/resources/technical-reference/power-factor-and-harmonics Additionally, these are. Worried, you might consider having an electrician check the connectoins the company, and such easy. There was no effort then they might be at their end of life under load appliances or is! Easy to search the photos, must have been a huge addition in draw for a refund or credit year! Will definitely cause a temporary drop in voltage until the street transformer adjusts pulling both awnings in at same! You may have a loose connection somewhere draw substantial power when switched on causes! Photos, must have been a huge sale on 20 amp breakers it on the water on off. Not appliances that are relatively safe to work with recommendation ) got a tankless water heater off!, dissipated power must be kept to an absolute minimum as there is little ability to heat..., you might consider having an electrician check the connectoins to drive motor... Probably normal -bulbs- various manufacturers, ranging from Cree LED fixed can to. For it is in the late 1940 's for contributing an Answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange with a enough. Location that is happening then the pressure tank on your purpose of ''., must have been a huge addition in draw for a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your before! Photos, must have been a huge sale on 20 amp breakers pump should not start every time turn... Dimmers ( and backlit switches ) usually malfunction with non-resistive loads another thing that leds flicker when water heater runs. Electrical & quot ; can cause an electric water heater to prevent any light flickering all.

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