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

 

[telectrix]

you need an electrician.

 

[telectrix]

you need an electrician. in the time this thread's been running i could have rewired all the lighting,

 

[jrt]

Im going to do it myself, advice on the cable is all I want, its ok, I'll just search google, thanks anyway

 

[telectrix]

OK> cable should be twin/earth. best to use same size as the existing. e.g. 1.0mm or 1.5mm.

 

[jrt]

Thanks, so the one I posted a pic of should be fine or is that just for looping ?

Im guessing that as I can get lights to all lights from powering externally (use of live in working light to any switch) the worse I have is an incomplete circuit meaning the circuit will just have lower power at the CU ?

 

[telectrix]

what it means is that you will have bridged out the break. might be better to get some brown sheathed single cable, then you're only bridging the live, not the neutral, which is intact.

H6241B 1.5mm² Single Core Cable Brown / White (100m Drum) | City Electrical Factors - http://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/450327-h6241b-1-5mm-cable-brown-white-100m-drum

 

[jrt]

OK thanks, can I not just use the live core only in the one I have ?

 

[Amateur]

Im a DIY'er too so my logical approach might be easier for you to follow.

Firstly though just to clarify do you know what youre looking at in the ceiling roses with regards to switched live, permanent live (loop/radial), neutral & earth?

You didnt clarify either that youre 100% sure that the 1 working light is on the downstairs circuit by pulling all other fuses (or switching MCB's off) to make sure.

Once thats confirmed then If it were me i would just do as ive already said with regards to tracing the loop/radial cable from the first working light. That is most likely the fault wether it be a live or neutral fault because clearly something has happened between the first and second lights, either the connection in the rose/terminal in the first light, the cable from the first to the second light or the connections in the rose/terminal on the second light. Its just a simple process of elimination really.

The pro's on here would find the fault a lot quicker with their test equipment and knowledge but im confident you would find it as stated above too.

 

[jrt]

Thanks but if u had read the post, all you have recommended has been attempted. due to the layout of my house, I cant trace the fault, nor could 2 electricians. there is only 1 place I can access the junction in a ceiling without cutting holes in my ceiling & that is my lounge where I have laminate in bedroom above. If I connect the live only from working switch to my lounge switch, I get lights in the whole of the downstairs, so I am planning on running a live only connection from the working light to the lounge. This will then give me lights all downstairs. Sadly I have just realised that to remove the laminate above, I have to take 80% of it up (15ft square room) so a lot of work especially with furniture. I cant really cut through laminate & chipboard at same time as my joists run the wrong way for me to cable through to working light, its a nightmare for sure! I can access working light from above, as its under the builtin wardrobe. I am awaiting delivery (today) of a 127mm hole saw & I will cut out a hatch to see the working light from above asap. I might be lucky & see the fault there, if so, I will be happy, if not, laminate removal will be the only answer I feel

 

[Pete999]

So what cable do I need ?

A decent, capable Electrician who isn't going to rip you off mate that's what you need. Where did you find this Crook Electrician who came, did SFA and Fox Trot Oscared? not Checkatrade was it? I wouldn't have the gonads to do that, what a barsteward.

 

[jrt]

Agreed, but off on my hols Sunday & need to get sorted b4 I go as 2 of my kids staying home.

 

[Pete999]

Agreed, but off on my hols Sunday & need to get sorted b4 I go as 2 of my kids staying home.

So you do a dodgy repair and then leave your kids on their own.

 

[jrt]

It was Checkatrade, company called Banks Electricals, I have left seriously negative feedback

 

[jrt]

why is it dodgy? Making a circuit by putting a live cable from 1 JB in ceiling to another, thats not dodgy ?

 

[Pete999]

why is it dodgy? Making a circuit by putting a live cable from 1 JB in ceiling to another, thats not dodgy ?

Because as has been said before you could be leaving live cables floating about under the floor.

It was Checkatrade, company called Banks Electricals, I have left seriously negative feedback

Did or does Banks Electrical belong to any Scheme? daft question I suppose if they belong to checkatrade they almost certainly will, find out which one NICEIC, NAPIT or one of the others and report him telling them that in your considered opinion they have left your installation unsafe, and had the gonads to charge you.