Extension lighting problem

[Gringoking88]

Hi boys and girls,

Hoping you can advise me utilising some of your experience!

I have a 6a mcb on a circuit that is rcd protected feeding the ground floor lights along with lighting in an extension. Upon changing a bulb (within the extension) there was a flash and the mcb tripped. It was turned back on but none of the extension lights will now turn on, however the main house will and functions normally. I have been looking for where the extension lights are fed from but can't find it? How would you guys go about identifying the source of the problem? Would you use a set process?? If so what would it be? Sorry if this is a very silly question but I'm just learning lol.

Cheers,

Martin

 

[The Ghost]

Usually they would be fed from the nearest ceiling rose.So if you were putting a new bulb in presumably they were ok til you did that yes?

 

[Gringoking88]

Hi vortigern,

Thanks for the reply, yes they were fine till I changed the bulb. All the lights are downlights in the main house. So no ceiling rose, would they just be wired from a junction box at one of the existing lights and why would it suddenly stop when changing a bulb?

Thanks.

 

[The Ghost]

Is the bulb in some way defective. Normally an extension would take the feed from the nearest ceiling light. I assume there is a fault between live and neutral. I expect I would look at the bulb, lamp holder then the wiring in the rose. What position is the light i.e. the first or second ? I would then disconnect the supply cable to the extension and test out the cable. Assuming I did not find a loose connection at that point. This would identify the problem pretty fast.

 

[Octopus]

If the lights are not working you may be missing the neutral.

I would do R1 + R2 then Rn + R2 to see what is going on or simply use a wander lead .....

 

[westward10]

Sounds like something may have shorted where you removed the bulb which has resulted in the loss of line or neutral conductor. Maybe the lampholder twisted, created a short which ruptured a conductor. I would look where the fault first occurred.

 

[sedgy34]

Could be simply a dodgy lamp holder check that first

 

[telectrix]

agree with westward10. you probably have a loose connection at the l.ight you replaced the lamp at, which shorted to another conductor, and is now dissed.

 

[Barry White]

Which MCB tripped ? Check there is not a FCU (used to be called a fused spur) with a five amp 5 fuse feeding the lights in the extension.