When an LED light is first powered on, it can draw a large amount of current in a short time, known as inrush current. It can be significantly higher than their normal operating current potentially causing issues with circuit breakers and smart switches. This inrush may damage the switch internal components, leading to the switch malfunctioning or even burning out.
The graph above shows the sudden spike in inrush current that happens when starting up. It can be challenging to identify if your LED lights experience these parasitic currents. To mitigate this, consider adding a capacitor to help smooth out the inrush current. The capacitor will store electrical charge and release it gradually, reducing the impact to the smart switch.
Attach the capacitor to the first light point connected to the L1 slot on the switch. For LED strip lights, attach the capacitor to N and L on the AC side of the driver.
