Flat Lighting Issues

[TwoSocks]

Hello folks, I'm an electrician in training and this is my first post in the this forum so take it easy if I mess anything up.

I've had a lot of trouble with the lighting in my flat with dimmer switches controlling GU10 Hallogen bulbs, with the main problem that each module is being overloaded. I have 50w bulbs in and have been told that the midule needs 1 and a half times the capacity thresh hold per dimmer switch. I had a trained electrician in to look at the problem and we've been able to work out that I'd have to get a much higher capacity module for each dimmer to sort the problem. So I've decided to scrap the dimmers and just go for a gang switch instead. I installed a single swich in one room today with no problems and have ordered a 3 gang switch to install later.
The problem has been that after installing the single gang in my bedroom the power to the ensuite in the same room seems to have completely died. I can't get a reading from any of the wires. I'm not sure if it could be related but with the bathroom there is an extractor fan connect to the gang switch.

Any help would be appreciated and I can get some pictures up if it would help, cheers.

 

[Sintra]

Post up some pics and some of the guys will be able to help you.

 

[TwoSocks]

I'm not sure if there's much to show. I've re-wired it all so it's back as it was before with standard wiring, so I'm not sure why there would be no reading at all from any of the wires?

 

[TwoSocks]

Is there anything that might prevent a reading from being shown on any of the wires from a socket? Coudl changing the wiring of a nearby switch effect the current running to the next one?
Another problem is that all the wires behind the switch pannel are red, except for the ground wire, so it gets pretty confusing.

 

[a.e.s]

Try turning the switch that you have just installed on, then try and take a reading at the bathroom. You might of accidentally switched a permanent feed on to the bathroom. Also, How many cablles have you got at the light switch and how is it connected??

 

[TwoSocks]

With the bedroom light on there is no reading from the bathroom light. Keep in mind that the living room lights are also disconnected from the dimmer switch until I get the new bank switch to replace that. I've gotten some pictures up so hopefuly they will help. There are 4 single red cables, another red and yellow which are intertwined and the ground wire. I think the original work was pretty shoddy seeing as there is no indication which is the live wire or even seperate colours of wires used.

 

[chris gray]

have you got a voltage meter?

 

[confused-fuse]

yellow and blue look like strapper ??as i cant see brown in image .. what a lovely mess and no marking get volt meter out and see whats what

 

[TwoSocks]

Yeah I've got a voltage meter, which is showing no live wires. I forgot to mention that there was another reb bridge wire connecting one of the com's to an L1, which isn't shown in the pic.

They're all red confused-fuse, must just be the lighting in the picture. The volt meter isn't helping me work out what is what becuse there's no reading.

 

[confused-fuse]

ok goto CU and turn off isolate all power to lighting then goto rose for the switch you think it is then look for loop and the return wire going to live ( brown/red) going to lamp .. un-wire and stick together ( via chockblock ) please mark wires ( loop) and return feed .. then go to jungle of wires and use ohms on mulity meter till you get a reading then you know thats live + return feed for that rose ... mark up .. then you know ( sometimes its black with red sleeve or black with brown sleeve)
for feed and return live .. ( com / L1 )

 

[TwoSocks]

I can follow about half of that, any chancer of a simpler explanation?

 

[confused-fuse]

looking at the diagram one is old wiring colours ( red & black) the other one is new harmonized colours (brown & blue ) you need to take the loop and live wire at the rose and connect make sure its the live and loop pull cable out abit so you can see the gray cable so you know its the right one ..

then use meter on ohms when you get a buzzer sounding or meter reading 000 or meter does something as i don't know what meter you have got .. this is the switched lead mark it up then go back and un-tag leads go back to wires and double check .. if its the not reading anything you know its the switch live/return

 

[confused-fuse]

on the images it still looks like you have a 2way lighting as i can see yellow and blue cable .. any chance you can do another image ???

 

[chris gray]

how are you trying to get a reading?
turn the power back on..
test between earth and each of the reds.. one or two of these should give you a 230v ( or there abouts reading)

 

[confused-fuse]

how are you trying to get a reading?
turn the power back on..
test between earth and each of the reds.. one or two of these should give you a 230v ( or there abouts reading)

that was the next thing i was going to suggest but mine is the safer way if he does not know whats what ..
just thinking about the EWR do not work on live ciruits if you can help it ..