common lighting fault

[michufc]

what in peoples experience would be the most common fault on lighting circuits

 

[slocm3105]

Transformers or Lampholders in the low voltage spot lights.

 

[Spudnik]

Homeowners phoning and saying their lights dont work anymore, go round, pull place apart, find out they had been tinkering and got all the connections wrong when trying to reassemble.

Other than that, generally burnt out fittings etc.

 

[WarrenG]

Incorrectly wired.

 

[mrloy99]

what in peoples experience would be the most common fault on lighting circuits

you need to give us a clue here what you're getting at.
-------- apprentices wireing the whole job in twin brown!!
Too long fixing screws penetrating cables!
Borrowed neutrals!
No earth!
I could go on and on

 

[Guest123]

Believe it or not, it's slightly dim homeowners buying 110V tungsten halogen lamps for their 230V PIR floods believing that they are cheaper to run than 230 because it's less voltage then phoning up because they dont work

God help us all

 

[slocm3105]

you need to give us a clue here what you're getting at.
-------- apprentices wireing the whole job in twin brown!!
Too long fixing screws penetrating cables!
Borrowed neutrals!
No earth!
I could go on and on

He does clearly state MOST COMMON lighting faults. You cant go on and on because most common means most common. Thay cant all be the most common

 

[michufc]

i asked because i wanted to no what you would check first if you were called out for a light fault

 

[bahco]

in my experience the most common problem is the customer tries to change a switch cocks it up then rings a spark saying it just stoped working.

you take the switch off and its wired wrong

 

[jeremy]

imho the MOST common fault is the customer

 

[Stixicus]

Most common "problem" I have come across: Lots of "class 1 equipment" - shiny chrome light fittings etc fitted by weekend DIY'ers on lighting circuits with no earth conductor?

 

[desertbootz]

IMO most common problem is people can't see where they're going 'cos it's too dark, the most common cause is faulty installation or age.

Is it worth mentioning that having a list of the most common causes of faults isn't nearly as efficient (= profitable) as having a good method of fault finding?

Putting my training bloke hat on (not worn for some time and smells of camel crap), if I had a penny for every minute spent watching someone pull their hair out trying to fix a fault they've "seen before" only for them to find out much, much later the real fault looks the same (similiar evidence) but has a different (and often bleedin' obvious) cause I'd have a heaving great stack of pennies... however, if I gave you a penny for every time I forgot my own advice and did the same thing you'd have a stack of pennies too :O)

 

[mrloy99]

i asked because i wanted to no what you would check first if you were called out for a light fault

Assuming they had called you out because the mcb had tripped or fuse had popped and won't reset.Try switching all the room lights off and then try reset again, if it can now be reset,it would appear to be a fault within a room,which room?switch on one room at a time to see which room is tripping it.Also don't forget to try the 2way hall circuit in both positions.If fault persists with all switches off,check to see if there is maybe an outside security light,which is letting in water.Then I would take the cover off c.u.,disconnect circuit neutral,and proceed to test for continuity,to see if the short is on live,earth,or live neutral.Or if there is an rcbo you could have a neutral earth fault.For your test live to neutral you might get a reading from your outside pir light,so best to disconnect it.Your fault location process should be trying to find which area the fault lies so you don't have to pull the whole place apart.Try and break the circuit into manageable sizes.

 

[bristollspark]

the most common fault is the customers tool box !