No power to upstairs lights

[puntaprima]

Hi, I've been to a job today where the upstairs lights are not working. The breaker is fine and there is power there but it's dead at all the switches and roses. I think a wire has probably come loose in a JB somewhere but I can't get access due to solid wood floor in loft conversion. Can I run a new supply cable to the first light and bypass the old one? Any other ideas?

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Surely if you can get to the first light to run a new cable, you can fault find it?

Was the loft conversion recent?

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Oh, welcome to the forum!!

 

[telectrix]

first job is to get a wander lead on it. find out whether its the L or the N (or both) missing. this may give an indication of the problem. solid wood floor-- nails/screws---- cable damaged?

 

[puntaprima]

Hi, Thanks guys. I've checked with a wander lead and I have good coninuity on the eath and neutral but nothing on live. The floor is quite recent but the lights just went out one night with no previous faults.

 

[puntaprima]

I answer to Mark I cant get to cables without busting the cieling or the floor. Was thinking of just running a new cable up in trunking. Thanks for the welcome.

 

[telectrix]

i would suspect the cable has been pierced by a nail/screw, just the L. after being walked on it has finally snapped. you might find a "live" screw lurking in the new floor.

 

[Whitey-Ford]

i would suspect the cable has been pierced by a nail/screw, just the L. after being walked on it has finally snapped. you might find a "live" screw lurking in the new floor.

If that was the case, how would you go about tracking the location of the fault down?

 

[Hiddo]

You need to find the JB otherwise it may still become live when you energise the circuit. Sounds like a floor up job to me.

 

[Hiddo]

To long replying on my part ignore me here in my own world.

 

[telectrix]

if it meant damaging the nice new floor, i would isolate the feed at the CU and run in a new cable ( in trunking if necessary, ) as OP has said. all depends on the customer's wishes. if he will accept floor or ceiling to be damaged, then you can search for the fault.

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Just rip the floor up, destruction all the way!!!!

 

[puntaprima]

That's what I think but it'll be a nightmare and the customer is really against it. He has also asked me to quote for completely re-wiring the circuit all in trunking which will look terrible but he would prefer this to having the floor up.
I was just trying to think of a easier way as the wiring generally looks good between all the switches and roses so it seems a waste to replace it all.

 

[Knobhead]

The customer is always right! He’s got to look at the trunking when it’s done, you haven’t after you’ve walked out through the door.

 

[Dave 85]

If the customer wants to rewire a perfectly good concealed circuit in trunking he is either not all there or he has been given the wrong end of the stick by you.

 

[DHES]

Can you not test all cables and disconnect the damaged cable then re feed the upstairs lights?


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[puntaprima]

Can you not test all cables and disconnect the damaged cable then re feed the upstairs lights?


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I'm going back Monday and that's exactly what I intend to do.

Thanks everyone for all the replies

 

[londonlec]

Can you not test all cables and disconnect the damaged cable then re feed the upstairs lights?


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Thats what I'd do, no need for that floor to come up at all.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Be great to know whats actually happened though!

 

[DHES]

Any update on this?