# LED Light is buzzing/humming



## aumanpj (Jul 15, 2009)

Recently, I connected the Leyden 6-Light Brushed Nickel Dimmable LED Fixed Track Light Kit from Lowes to a Lutron Maestro CL MACL-153M switch. The instructions for the light installation specifically name this switch as compatible for dimming the light to 10% of its capacity.

So what's my problem? While I can control the light with the switch, the light makes a buzzing or humming noise any time it is turned on and regardless of how bright or dim it is. I called Lutron for help and the best thing they could tell me is that the light manufacturer probably identified their switch as compatible without actually testing it. So their solution was to ask the manufacturer for their actual test data.

I proceeded to call the 800 number in the light fixture's instructions and I reached a Lowes Technical Customer Disservice Representative who actually told me that LED lights are manufactured to hum like I was experiencing and that if I didn't like the humming, the only solution was to return the fixture and get a non-LED light fixture. Of course, this did not sit well with me and so I requested to speak with a supervisor. I'm pretty sure LED manufacturers do not think customers enjoy humming noise like this and intentionally create the lights to hum. I am now waiting for a return telephone call from a supervisor.

Anyhow, I do like this light fixture and I am inclined to use a different switch before finding another fixture. 

Does anyone have any advice in this situation? Could it be that the fixture is bad and that a new, identical fixture would solve the problem? Similarly, could it be the switch? Could it be the wiring? What sort of diagnostic can I run on this setup to try and achieve success with this fixture?

Thank you very much for your time and advice. I look forward to hearing from you.
Phil


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## GrayHair (Apr 9, 2015)

The instruction sheet you posted shows compatible with a Lutron MACL-153MR. The lamps (bulbs) you use must be listed as compatible for your exact dimmer model. If the fixture you bought was a repack, someone may have swapped lamps and returned the fixture.  Unfortunately, that is done all too often today.


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## aumanpj (Jul 15, 2009)

Thank you for the feedack, Greyhair. I am not so sure this would be a concern in this particular fixture because the LEDs are built into the fixture itself and are not replaceable, from what I can tell.


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## djlandkpl (Jan 29, 2013)

Swap the dimmer for a standard light switch and see if the humming stops.


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## Arrow3030 (Apr 19, 2015)

I don't think your dimmer is correct despite the fixtures manual. Usually C.L dimmers are for light bulbs. Maestro usually has a bunch of customizable settings. You may need a magnetic or electronic low voltage dimmer depending on what type of driver the fixture is using.


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## MrElectricianTV (Nov 13, 2014)

aumanpj said:


> Recently, I connected the Leyden 6-Light Brushed Nickel Dimmable LED Fixed Track Light Kit from Lowes to a Lutron Maestro CL MACL-153M switch. The instructions for the light installation specifically name this switch as compatible for dimming the light to 10% of its capacity.
> 
> So what's my problem? While I can control the light with the switch, the light makes a buzzing or humming noise any time it is turned on and regardless of how bright or dim it is. I called Lutron for help and the best thing they could tell me is that the light manufacturer probably identified their switch as compatible without actually testing it. So their solution was to ask the manufacturer for their actual test data.
> 
> ...


Does it make any noise when the dimmer is removed and a standard wall switch is installed instead?

I went through LED dimmer hell last year for a customer who wanted all LED's in her new kitchen and two new bathrooms, all with dimmers. I phoned tech support at Lutron and several lighting manufacturers. It is important to use compatible equipment, but that is no guarantee of satisfactory performance. One fixture in one of the bathrooms I could not get to stop blinking after it was lowered down to a certain level. I surmised that possibly the dimmers needed a minimum amount of wattage load to perform properly.


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## Druidia (Oct 9, 2011)

I've looked at several LED bulbs when I was considering changing my halogen track lights to all LEDs. Reviews on Amazon point to it being common for LEDs to blink when all track heads hold an LED bulb. Like you said, the dimmers probably need a min wattage load. Many reviews mentioned that leaving one track head with a halogen bulb solved the problem - they can dim the bulbs without the blinking. I always had my kitchen track lights on full so I didn't bother with keeping one halogen in one track head.


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## aumanpj (Jul 15, 2009)

Since posting last, I have tried a second, recommended switch - the Leviton 6674-P-LED/LFC. This switch performs just as the maestro. The fixture will turn on and off and dim but only while buzzing. It boggles my mind that Lowes can sell a fixture like this and recommend the use of switches that effectively do not work. Anyhow, I tried a regular, non-dimmable switch and the fixture produced no buzzing or humming noise. Based on what you all are telling me and based on this blog post, I am now convinced that an electronic low voltage switch may be the answer.

I called a local lighting store to ask about their ELV switches and they have four different varieties in stock ranging from $54.00 to $110. Unfortunately, though, these switches are non-returnable. If I buy one of these switches and it does not work, then I am out the money. If the switches were returnable, this would be a no-brainer. I would simply buy one and test it out. While it seems likely to work, I'd like to avoid the risk of it not working, if at all possible.

Are there any measures/settings I could look out for on the light fixture that would help me to determine which of the ELV switches are most likely to work? Or, would pretty much any ELV switch work correctly? 

Thank you for considering this additional questions.
I appreciate the help very much! Thank you!


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## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

Are the individual lamps(bulbs) low voltage or line voltage? If low voltage there is an integral transformer whithin the fixture housing which would require a magnetic low voltage dimmer.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

Some LED fixtures buzz when other identical fixtures don't. You may have gotten one of these. Since you have tried two different recommended dimmers (from two different mfgs) I would take the fixture back to Lowes. If you really love it, you could try another of the same fixture. Or, get a different one.

Personally, I would get one that uses bulbs instead of the integrated LED Modules. What will you do in a couple of years when one of those integrated LED heads fails and Lowes no longer carries it/has parts ?

A bulb type fixture has no built in drivers. The LED driver would be in the LED bulb. When the light goes out, you replace the LED bulb and it works.


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## aumanpj (Jul 15, 2009)

I contacted Lowes and they "think" but do not know that the fixture is line voltage, not low voltage. I do want to use this fixture because it attaches to the ceiling in two places besides the electrical box. If I return the fixture for some other, the ceiling would have to be repaired with drywall mud, sanding, and paint - ugh. The fixture itself is garaunteed to work for five years, so ideally I would find a switch that works.


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## MrElectricianTV (Nov 13, 2014)

aumanpj said:


> Since posting last, I have tried a second, recommended switch - the Leviton 6674-P-LED/LFC. This switch performs just as the maestro. The fixture will turn on and off and dim but only while buzzing. It boggles my mind that Lowes can sell a fixture like this and recommend the use of switches that effectively do not work. Anyhow, I tried a regular, non-dimmable switch and the fixture produced no buzzing or humming noise. Based on what you all are telling me and based on this blog post, I am now convinced that an electronic low voltage switch may be the answer.
> 
> I called a local lighting store to ask about their ELV switches and they have four different varieties in stock ranging from $54.00 to $110. Unfortunately, though, these switches are non-returnable. If I buy one of these switches and it does not work, then I am out the money. If the switches were returnable, this would be a no-brainer. I would simply buy one and test it out. While it seems likely to work, I'd like to avoid the risk of it not working, if at all possible.
> 
> ...



I think that the ELV switches that you are referring to require a special LED driver that has a low voltage control. You would use a 0-10 volt dimmer connected to low voltage wires for control, but you also need the 120 volts at the fixture for power. This type of installation is usually done in commercial buildings. Southwire is now making a hybrid MC cable that has the low voltage conductors in the same cable as the line voltage.


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## aumanpj (Jul 15, 2009)

I have now tried three additional switches - the Lutron SCL-153-PR-WH, the Lutron TGCL-153PH-WH, and the Lutron DVELV-300P-LA. The first two of these three were actually recommended by the instructions to work with this fixture. Like the two before it, they too caused an audible humming noise. The Electronic Low Voltage switch was the most effective as it reduced the audible humming noise considerably, but it still makes a hum! Yes, I'm pretty damned frustrated at this point. Might some other ELV switch produce an even better result? Like I said, I'd really like to keep this fixture, if possible; though, I won't keep it if I cannot eliminate the buzzing noise.

Thanks everyone for reading and offering your advice.


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## Arrow3030 (Apr 19, 2015)

Were any that you tried a magnetic low voltage? Did the ELV require a neutral?


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## aumanpj (Jul 15, 2009)

I tried one magnetic low voltage from cooper a few days ago. Yes, the ELV required a neutral. I think all ELV switches require a neutral...? It's not looking good, is it?


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## Arrow3030 (Apr 19, 2015)

AFAIK all ELV require a neutral. I think you might have a bunk driver/fixture.


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## aumanpj (Jul 15, 2009)

Well, I gave up on this fixture after trying three brand new fixtures with as many as 11 different switches. I think the manufacturer is misleading consumers when they say the fixture is dimmable to 10%. While this is true, under no condition will it not buzz, and what customer is going to tolerate that? Thank you, everyone, for your help.


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