Hi Guys,

I'm new to this forum and I'm hoping someone can shed some light (no pun intended) on the ongoing flickering of my lights at my home.

I purchased my house about three years ago and ever since all my lights flicker almost constantly. The lights will be fine for about 5-10 minutes and then flicker like a disco for another 5-10 minutes.

When I purchased the house all the downlights around the house were halogen GU10 50W globes with old style wire wound type dimmers. The switches were all Clipsal press button switches.

I did a garage extension shortly after I purchased the house and thought I'd tackle the electrical issues as I go along. I reported the flickering to Council a few times and they eventually tapped up the transformer which seemed to help for some time (they also changed me from the blue phase to the red phase which had a lower load during peak times).

But I think after a while the transformer had been serviced or someone worked on it and it was tapped down again.

The electrician that was wiring my new garage suggested I install three phase in my house to better balance out my power and to get better supply. The house has one main DB in the original garage - this board then feeds a sub board for the pool pump which in turn feeds another mini sub DB board for the lapa. The main DB also feeds a sub board in the new garage.

During the three phase installation and garage build I thought it would be wise to replace new electrical fittings and at the same time debug any issues that may be causing my lights to flicker. So I replaced all my plug points, light switches as well as all the old GU10 50W halogen globes with GU10 7W LED globes and new LED dimmers.

The main cable from the power box outside feeding my house's power was also replaced with a brand new cable. I'm not an electrician and only know some simple basics but I knew that something was not right and at the time I thought that replacing new electrical fittings etc would solve my flickering lights.

As I'm sure you've guessed by now (since I'm writing this post) the problem with the flickering lights has not been sorted. Some people I have asked, have told me that it could be the LED's and their dimmers, but I don't think that can be the case since since there previous halogen and old dimmers did exactly the same flickering. Even now, if I swap an LED downlight with a halogen bulb, it will flicker together with the LEDs.

One or two rooms in the house don't have dimmers and the lights seem to not flicker there. But if I turn the dimmable lights all the way up, they also appear not to flicker, so I think that they're still flickering, it's just that at full brightness the flickering is not as perceptible to the human eye. The flickering is just more visible and obvious when the lights are turned down.

If I had to post some video clips of my house lights, they would need to come with an epilepsy warning - it feels like you're in a club with strobe lights! Enough to drive anyone insane!

Could the phase where the lights are connected have issues along the line from the main transformer? It seems all three phases are similar with one or two having more of a load during peak hours - I think this could be a factor to the flickering of my lights?

I've given up and don't know what else to do... Do I ask the municipality to tap the transformer again on my light phase? Could it be an issue with the main transformer (my next door neighbour that uses halogens and dimmers says he does not experience any flickering). Could my cable connected from the power box outside be on corroded lugs? I have also looked into this and municipality says it looks fine?

I've run out of ideas. I hoping someone has seen this before and can give me some advice or point me to the right direction.

Many thanks and regards!