help with no earth in stair lighting circuit please

[robert0881]

Hi all. Having moved into my house i wanted to put a nice hanging light fitting above the hall stairs. i removed the pendant thats there and tested the circuit L/N N/E L/E im not getting 240 across Live and Earth. getting 240 between L/N no probs.

Basicly i have a switch upstairs which is a plastic switch.
Earth is chock blocked upstairs at the pendant and at the switch. downstairs switch earth is also chock blocked.
I dont want to rip open the ceiling to run a new cable in as the decor is lovely.
Im under the understanding as there is no earth connected i can only use a plastic pendant or a double insulated light fitting unless i rewire that circuit?
Since the downstairs switch is very close to the fuse box can i borrow another earth to let me fit a chandelier above the stairs.
having checked the rest of the light circuits in the house there all fine. its just the upstair one that i dont get 240 between L/E

forgot to mention its an old house and i do belive in the past it was fairly common in older builds to leave out the earth in light circuits.

thanks guys..

 

[Octopus]

If I were you i'd get a sparky in to take a look first hand.

 

[Rockingit]

Do you have an RCD protected fuseboard?

 

[robert0881]

Yes i do there is one 80amp rcd and the rest all mcbs. the lights are on 3x 10amp mcbs

 

[drew35]

If you can afford a house that can accommodate a chandelier you can afford to redecorate!!!
No other circuit routed around the loft with a cpc in it? But if you're testing to earth it must be there??? You sure its not disconnected somewhere? Maybe a junction box in the loft.

 

[robert0881]

dont worry it isnt a big chandelier. but one of those type of lights etc.
The problem is that there isnt really a loft. traditional type croft house where there is two bedooms upstairs and coombed ceilings.
Im not getting anything Live to Earth/ the cables all there twin and earth. whats weird is that its the only light in the house that doesnt get 240 between L/E.
Im wondering if the earth has been disconected somewhere in that part of the circuit in a junction box somewhere.
It would be fairly easy to run a new earth from the cu to the downstairs switch as its only 1m away.

 

[Knobhead]

3 X 10A MCB's for lighting? How big is the place?

 

[axel132132]

I had this issue not so long ago, check another one of the light fittings near it the earth might be out feeding this fitting

 

[drew35]

Do you have cpc continuity between the pendant and the downstairs light switch firstly? Because if you don't you can add all the earths you like to the downstairs switch its still not going to get you a reading to earth at the pendant.
How many cables at the pendant, one or three? If there's only one then there's a junction box somewhere.

 

[robert0881]

one cable at the pendant new cable brown/blue and earth.
not sure about the cpc continuity on downstairs switch never done a test for that. Im planning putting in a new front door soon when the other half can decide what she wants and will have access pretty much to do anything to the downstairs switch from the cu if needed as im removing that part of the drywall. but that could be a couple of months away.

 

[robert0881]

also know that that part of the house has had a bit of work done to it. new open plan staircase and a partion wall removed to create a bigger space. there would have had to been something done with that light circuits cable. It would have to have been extended and moved. More than likely someone has put in a new junction box somewhere and snipped back the earth cable at that point. I dont really want to run a whole new cable and redecorate the place just for that one light.

Whats my options?

 

[Octopus]

Whats my options?

I refer you back to post #2

 

[robert0881]

ive had one in. he had a quick look. removed both switches tested the at the pendant. said to me no earth connected pal. use plastic light fittings or double insulated. or rewire that light. in and out the house in prob 20 mins £70 quid for nothing that i already didnt know.
live in a rural area so sparks limited. i dont mind paying for good service but my experience of tradesman of late has been pretty bad to say the least and i dont just mean one spark. most see an opportunity and £ signs start flashing in front of there eyes. I know there not all like that but just my experiance so far.
im am fairly competent at most small jobs myself but not sure what to do here.

 

[Octopus]

in and out the house in prob 20 mins £70 quid for nothing that i already didnt know.

Are you saying he charged you £70 to do as you described? Wow, wish I could do that

To be fair to the spark it sounds like he's given you the options. Shame you didn't include these useful facts in your original post.

Post your location and see if anyone here is local.

 

[robert0881]

20 miles outside aviemore