DIY: Halogen spot not working

[Tim75]

Afternoon chaps.

I've just put up a 3-lamp halogen fitting and it's not working, I've tested from switch to lamp insert with a volt stick and there's current all the way. The contacts at the inserts seem fine as it's a new fitting, I've tried both 50w & 20w (GU10) lamps in it and getting zero results.

I'm stumped, any clues?

 

[SJD]

... I've tested from switch to lamp insert with a volt stick and there's current all the way. ...

Perhaps you mean there's "volts" all the way (but no current flowing)?

 

[telectrix]

your voltstick will light if there's L. it can't tell you if there's no N. apart from being totally unreliable anyway. best advice is to get a local sparks in. won't cost much. sure there's a forum member near you if you post your location.

 

[Tim75]

So the N is likely the problem? It is one of 2 fittings in a hallway which are simultaneously controlled by a switch at either end, though there was only one feed to it, which confused me.

 

[Tim75]

Never mind, I'm a blithering idiot and had put the neutral in to a redundant terminal.

Darwin awards.

 

[Guitarist]

Playing around with electricity can be lethal, as I'm sure you are aware. If your previous fitting worked, but your new one doesn't, then it's quite likely that you have not connected it correctly.
Please get a qualified electrician out to sort the problem.

 

[Tim75]

The day I call an electrician out who charges me £80 to put up a £10 light fitting in 3 minutes, wombles will be ice skating in Hell.

Good day, sir.

 

[ian.settle1]

The day I call an electrician out who charges me £80 to put up a £10 light fitting in 3 minutes, wombles will be ice skating in Hell.

Good day, sir.

And good bye to you as well.

Hope you have fun telling the man with the white wig and black gown why you killed someone the next time you play with electrics and you haven't a clue what you was doing.

 

[Plonker 3]

How do you know it was a neutral cable wrongly connected?

could have been a CPC!

 

[Tim75]

I used the amazing power of my eyes.

 

[SJD]

As an aside, I'm continually surprised at the number of metal GU10 light fittings I come across where the CPC has not been connected. Yesterday I corrected one; last Friday I corrected another.

 

[Plonker 3]

I used the amazing power of my eyes.

To think us sparks spend our hard earned cash on proper test equipment, when all we reallybneed is a volt stick and our eyes. :banghead:

 

[Sintra]

People like this always know best.