Help.. no lights downstairs in my home

jrt · Jul 23, 2017

Hope someone can please help with strange (to me) issue

I turned lights in last night in my home & they came on & then went off. But all apart from 1 light downstairs in my house doesn't work. At first I thought fuse, but it's ok. The 1 light that stays on is on same fuse as the ones that won't. None are linked with same switch so none of the lounge, kitchen, dining room, hall or lower toilet are working. Any ideas on where to start to remedy ?

Thanks

Pete999 · Jul 25, 2017

Amateur said:
Fair comment but ive not got one lol. I would like to learn how to use and understand test equipment though. At least you didnt slate my diy'er with no proper equipment approach.

Well Mate, Tel's hardly going to upset someone who comes from his neck of the woods is he?

Octopus · Jul 25, 2017

jrt said:
Junction box in garage which is converted to an office now (man cave) JB was tested, all working fine, still only 1 hall light working, this light "could" be first on circuit, but sparky had no clue which light was next as all other lights are dead

Best find another sparky then .................. dead tests using the live , neutral and earth will do this................... just use any 2 cores .............. the last one I fault found WAS a loose neutral from a 10 year old DIY fit (admitted by client) ............. the one before that was due to the kids turning off a Switched fused spur - yes some pillock had added a SFCU ............................

Octopus · Jul 25, 2017

jrt said:
Junction box in garage which is converted to an office now (man cave) JB was tested, all working fine, still only 1 hall light working, this light "could" be first on circuit, but sparky had no clue which light was next as all other lights are dead

Best find another sparky then .................. dead tests using the live , neutral and earth will do this................... just use any 2 cores .............. the last one I fault found WAS a loose neutral from a 10 year old DIY fit (admitted by client) ............. the one before that was due to the kids turning off a Switched fused spur - yes some pillock had added a SFCU ............................

telectrix · Jul 25, 2017

@Amateur: there's DIY and there's DIY. as long as you know your limitations. where in cheshire are you?

telectrix · Jul 25, 2017

Pete999 said:
Well Mate, Tel's hardly going to upset someone who comes from his neck of the woods is he?

Miaowwwww.

[ElectriciansForums.net] Help.. no lights downstairs in my home

Amateur · Jul 25, 2017

telectrix said:
@Amateur: there's DIY and there's DIY. as long as you know your limitations. where in cheshire are you?

Sunny Runcorn mate, Cheshire sounds so much better though!

I regularly have sparks in to do various jobs in work so always lend a hand when i can to see what i can learn from them. They are getting free labour and i am learning so good for both parties.

telectrix · Jul 25, 2017

was round that way yesterday. got lost coming back from Liverpool Airport.bloody diversions poorly signed.

Amateur · Jul 25, 2017

telectrix said:
was round that way yesterday. got lost coming back from Liverpool Airport.bloody diversions poorly signed.

Its a nightmare mate with the new Mersey Crossing being built. Different expressways are opening and closing constantly with all kinds of diversions. Hopefully all done this autumn apparently.

telectrix · Jul 25, 2017

can't wait. now there's going to be a choice of bridges for the suicidal.

Amateur · Jul 25, 2017

telectrix said:
can't wait. now there's going to be a choice of bridges for the suicidal.

PMSL, yeah, do i go for the posh new one but risk there being a queue of suicidal people or just go for the old faithfull Silver Jubilee bridge!

It seems like every week someone wants to jump off it, just shows how nice an area it is to live. Must be all the chemicals in the air.

jrt · Jul 28, 2017

2nd sparky came & went yesterday, friggin £45 call out charge to do nowt. I have since tested the lines myself, if I use the live from working blocks in ceiling to any of my non working lights, they all work, so a definite break in the live somewhere but I cannot tell which light is next on the ring.

If I run a new live cable on the main line from my working light to another in the joists, what is the recommended cable I should use? Im guessing standard lighting cable not man enough & will need something more sturdy ?
Thanks

jrt · Jul 28, 2017

Guessing this not man enough ?

telectrix · Jul 28, 2017

2nd sparky came & went yesterday, friggin £45 call out charge to do nowt.

i'd be ashamed to ask for any money if i could not find such a fault. what a plonker.

you need to get a decent electrician, one that's done a proper apprenticeship, not a jumped up Electrical Trainee that don't know his arse from his elbow.

telectrix · Jul 28, 2017

jrt said:
Guessing this not man enough ?

View attachment 37558

that'would be like slapping a bandage on a scratch. you need to get the fault fixed. there could be a loos live cable floating about in the void, just waiting for someone to fish in there and OUCH!.

jrt · Jul 28, 2017

So what cable do I need ?

telectrix · Jul 28, 2017

you need an electrician.

telectrix · Jul 28, 2017

telectrix said:
you need an electrician. in the time this thread's been running i could have rewired all the lighting,

jrt · Jul 28, 2017

Im going to do it myself, advice on the cable is all I want, its ok, I'll just search google, thanks anyway

telectrix · Jul 28, 2017

OK> cable should be twin/earth. best to use same size as the existing. e.g. 1.0mm or 1.5mm.

jrt · Jul 28, 2017

Thanks, so the one I posted a pic of should be fine or is that just for looping ?

Im guessing that as I can get lights to all lights from powering externally (use of live in working light to any switch) the worse I have is an incomplete circuit meaning the circuit will just have lower power at the CU ?

telectrix · Jul 28, 2017

what it means is that you will have bridged out the break. might be better to get some brown sheathed single cable, then you're only bridging the live, not the neutral, which is intact.

H6241B 1.5mm² Single Core Cable Brown / White (100m Drum) | City Electrical Factors - http://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/450327-h6241b-1-5mm-cable-brown-white-100m-drum

jrt · Jul 28, 2017

OK thanks, can I not just use the live core only in the one I have ?

Amateur · Jul 28, 2017

Im a DIY'er too so my logical approach might be easier for you to follow.

Firstly though just to clarify do you know what youre looking at in the ceiling roses with regards to switched live, permanent live (loop/radial), neutral & earth?

You didnt clarify either that youre 100% sure that the 1 working light is on the downstairs circuit by pulling all other fuses (or switching MCB's off) to make sure.

Once thats confirmed then If it were me i would just do as ive already said with regards to tracing the loop/radial cable from the first working light. That is most likely the fault wether it be a live or neutral fault because clearly something has happened between the first and second lights, either the connection in the rose/terminal in the first light, the cable from the first to the second light or the connections in the rose/terminal on the second light. Its just a simple process of elimination really.

The pro's on here would find the fault a lot quicker with their test equipment and knowledge but im confident you would find it as stated above too.

jrt · Jul 28, 2017

Thanks but if u had read the post, all you have recommended has been attempted. due to the layout of my house, I cant trace the fault, nor could 2 electricians. there is only 1 place I can access the junction in a ceiling without cutting holes in my ceiling & that is my lounge where I have laminate in bedroom above. If I connect the live only from working switch to my lounge switch, I get lights in the whole of the downstairs, so I am planning on running a live only connection from the working light to the lounge. This will then give me lights all downstairs. Sadly I have just realised that to remove the laminate above, I have to take 80% of it up (15ft square room) so a lot of work especially with furniture. I cant really cut through laminate & chipboard at same time as my joists run the wrong way for me to cable through to working light, its a nightmare for sure! I can access working light from above, as its under the builtin wardrobe. I am awaiting delivery (today) of a 127mm hole saw & I will cut out a hatch to see the working light from above asap. I might be lucky & see the fault there, if so, I will be happy, if not, laminate removal will be the only answer I feel

Pete999 · Jul 28, 2017

jrt said:
So what cable do I need ?

A decent, capable Electrician who isn't going to rip you off mate that's what you need. Where did you find this Crook Electrician who came, did SFA and Fox Trot Oscared? not Checkatrade was it? I wouldn't have the gonads to do that, what a barsteward.

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