You know the lamps where you touch the metal and it turns on. No switches..... Im sleeping and I keep noticing that its turning on by itself. Then I woke up turned it off and actually saw it turn on all by itself about 5 minutes later. How is this happening???? Could it be caused by faulty wiring in my house shorting out???? And it only happens when at night and when Im in the room. I would like an intelligent answer. Although my place is almost 100 years old, I do not believe in ghosts, so any electricians or engineers have an answer for me??
2007-02-04 09:23:02 · 6 answers · asked by mrcarl92807 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
I also live in Southern California and the weather has been in the high 40's, its the old 2 wire system in my house, and I have a littles floor heater turning on and off throughout the night.
2007-02-04 09:50:33 · update #1
You did not say if your house is wired with the old two wire system but if it is when somthing else in your house kicks on it could change the resistance in the curcuit enough to turn the light on.
2007-02-04 09:44:06 · answer #1 · answered by Ernest B 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've had the same thing happen at my house which is really old too.I think it's caused by people either driving by or who live near by that are talking on CB radios.When they key up there mics if the radio is putting out enough watts it causes the touch lamps to turn on and off.I moved my lamps to different location and it helped some.
2007-02-04 09:44:51 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some of these lamps have a little switch that is activated by the electrical conductance of your skin. If the air is humid, the switch might be activated by the condensation of water on it. This could happen more easily if the switch is dirty. Your body and breathing introduces more humidity into the room.
Try cleaning the surface, and buffing it dry.
2007-02-04 09:45:14 · answer #3 · answered by morningfoxnorth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They work by changes in static electricity. When you touch it, you change the electric field. I'm going out on a limb here, but it could be, especially if your house is dry (especially common in winter), that bigger electrostatic charges can build up. You being in the room, tossing around, blankets rubbing...it could be that the rubbing of various materials in your bed could be causing a big enough change of charge in the vicinity of the lamp to turn it on or off.
2007-02-04 09:46:29 · answer #4 · answered by mattzcoz 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Something to do with electro statics I think Everyone has some static, and your watch, being metal would have picked some up while you were wearing it. Plastic or wood do not work as they are not conductive materials.
2016-03-29 04:58:34 · answer #5 · answered by Brianna 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Power outages can cause this. I've seen it.
2007-02-04 09:53:48 · answer #6 · answered by Scott S 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋