Why Are My Pendant Lights Flickering?

December 20, 2024

Several factors can cause your pendant lights to flicker such as faulty wiring, bulb issues, or incompatible dimmers. Identifying the cause is essential to restoring your pendant lights to their pristine condition.

In this article, we’ll discuss these factors and offer some insights on how you can try to address each one of them.

Common Causes of Flickering Pendant Lights

Loose or Faulty Bulbs

One of the most common reasons for flickering is loose or improperly screwed bulbs. If the bulb isn’t securely attached to its socket, electricity is not flowing properly which causes flickering. An easy fix to this is to tightly secure the bulb to its base.

If this continues, it may be time to replace the bulb itself. Open-layout pendant lights make this task easier as there are no other components that you have to worry about. For example, changing the core of our Eclipse Glow Pendant would take no time as it only has one large exposed frosted bulb.

Eclipse Glow Pendant in Gold and Black Curved Design

Incompatible Dimmer Switches

You see, not all pendant lights are created equally. Some do not have dimmable features and as such have to be connected to a dimmer switch. If you have a pendant light like that, the flickering may be caused by incompatibility between the switch and the bulbs.

If you confirm that they aren’t complementary, upgrade your dimmer to one that fits the bulb type that you have. Or to save yourself from future hassle, opt for our pendant lights that come with built-in dimmable features.

Check out one of our most popular pieces, the Midnight Gloss Pendant Midsize. Its reflective finish is ideal for even light diffusion while its dimmable features let you easily switch from bright illumination to a softer and ambient glow.

Midnight Gloss Pendant Midsize with Copper Ring Accent

Faulty Wiring

Another potential culprit for flickering pendant lights is damage or loose wiring. Over time, connections within the fixture or the junction box can degrade, causing an inconsistent flow of electricity. This poses a safety risk so it’s better to have an electrician inspect the wiring.

This kind of problem is common for pendant lights that hang only by a cord. A more durable option would be fixtures that hang through a metal rod like this elegant Golden Petal Pendant. Its adjustable height feature allows you to easily customize its length according to your preference.

Golden wire petal pendant light with exposed bulb, luxurious and artistic decor element.

Shedding Light on This Flickering Issue

Flickering pendant lights can be such a nuisance especially if it’s a recurring issue. The key is to identify what causes this problem so that you can solve it immediately and maintain a reliable lighting setup. Don’t forget to clean your pendant lights to maintain their shine, okay?

Should you need any specific help that is not answered by this article, do not hesitate to contact our team of professionals here at Swift Beacon. If you’re ready to light up your life, explore some of our other pendant light offerings.