Why Do My LED Lights Change Colors By Themselves? Find Out! 

One of my friends is a handmade jewelry artist and an active member of the LGBTQ+ community. She created some beautiful pieces in rainbow colors that she plans to sell online to raise funds for the Pride Walk. Yesterday, she invited me to her place as she needed my help with a photo shoot. Well, she knows my love for the camera and eye for the lighting.

After finishing my article, I drove to her place and quickly grabbed dinner before prepping for the shoot. We set up the table and the background with some beautiful accessories. Now we needed some great light to begin the shoot. There is nothing like a crisp and white LED light bringing illumination to a photo shoot counter, making the subject look glorious and the colors well rendered.

When we began to work on the light, I was pretty disappointed with the existing room LED lights. Some lights had been used for a while and turned yellow, while others were cool white. Obviously, they were not at all suitable for a shoot. On realizing the difference in the colors of the LED lights, my friend asked why are my LED lights two different colors. I brought my shoot lights from the car and explained to her the reason after the shoot. 

LED lights change their color and vibrance due to several reasons. While the most common causes are overheating, improper connection, and fluctuating voltage, you may also face this issue if you are using a sub-quality LED light. In the case of smart LED lights, a software bug or a stuck remote button may also cause a color change.

In this article, we will dwell on what determines the color of an LED light and throw some light upon the reasons why your LED light is changing colors. We will also discuss the possible fixes to solve the issue.

What Determines The Color Of Your LED Light?

In my article about the lifespan of LED lights, I explained how LED lights work. LEDs, i.e Light Emitting Diodes, are made up of semiconductors that produce light when electricity passes through them. 

The choice of the semiconductor used in manufacturing LED lights will determine the wavelength of the photon emissions and the resulting color of the emitted light. There are two main types of semiconductors presently used for lighting systems. One of the alloys is responsible for the red, orange, and yellow colors, and the other type of alloy is responsible for the green, blue, and white colors. Altering the composition of these alloys in an LED light alters the color of the light emitted.

Why Do My LED Lights Change Colors By Themselves?

If you buy an LED light of a specific color, it will remain the same. However, the brightness may diminish with time, and the LED may become dimmer. Thanks to technology, we have certain LED lights whose colors can be changed depending on our mood using a remote control or a smartphone. However, if your LED lights change colors themselves, you must investigate the cause as LED lights usually do not change their color on their own. This behavior is a sign of a problem that may need to be addressed. 

This section of the article will discuss the possible causes for LED lights changing colors and how to fix led lights that are different colors.

Your Power Supply Is Not Continuous

If the power supply to your LED light is not continuous, it may flicker or produce a different color than the usual one. There are chances that the tiny metal tab at the bottom of the socket that connects your light to the power supply is slightly depressed. In this case, your LED light may not be burned out but simply not receive the electric current, or there is a loose connection in the wiring system. In this case, you may notice a changed color of your LED light. Ensure proper connections to fix the issue. In the case of LED strip lights connected to the wall outlet, ensure that the plug is inserted correctly.

Your Voltage Is Fluctuating

A fluctuating voltage often does not cause the change of color of your light, but it results in a difference in the intensity or brightness of the light. This change may appear like a color change at times. A high voltage will make your lights too bright and may even lead to the light burning out of your LED light. 

A low voltage will make your lights dim. To check whether you are receiving the standard voltage of 120 V at your home, use a multimeter to test the voltage. In case of a high, low, or fluctuating voltage, connect with your service provider for the remedy.

Your LED Light Is Overheating

Though LED lights produce significantly less heat than other lights, they have a low heat tolerance. If your LED light is overheating for some reason and it is unable to cool down properly, the diodes may change color. This will result in the change of color of your light.

To avoid the overheating and subsequent change in color of your LED light, ensure proper ventilation and insulation. Install your LED lights at a location that allows the air to circulate and lets the LED light cool down. 

Do not place your LED light in the area where there is direct sun exposure but no ventilation. Also, ensure that your recessed lights are insulated.  

You Are Using An Incompatible Dimmer Switch

Dimmer switches are devices that allow you to control the brightness of your lights as per your need and can help you adjust the light according to your mood. However, not all LED lights are dimmable. 

You may be able to dim your non-dimmable light using a dimming switch but it may end up producing a different color. Also, the dimmer switches designed for other lights may not be compatible with dimmer switches. An incompatible dimmer switch can lead to faulty diodes which may end up emitting colors different than the usual. 

I highly recommend using a compatible dimmer switch for the longevity and proper functionality of your LED light.

There Is A Software Bug In Your Smart LED Light

If your LED light is a multi-colored smart LED light, and it keeps changing colors on its own, there are chances that there is a software bug in your lights. Smart LED lights have software and codes that allow you to change colors using a remote control, smartphone, or sound. 

If your LED light is a multi-colored smart LED light, and it keeps changing colors on its own, there are chances that there is a software bug in your lights. Smart LED lights have software and codes that allow you to change colors using a remote control, smartphone, or sound. 

However, software bugs interfere with the functioning of the light and mess up the color and the commands. In this case, I recommend soft resetting your LED lights by disconnecting them from the power supply. Resume the power supply after 1-2 minutes and see if the LED light works properly. If your LED light still continues to change colors, reset the light using the remote control or the smartphone.

However, software bugs interfere with the functioning of the light and mess up the color and the commands. In this case, I recommend soft resetting your LED lights by disconnecting them from the power supply. Resume the power supply after 1-2 minutes and see if the LED light works properly. If your LED light still continues to change colors, reset the light using the remote control or the smartphone.

Your LED Light Is Failing Due To Prolonged Use

LED lights have an average lifespan of more than 35,000 hours. However, some factors diminish the life of these lights but still, LED lights once installed go a long way. One great thing about LED lights is that they do not burn out suddenly in most cases. If your LED light burns out often, read the article for the possible causes and fixes. When an LED light fails, instead of dying suddenly, it dims and changes its color to a warmer yellowish tone. 

When my friend invited me for a photo shoot and asked, ‘why are my LED lights two different colors?’ I investigated the issue for her. Upon checking, I found half of her LED lights were too old, dim, and warm because they were failing. If you suspect a similar issue with your LED light, you may check the manufacturing date of your light, which is usually printed on the neck of LED lights.

The Remote Control Button Of Your LED Light Is Stuck

If you have an LED strip light with a remote control that emits multiple or wrong colors, you must be wondering how to fix led lights when the colors are wrong. In this case, there is a possibility that one or more of your remote buttons are stuck, so the remote is not communicating correctly. To fix the wrong colors, press each button on your remote control multiple times to release the stuck button. 

You also try resetting your remote by removing the batteries and reinserting them after 1-2 minutes. If you notice any of the buttons on your remote control are damaged, connect your lights with another remote control.

You Are Using Poor Quality LED Lights

If you bought some cheap quality LED lights and are wondering why are some of my LED lights different colors, then the answer is quite obvious. Poor quality LED lights have sub-standard equipment and do not adhere to the stand guidelines of LED manufacturing; hence are not reliable. These LED lights often overheat, and the diodes get damaged, producing a different color. Since these LED lights do not go a long way and burn out easily and frequently, they are not cost-efficient and contribute to the already substantial electronic waste issue.

I highly recommend using LED light from reliable and reputed manufacturers who adhere to the product criteria associated with the industry. I have been using the LED lights from Hubbell Lighting for some years and have been pretty satisfied.

How To Fix LED Lights When The Colors Are Wrong?

LED lights have been a great addition to our homes. Not only do they save us money by being cost-efficient, but they are also easier on the environment. Since we don’t have to replace them often, they do not contribute as much to the electronic waste issue as incandescent bulbs would do. 

Despite everything being excellent, your LED lights can exhibit issues like changing colors or showing two colors. If you are somebody who is wondering how to fix LED lights when the colors are wrong, we’ve got you covered.

Below are some ways to fix the wrong or changing colors of your LED light.

• Ensure that your LED light is properly connected to the power source and that the power supply is continuous.
• Check whether the voltage at your home is the standard value as high, low, or fluctuating voltage may cause a change in the intensity and color of the LED light.
• Restart your LED light after 1-2 minutes of turning it off.
• Ensure a sound ventilation system in the area where your LED light is installed to avoid overheating of the light.
• Look for any stuck button in your LED light remote control. 
• Use only a compatible dimmer switch to prevent your LED lights from failing.
• Ensure that your LED lights are not too old, as these lights start dimming and change their colors to warmer tones after prolonged use.
• Do not install a poor-quality LED light as they are likely to change their colors after a few uses due to sub-standard components.

FAQs

1. Can rains affect the color of the LED lights?

Answer – Rainwater accumulated in your LED light in the form of fog can result in the change of color and brightness of the light. At times, rainwater can lead to the diodes’ corrosion and a different colored illumination.

2. Do LED lights change color upon overheating?

Answer – LED lights usually do not overheat. But if your lights are installed in an area where ventilation is poor, they may overheat and damage the diode resulting in a changed illumination color.

3. Why Do LED lights turn yellow after prolonged use?

Answer – After prolonged use, the epoxy coating of the LED starts to corrode due to overheating. Hence, they start illuminating a yellowish warmer light. The turn turns from yellow to brownish before the bulb eventually burns out.

Conclusion

LED lights have earned all the praise since they replaced incandescent lights in our homes. Though LED lights rightly boast of cost-efficiency, reduced carbon footprint, and energy efficiency, it is normal to have your lights exhibit a faulty behavior like changing colors on their own. This article discusses the possible reasons why your LED lights may illuminate a different color than usual or are changing colors themselves. I hope you would have found the information helpful. If you have any more questions about LED lights, I’d be happy to help.