current

Can you please provide more details. What country? What type of power? What type of switch? What type of bulb? How long does this persist?

If you are in the US or other country where house power is typically 2 phases then it might be useful to know if this happens on outlets from both phases or only one.

Also, is your "house" a single family dwelling, an apartment in a skyscraper or something else. Is there anything special about your house? Is there an arc welder running in the garage? Is your apartment next to the motor at the top of the elevator shaft? Does the local radio station have a powerful transmitter antenna located on the property next door? Are the wires and switches new or are they so old that they are falling apart?

Is the current "off" due to a mechanical switch, a remote X-10 switch, a "Clapper" from TV or some other sort of switch? A solid state switch might have leakage.

If you have a multimeter and IF AND ONLY IF you feel safe in making the measurement then what voltage(s) do you get when you read the voltage that the light is plugged into? Measure several times for both "on" and "off".

Does the light only blink when there is a thunderstorm in the area?

bruceflorida; very few house have 3 phase power, what they have is single phase 230 volt that is center tapped to give 115/115 volts ac. some apt. building may have what would be 2 phases of a 3 phase system for 120/208 volts ac, they require a 5 terminals watt-hour meter. perry

mine is a very old house...m an indian...this happens only when there is a heavy rain..thaks...

Hi Guest ,

Does the 4 watt lamp burns with out the power supply is unavailable and particular switch is off ?"What is the type of lamp and the voltage rating of the 4 Watt lamp. How far is your house from the transformer. Is the wiring insulation checked any time, if so what is the value? Is your Line single phase or three phase ? Please give all details .

I am trying to think what might cause this, and the only idea is that the on/off switch is a semiconductor device.

Every solid state relay and dimmer switch has a minimum current rating, so its quite possible that with a normal high current load everything functions okay, but with a low current (4watts = 110V @ 0.036A / 240V @ 0.017A) the semiconductor WILL pass enough current to cause illumination of some description.

Two possibilities cross my mind.

Wetness from the rain might be closing the circuit if the wiring is very old, such as in 'knob-and-tube' wiring. Check (after the rain stops) to see if water is leaking in around the wiring near the switch. Small 'flitters' of electricity can be conducted by the water.

The other possibility had to do with the new power saver florescent lamps, If you have gone green, lightning in the area can cause some illumination of these. It would require a very dark environment to notice this, but your reference to being native Indian might just be a clue that you are in a remote location with little ambient street lighting etc.

Or you might be brainstorming, as we are, then you never know - the possibilities are infinite ;-}