LED mirror added to Ac circuit with odd behavior


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Old 02-18-19, 07:52 PM
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Question LED mirror added to Ac circuit with odd behavior

My neighbor had a lighted LED makeup mirror wired into a 15A circuit (standard parallel wiring of hot, neutral and ground) pigtailed together at the end of the circuit with a closet light (single bulb) controlled by a non-dimmer standard switch. No gfci involved. The contractor said the makeup mirror only works when the closet light switch is off which was the case ....but it’s not because the closet switch is in the circuit for the LED mirror (they are parallel) along with however many other random outlets and such on the circuit. Plus the LED mirror has its own switch like you’d expect. Anyway, now the LED mirror is dying (probably the transformer) and I’m thinking something’s odd with the whole closet light switch controlling the LED circuit behavior. Anything special to know about LED circuits In this scenario? The contractor is long gone as is the mirror warranty so just trying to help sort this out.
 
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Old 02-18-19, 08:08 PM
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The contractor said the makeup mirror only works when the closet light switch is off which was the case
Classic case of someone tapping into a switch loop where is no neutral.
 
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Old 02-19-19, 01:03 AM
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Check the switch wiring. If there is only a black and a.white connected.to the switch the white is not a neutral.
 
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Old 02-19-19, 03:50 AM
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Have you verified the circuits are in parallel? The closet switch has to be more than an ON/OFF to only power the LED mirror in the OFF position. The closet switch prevents a parallel circuit (both can't be on at the same time).
 
 

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