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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> First floor lights https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1104358899 Message started by Stuart on Dec 29^th, 2004, 10:21pm

Title: First floor lights
Post by Stuart on Dec 29^th, 2004, 10:21pm

Help !!

Sitting watching TV this evening the ground floor switch on my consumer board tripped for no reason. I have two sets of chandeliers in my front room. One over the dining area and one over the main lounge. Each Chandelier takes 3 40watt incandescent bulbs. The box tends to trip occaisionaly when one of the bulbs in the dining room set pops. But all three bulbs appear to be intact. After switching the unit back on the front room fitting works fine but the dining room unit is dead.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to what to do? I originaly installed these fittings and am wondering if I have made a mistake in the wiring, but these lights have been running fine for 3 years plus now.

Regards

Stuart

Title: Re: First floor lights
Post by chtechie on Dec 29^th, 2004, 11:05pm

I guess you've tried changing a lamp before you posted this question ? I'd suggest tripping the breaker for a start - This is to ensure you don't have any further problems caused by the fault and so you can investigate the reason without fear of getting an electric shock. Do you have any tools like a multimeter ?

Title: Re: First floor lights
Post by L.Spark on Dec 29^th, 2004, 11:11pm

Hello Stuart

It sound's as if a live may have come loose somewhere and shorted to earth :-/

However some lamps cause this problem as there is a short in the lamp, as CHT suggests.

Take out all the lamps, switch on the MCB, if the MCB stays on it's not a wiring fault it's a lamp that's causing the trouble.

Replace lamps one by one until breaker trips.

Title: Re: First floor lights
Post by Lectrician on Dec 30^th, 2004, 9:28am

Could have been a live cable shorting to earth quickly, and short 'blew apart'. This still needs sorting.

After you have changed the lamps, if it still doesn't work, try the below.

Locate the loose wire at the light fitting
Locate the loose wire in the light fitting
Locate the loose wire at the switch
Locate the loose wire or damaged cable under the floor