Last updated on October 17th, 2023 at 09:14 pm
Recessed lights are the most suitable, aesthetic, and cost-effective lights for lighting up your home. Recessed lights are a type of downlight or can lights, installed in the ceiling and wall. These lights are used to hang down opposite the ceiling.
Recessed lights are also known as can lights, pot lights, and high hat lights. These lights last longer than ordinary bulbs. Recessed lights are very energy efficient.
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Common Problems of Recessed Lights
Recessed lights are very appealing. Today everyone is giving priority to recessed lights over common lights and bulbs. I also like recessed lights as they are appealing, beautiful, and cost-effective. But these lights have some issues.
I have also faced some issues related to recessed lights. I want to share my story. One day I was resting in my room that has recessed lights. Suddenly all of my recessed lights started blinking. It seems very mysterious to me. After blinking for some time, all of the recessed lights shut off.
Only one of the recessed lights was working. I was unable to understand the situation and its cause. I urgently called my electrician. He came and checked thoroughly. He told me about the common issues of recessed lights, which are as follows:
- Bad Wiring
- Insulation Problems
- Blown Bulb
- Blown Socket
- Blown Switch
- Sagging of Light Trim
- Electrical Sparking
- Bad Installation
- Low-quality Material
Why Only One Recessed Light Working- Most Common Causes
There may be many causes why your only one recessed light is working. Some causes are as follows:
Cause 1: Poor Installation
Poor installation is the most common cause of the failure of recessed lights. Take care of minor details during installation. A little negligence can cause a failure of lights. Hire a good electrician for installing the recessed lights, as recessed lights have to be installed once a year.
Tip: Properly Install Recessed Lights
Installation of recessed lights is not a big deal, you can easily install these lights on your own, but it is always better to hire a professional. The steps to install a recessed light are as follows:
- Cut a hole in the Ceiling with a drill machine
- Run Wiring to the Ceiling Hole
- Connect the Wire to the Recessed Light
- Put the Light in the Ceiling Hole
- Add the Recessed Light Trim
- Add the Right Bulb
- Wire the Circuit to the Service Panel
These steps must be carefully followed during the installation of recessed lights to avoid any kind of failure.
Cause 2: Use of Low-Quality Material
Recessed lights deliver light to your home from a fixture that’s almost invisible from various angles. This low-profile light hugs the ceiling with just an edge of trim showing. Sometimes the failure of recessed lights can be the quality of the material you are using.
Low-quality recessed lights and materials used during their installation cause their failure.
Tip: Use Good-Quality Material
Recessed lights are very cost-effective and you have to invest money in recessed lights once in many years. So, don’t compromise on the quality of recessed lights and materials used during their installation.
To avoid any failure and maximize the functioning of recessed lights, always purchase material from a famous and authentic brand.
Cause 3: Over-Insulation
The recessed lights are very compact and occupy little space, but if this space is packed too closely around the fixture, this could cause over-insulation. This over-insulation causes overheating. Due to this overheating some of the blub or socket can be blown.
Tip: Don’t Over Insulate Recessed light
The over-insulation may cause a blown-up of some or all recessed lights or sockets. Don’t over-insulate the recessed lights. Provide enough space for recessed lights so that overheating doesn’t occur.
Cause 4: Bad Wiring
Using low-quality wire or defects in the arrangement of wiring also causes the failure of the recessed lights. Carelessness during the arrangement of wiring or installation of wiring without any experience also causes the failure of recessed lights.
Tip: Hire A Professional Electrician For Wiring
There are two types of wiring for recessed lights as follows:
- Series
- Parallel
It is a difficult task to decide which type of wiring is suitable for your house. Only an experienced electrician can tell, that this type of wiring suits best for your home. So, hire a professional to avoid the upcoming troubles.
Cause 5: Blown Bulb or Socket
If your only one recessed light is working and all other lights are not, then maybe any of your bulb, socket, or switch has blown.
Tip: Replace the Blown Bulb or Socket
If your one recessed light is working and others are not, first check out the reason if the bulb is blown or the socket is blown, then replace the blown bulb or socket. It is too easy to replace the blown object. The steps are as follows:
- Switch OFF, the electrical circuit of the room
- Let the bulb or socket cool down
- Detach the bulb or socket from its place
- Attach the new bulb or socket
By following these steps you can easily replace blown objects with your own.
Cause 6: Electric Sparking
Sometimes, a change in electric current or a high or low voltage can cause electric sparking. This electric sparking can damage wiring or this can blow up the recessed lights, switches, or even the main circuits of the room.
This electric sparking can be dangerous and cause the failure of your recessed lights.
Tip: Switch OFF The Main Circuit/ Turn ON Circuit Breaker
If electric sparking occurs, first of all, switch OFF the main circuit or turn ON the circuit breaker, then urgently call your electrician. It might be dangerous to handle this on your own. Hand over the problem to your professional electrician.
Recessed Lights FAQs
It’s human nature that when we face some problems, a lot of questions arise in our minds. So here are some of the answers to your question, which are given below:
When should you not use recessed lights?
If your room size is large and you have to light up a lot of it, recessed lighting may not be the best option.
What is better than recessed lighting?
The best alternatives to recessed lights are disc lights. They are in the category of LED flush ceiling lights. They also save space, time, and effort. Disc lights have no overheating issues.
Can you add recessed lighting to the existing ceiling?
With minimal creativity and special remodeling housings, you can install a roomful of recessed lights.
How many recessed lights can we put on one switch?
The rating of the circuit breaker that controls the circuit is the same as the number of recessed fixtures you can run on the circuit. A 15-amp breaker for a standard lighting circuit can handle 30 recessed lights.
Is the recessed light difficult to install?
Recessed lights are more difficult to install than traditional lights.
What should be the minimum distance between recessed lights?
In a room with 8-foot high ceilings, recessed lighting should be spaced roughly 4 feet apart.
Can recessed lights be too close together?
No, avoid recessed lighting fixtures placed too close together or in rows down the center of the room.
Which wiring is better series or parallel?
Wiring in series decreases the voltage of each light. For example, if you have six lights rated for 14 volts, they will need to be wired in parallel to receive the full 14 volts.
How much does it cost to wire and install recessed lighting?
The average cost to install recessed lights is $65 to $160 in a new home.
Also, Read This. Suddenly My Recessed lights Stop Working. Tips to solve it
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, this article will help you to find out the reason, why all the recessed lights fail and only one recessed light is working. There is always a solution to every bad situation. Don’t worry if any problem happens to you. Try to find the solution.
May all the recessed lights illuminating your home always remain lightened up.
