Help.. no lights downstairs in my home

[jrt]

Hope someone can please help with strange (to me) issue

I turned lights in last night in my home & they came on & then went off. But all apart from 1 light downstairs in my house doesn't work. At first I thought fuse, but it's ok. The 1 light that stays on is on same fuse as the ones that won't. None are linked with same switch so none of the lounge, kitchen, dining room, hall or lower toilet are working. Any ideas on where to start to remedy ?

Thanks

 

[jrt]

Doing a continuity test with a MM gets me a beep between all non working lights, just not with working light, but then this should be expected as running the live cable is pretty much the same thing, just not as safe

 

[telectrix]

easiest way is to take a live from the working light to the nearest no-working one, rather than from a switch. however, it' should only be as a temporary measure until you can get the fault traced.

 

[jrt]

Should I try the continuity test again but split the lives in the working light ? Could that help me find the dead cable ?

 

[telectrix]

Should I try the continuity test again but split the lives in the working light ? Could that help me find the dead cable ?

no.

 

[jrt]

Taking a live from the working to nearest non-working, is what I mentioned earlier, so it is ok for me to do this ?

 

[jrt]

I originally said through the joists, meaning from JB to JB & only using switch now to run tests, I wouldnt leave it like that

 

[DPG]

There's no alternative but good old fashioned fault finding and basic dead tests. Use a continuity tester that supplies a few mA rather than a standard electronic multimeter.
Draw the circuit out as you go along so you know how and where each cable is connected.

 

[jrt]

Hmm, sorry, lost me there

 

[Lee42]

Have you tested to make sure there is a live and neutral at those connections?

 

[jrt]

At what connection, the one that is working ? Guessing N are all fine as I can get lights to work when adding a Live ?

 

[Lee42]

Realy think you are going to have to get a competent electrician in to solve this one for you.

 

[Pete999]

135 post and you don't realise you are out of your depth? Sorry 137

 

[jrt]

Ive got armbands on

 

[Lee42]

What is puzzling me is there is 4 lives in that wago connector. Loop in, loop out, live to switch. There seem to be another loop out to another fitting. Surely there cant be a fault on both. Unless the 2nd loop out isnt actually connected to a light.
Ps its also been a long day so might not be seeing it correctly

 

[jrt]

Anyway, as Ive said b4, 2 electricians couldnt work it out, I think it is something really simple, if I knew how to find out where the dead cable was, I would be able to sort, it just odd that all come on when I add the live, surely one should remain off ?

 

[jrt]

Lee42 :- wouldnt this be 1 in, 1 out to hall, 1 out to outside light & 1 to switch ?

 

[jrt]

outside light & hall work, nothing else

 

[Lee42]

So is the outside light working?

 

[telectrix]

i could come down to southampton, sort it out for a tenner ( plus expenses- 1st class air fare, top rate hotel suite for a week, including bar bill, ).

 

[Pete999]

135 post and you don't realise you are out of your depth?

Anyway, as Ive said b4, 2 electricians couldnt work it out, I think it is something really simple, if I knew how to find out where the dead cable was, I would be able to sort, it just odd that all come on when I add the live, surely one should remain off ?

2 Electricians????? I wonder if they are actually Electricians.

 

[Lee42]

outside light & hall work, nothing else

That would explain the extra cable.
You might of had two electricians out but they didnt sound competent. You are best going onto niceic website and choosing an electrician from there.

 

[telectrix]

niceic.....

nicely incompetent easily in control

 

[jrt]

I just dug this out my ceiling b4 ripping up my floors (this is from garage conversion & closest to actual main fuse box) is wiring looking ok to u guys? does to me

 

[Lee42]

Looks like it will be cheaper for you to get a electrician in, before you do any more damage to you're house

 

[Pete999]

Looks like it will be cheaper for you to get a electrician in, before you do any more damage to you're house

149 posts