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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> Faulty ceiling light issue https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1232303615 Message started by Lemmiwinks on Jan 18^th, 2009, 6:33pm

Title: Faulty ceiling light issue
Post by Lemmiwinks on Jan 18^th, 2009, 6:33pm

Hi folks,

I made my first attempt at replacing three light fittings today.

I switched off the power at the fuse box, set all switches to "off" and started. Light number one was a spotlight in the living room. Once I had fitted the light I switched the power back on at the fuse box. Hoorah we have light! All seemed fine and dandy.

I then fitted light 2 (another spotlight in the living room) and light 3 (a light in the kitchen). I returned to the fuse box and flipped all the switches back to the "on" position. No light from any of the new fittings. I re-checked the wiring of the lights. All seemed fine and secure. Still nothing. I took light 3 down and tried again. No light from either lights 1 and 2. So I removed light 2. My theory was I knew the first light was fine so it should come back on. No joy. All 3 lights are on the same trip switch on the fuse box so i am guessing it may be a circuit issue... not that I really have an idea being an electrical novice.

Can anyone shed any light (pardon the pun) on this issue please? I will try to answer any questions you may need to ask the best I can.

Many thanks :)

Title: Re: Faulty ceiling light issue
Post by Lectrician on Jan 18^th, 2009, 6:46pm

Assuming no bangs, and the MCB in the consumer unit is not tripping, you must have dropped a live or neutral that is looping through the fitting.

Give all your cables inside the fittings a good wiggle test - make sure they are all in the terminals.

Can you post some pics of the connections? See at the bottom of my post for info on how to do this.

Do you have a volt meter or multimeter, or access to one?

Title: Re: Faulty ceiling light issue
Post by Lemmiwinks on Jan 18^th, 2009, 7:26pm

Yes there were no bangs and no trips afterwards.

I don't have a volt or multi meter though I may well need one if this isn't an obvious fix!

I will try the wiggle test tomorrow and see how I get on with that.

Would one faulty connection stop all 3 lights functioning? I am assuming they are connected on the circuit but, as I say, I am a total novice.

Title: Re: Faulty ceiling light issue
Post by CWatters on Jan 19^th, 2009, 8:34am

wrote on Jan 18^th, 2009, 7:26pm:

Would one faulty connection stop all 3 lights functioning?

Yes. It's common for live and neutral to go from one light to the next. One fault can take out all the lights after that point in the chain. Even though light one works the fault could be there - eg the live wire going from one to two/three could be faulty.