Ceiling lights short circuited when a bulb blew

Paintfly · Mar 12, 2019

Just the ceiling lights (3 rooms + bathroom), all wall sockets working fine & no circuit breakers popped out. Any ideas why? Someone said it could be rodents chewing the cables & my upstairs neighbour has had a few infestations recently

. I'm in a Victorian terrace ground floor flat.
Does it sound expensive? It's beyond me to tackle.
Any suggestions gratefully received.
Cheers

Wilko · Mar 12, 2019

Hi - did you remove the blown lamp? Do the other lights not work now? Perhaps recheck the Consumer Unit for any switches down, post a pic of it if you like

Strima · Mar 12, 2019

What sort of lamp blew? If it was a halogen they have a habit of taking the circuit protection device with them.

telectrix · Mar 12, 2019

very common for a bulb blowimg to take out a fuse/mcb. could also take out a poor connection on the circuit that was just about coping with normal load. check every light and see if there's a termimal/cable end loose/burnt.

Pete999 · Mar 12, 2019

Try resetting all the trips, one by one could be the lamp blowing could have caused a short or earth fault. Sometimes the RCD or MCB trips but stays in the on position, they are not infallible, try switching each one off and on again, and let us know what happens please. And what Tel has posted as well, all sorts of scenarios. Doubt if it's Rodent related, to much of a coincident. Us oldies have our uses, we are not all mothballs and Briar pipes you know.

Paintfly · Mar 12, 2019

Great thanks for all the replies. I'll try resetting the trips & see if that works. It was a 35w Energy bulb in a 75 w max light holder, so no reason I would think that was the problem. I've been using them in that particular light for years. Replaced with a 16w energy & no change.
Cheers

The Ghost · Mar 12, 2019

It may, just may be that the lights are supplied from a fused spur somewhere and that fuse has blown.

Paintfly · Mar 12, 2019

Resetting the trips didn't work, so anything else under the bonnet is beyond me, so I'll have to get someone in. Thanks for the suggestions.

Happychappy · Mar 12, 2019

Paintfly said:
Resetting the trips didn't work, so anything else under the bonnet is beyond me, so I'll have to get someone in. Thanks for the suggestions.

driverman · Mar 16, 2019

what was the outcome?

Paintfly · Apr 9, 2019

Sorry for the late reply. It was one of the old fuses on the board without a pop out breaker switch. My next door neighbour's bruvva who's a sparks fixed it with 2 srands of copper wire because he didn't have a 5a fuse on him...old school...love it

Thanks for all suggestions.

Strima · Apr 9, 2019

[ElectriciansForums.net] Ceiling lights short circuited when a bulb blew

telectrix · Apr 9, 2019

Paintfly said:
Sorry for the late reply. It was one of the old fuses on the board without a pop out breaker switch. My next door neighbour's bruvva who's a sparks fixed it with 2 srands of copper wire because he didn't have a 5a fuse on him...old school...love it
Thanks for all suggestions.

then that wants replacing with the correct size of fuse wire ASAP. his 2 strands could be 5A,10A,30A, who knows?