Why are my lights flickering? One flickering light can come from the globe, an LED that does not suit its dimmer, a worn switch or a loose connection in the fitting. When several lights flicker, or part of the house loses power, the cause can also be the switchboard, the main connections or the supply.
Energy Safe Victoria (ESV) lists flickering lights among the warning signs of faulty wiring. For dim or flickering lights or partial power, it says to keep off the switchboard and anything metal, unplug what you can easily reach, and call Powercor on 13 24 12. A flicker that keeps coming back needs a licensed electrician.
- One light flickering
- Can be the globe, the dimmer, the switch or the fitting
- Several lights, or part of the house out
- ESV: keep off the switchboard, unplug, call Powercor
- Powercor faults line
- 13 24 12, 24 hours
- Burning smell, heat or sparks
- Treat it as an emergency. Fire: get out and call 000
One light, one room or the whole house: what the pattern points to
The pattern shows an electrician where to start. Only testing confirms the cause.
| What you notice | What it can be caused by | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| One light flickers, the rest are steady | The globe (failing, loose or the wrong type), the fitting, the switch, or a loose connection at that light | Try a new globe (ESV's published exemptions include changing a light globe). If it persists, call an electrician. |
| LED lights flicker when dimmed, or glow when off | A dimmer not made for LEDs, globes that are not dimmable, or a failing LED driver | Call an electrician |
| Lights dip when an appliance starts | A large load starting, a worn connection, or an overloaded circuit | Have it checked if it keeps happening |
| Lights flicker or dim across the house | The main connections, the switchboard, or the supply | Keep off the switchboard, unplug, call Powercor on 13 24 12 |
| Some rooms have no power | A tripped safety switch or circuit breaker, a failed connection, a damaged cable, or a fault where the supply comes in | See the partial power checks below |
| Flicker with a burning smell, heat, buzzing or sparks | A connection or fitting overheating | Emergency: see the urgent steps below |
Why LED lights flicker
LEDs flicker for different reasons from halogen globes. An electrician checks:
- The dimmer. Many older dimmers were made for halogen and incandescent globes. With LEDs on them they can flicker, buzz or dim unevenly. The fix is a dimmer made for LED lighting, matched to the globes.
- Non-dimmable globes on a dimmer, which can flicker on any dimmer.
- Mixed globes of different types on the same dimmer.
- The driver. Many LED downlights have a separate driver above the ceiling. A failing driver can make a downlight flicker or switch itself off.
- A faint glow when the light is off, which can come from the type of switch or the way the circuit is wired.
Changing a dimmer, driver or fitting is work for a licensed electrician. Moving from halogen to LED? Our guide LED vs halogen downlights helps you choose, and our downlight installation page covers the work.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
Lights that flicker when an appliance turns on
If the lights dip the moment something large starts, such as an oven, heater, dryer, pump or air conditioner, it can be caused by:
- a large load starting on a circuit or supply that is already heavily loaded
- a loose or worn connection at a switch, at the switchboard or where the supply comes in, which shows up as the load rises
- an overloaded circuit, often with a circuit breaker that keeps tripping as well
- a problem in the supply network, which is Powercor's to fix
Have it checked if it happens every time, is getting worse, or comes with warmth, buzzing or a smell at the switchboard. If the lights through the whole house dim, call Powercor first.
Are flickering lights dangerous?
They can be. ESV lists flickering lights among the tell-tale signs that home wiring may be faulty, alongside old switchboards (particularly those without a safety switch), old or broken switches and power points, and sparks. A flicker that keeps coming back should be checked.
Treat these as urgent. Our 24/7 emergency electrician line is there for these.
- A burning smell, smoke, scorch marks, buzzing, heat or sparks at a light, switch, power point or the switchboard. Keep people away. Turn off the power at the source only if it is safe to reach. Never use water on an electrical fire. A small fire can be smothered with a fire blanket or a dry chemical extinguisher; for anything larger, get out and call 000.
- A tingle or shock from a tap, showerhead or appliance. Do not touch it again or go back into the area. Call Powercor on 13 24 12 immediately. A licensed electrician must then check the wiring.
Power out in only part of the house
Your wiring is split into circuits, each protected at the switchboard by a circuit breaker or fuse, and many also by a safety switch (RCD), which only protects the circuits it is connected to. When some rooms go dark and the rest are fine, one or more circuits have lost power. That can be caused by a tripped safety switch or breaker, a blown fuse, a failed connection, a damaged cable, or a fault where the supply comes in.
ESV does not say how to tell a supply problem from a wiring fault, so work through its advice in this order:
- Danger signs first. A burning smell, heat, sparks or a tingle: follow the urgent steps above.
- If any lights are dim or flickering, do not touch the switchboard or anything metal. Switch off and unplug what you can easily reach, and call Powercor on 13 24 12. This is ESV's power outage advice.
- If the rest of the house is steady, look at the switchboard. If a safety switch has tripped, ESV's advice is to reset it. If it will not reset, or switches keep turning off, leave them off and call a licensed electrician. Our guide why does my safety switch keep tripping? explains the safe unplug check.
- If nothing has tripped, treat it as partial supply and call Powercor. If the problem is not in Powercor's network, it is in your installation, and that needs a licensed electrician.
Do not open the switchboard, swap breakers or tighten anything yourself. Finding the fault means testing live equipment, and that is licensed work.
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
Powercor or an electrician: who to call
| What is happening | Who to call |
|---|---|
| Lights dim or flickering across the house, or partial power | Powercor on 13 24 12, as ESV advises |
| The whole street is out | Powercor, or check the live outage map |
| The street has power and your home does not | A licensed electrician. Powercor says your private service may be damaged |
| A safety switch will not reset, or switches keep turning off | A licensed electrician |
| One light keeps flickering after a new globe | A licensed electrician |
| Loose, cracked or scorched switches or power points | A licensed electrician. Do not touch or try to repair it |
ESV calls flickering both a sign of faulty wiring and a reason to call your distributor, and gives no test to tell them apart. When unsure, call Powercor first. Powercor looks after the poles, wires and supply up to your property. Everything on your side is the owner's, and is repaired by a licensed electrician.
What an electrician checks when your lights flicker
- The pattern: which lights, how often, and what was running at the time.
- The light: the globe, the fitting, the LED driver, the dimmer and the switch.
- The circuit: tests on the circuit and its connections back to the switchboard.
- The switchboard and main connections, including where the supply comes into the house.
- Whose side it is on. If the problem is in Powercor's network, you are told so it can be reported. If it is in your installation, it is repaired.
- Repair and test, with a Certificate of Electrical Safety for the work.
Fault finding is one of the jobs our electricians do most. If a flicker traces back to an old switchboard or tired wiring, we will say so: see switchboard upgrades and our guide does a 1970s house need rewiring? ESV suggests having the wiring checked by a licensed electrician in any house more than 30 years old.
What to do next
If one light keeps flickering after a new globe, or a flicker keeps coming back, book electrical fault finding and repairs with CabledIN on 1300 025 555. If several lights are affected or part of the house is out, follow ESV's advice above and call Powercor first, then call us if the problem is in your home. For a burning smell, sparks or heat, use our 24/7 emergency electrician line. We are licensed electricians (REC 30925) based in North Geelong.
Frequently asked questions
Why are my lights flickering?
One flickering light can be caused by the globe, an unsuitable dimmer, a worn switch or a loose connection. Several lights at once can point to the switchboard or the supply, and ESV advises calling Powercor on 13 24 12.
Why do my LED lights flicker?
LED flicker can be caused by a dimmer made for older halogen globes, non-dimmable globes on a dimmer, mixed globe types, or a failing driver in an LED downlight. An electrician can fit a dimmer made for LED lighting or replace the driver.
Why do my lights flicker when an appliance turns on?
It can be caused by a large load starting on a heavily loaded circuit, a worn connection that shows up under load, or an overloaded circuit. If it happens every time or is getting worse, have an electrician check it.
Why are all the lights in my house flickering?
When lights flicker or dim across the house, ESV's advice is not to touch the switchboard or anything metal, to unplug what you can easily reach, and to call Powercor on 13 24 12 straight away.
Are flickering lights dangerous?
They can be. ESV lists flickering lights among the tell-tale signs of faulty wiring. A burning smell, heat, buzzing or sparks with the flicker is an emergency.
Why do I have no power in some rooms but not others?
One or more circuits have lost power. If the rest of the house is steady and a safety switch has tripped, reset it, and call a licensed electrician if it will not reset. If nothing has tripped or lights are dim, call Powercor on 13 24 12.
Should I call Powercor or an electrician about flickering lights?
If several lights are affected or part of the house is out, call Powercor on 13 24 12 first, as ESV advises. If it is a single light, or the problem is not in Powercor's network, call a licensed electrician.
Can I fix a flickering light myself?
You can change a light globe: ESV's published exemptions include it. Replacing a switch, dimmer, driver or light fitting is electrical work for a licensed electrician.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.