Installing LED strips but not working possible short circuit

[Manraj Singh Bisran]

Hi all. Seems like a simple fix just need some advice. I was fixing LED strips in the kitchen today. The switch in the kitchen is a 2-gang which powers the LED strips and the ceiling lights.

There are 3 seperate LED strips to go around the kitchen, each connected to an LED driver and power cable (live & neutral). 1 strip works off a fused spur and the other 2 strips work off another fused spur. But both fused spurs connect to the same light switch.

I connected a strip to the lone fused spur first. Installed a 3amp fuse in the spur switch and it worked brilliantly for a couple hours. Then I unhooked the wires to adjust everything and make it nice and neat. When reconnecting every thing back I must've let the live (brown) and neutral (blue) power cables connected to the spur touch each other. I heard a very faint "poof" and the circuit breaker for the kitchen lights flipped off. So I switched the fuse spur off and switched the circuit breaker back on but the LED strips don't go back on. I've tried reconnecting and trying different LED strip and driver but still not working.

I tried connecting to the other fused spur too but no luck, doesn't work either.

The kitchen ceiling lights are on the same circuit and switch and work fine. Wondering what could be the issue and whether it's what I'm dreading; the power cable connecting between the fused spurs and light switch are damaged?

 

[Bait Account]

More fool you bud for twiddling with stuff when the power is on. Have you checked the fuses in the spurs?

 

[45140]

If the fuses in the spurs are OK then you have either fried the transformers or tripped protection in the lv transformer

 

[GeorgeCooke]

Why have you got fused spurs on the lighting circuit? They are not required as a 3 amp fuse will not discriminate against s 6 amp MCB, as you have found out.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Or you may have fried the switch contacts.
Do you have a voltage tester - NOT a neon screwdriver?

 

[Manraj Singh Bisran]

Haven't got equipment messaged but can get my hands on it.

 

[Manraj Singh Bisran]

More fool you bud for twiddling with stuff when the power is on. Have you checked the fuses in the spurs?

Sorry i thought this part may have made it clear that i did everything with switches off; "Then I unhooked the wires to adjust everything and make it nice andneat. When reconnecting every thing back..."

Clearly wasn't clear enough for you, apologies for that.

Haven't got the equipment but can get it. In regards to why it's connected to fused spur i don't know! It's how i got it.

 

[Bait Account]

Sorry i thought this part may have made it clear that i did everything with switches off; "Then I unhooked the wires to adjust everything and make it nice andneat. When reconnecting every thing back..."

Clearly wasn't clear enough for you, apologies for that.

Haven't got the equipment but can get it. In regards to why it's connected to fused spur i don't know! It's how i got it.

Well bud it's like this, if everything was safely isolated then nothing would have gone "poof".

 

[Strima]

You may have blown the fault clear on the circuit. You need to isolate the full circuit and test for continuity on the conductors and look for visible signs of damage.

Have you checked for voltage at the FCUs?

The fault surge could also have fried the LED drivers.

 

[Manraj Singh Bisran]

Thank you for your input all. Bought a multimeter at the weekend and it was the fuse in the end.

The 3amp fuse was in the switch when the issue occurred so I understand this. Don't understand why the 5amp fuse is blown though as I put this in after?

Nevertheless, put in a 13 amp fuse on Saturday and all seems well now.

Once again, thank you.