Light

[gorilla]

Hi Guys

Looking for a wee bit help here to diagnose a lighting problem that I have.

My room light (just had to be mine) is playing up. When switched on it sometimes flickers as if there were dips in the electricity supply. I know that the supply is good as I do not get any issues with any other appliances or lights in the house.

Earlier on it went out completely so I done the usual checks to see if the breaker had tripped, everything was fine at the CU. I then went on to check for loose connections both at the switch and at the light, all connections are fine.

I have had this issue for ages and thought a few weeks ago I found the problem as the light pendant had a loose Neutral, caused by the wire restrainer clip snapping. Fair enough had it happen many times before with other lights and that so I replaced the full pendant. I thought my problems were over, but no.

About two years ago I changed the light switch when I was decorating. The problem didn't start until 3 or 4 months ago so that potentially rules the switch out.

I am using a energy saver bulb, so thought that was the issue so changed that over to another lamp and it is fine, also put a standard bulb in and I still get this problem.

I don't have a clue what to do now, I just can't explain this.

Anyway since I am here and with this issue I take it I will need to do some work on it so have thought about adding in a second light switch over at my bed, to encourage my lazyness. Just a standard 2 way set up but was wanting to know if it would be possible to do this with a pull cord. Reason I want a pull cord is it is going to be easier than dropping cables down the walls and then hacking away to fit any switches in flush.

So can I set up a 2 way switch using a pull cord switch and standard light switch?

 

[tenheads]

firstly sounds like loose connection either in a jb or in a horrible choc block in the loft secondly you can do your 2 way with three core ane earth from your switch to your pull. depending how your switches are wired,

 

[gorilla]

firstly sounds like loose connection either in a jb or in a horrible choc block in the loft secondly you can do your 2 way with three core ane earth from your switch to your pull. depending how your switches are wired,

I haven't looked in the loft yet. But I don't think I have any JB's up there as it is a loop at light set up and from what I remember from otehr wee jobs I have done I haven't come across any.

The choc block sounds plausible given that when the council rewired the house nearly 20 years ago now it was supposedly done by a company that was more interested in the money than the job. Some of the faults I have found the past few years are unbelievable. One set of sockets that I had removed during decorating I found they had no earth connection. God knows how that wasn't noticed before now. Thankfully though it was a set of sockets that is hardly used, due to their locations at the time.

Also seen some really questionable wiring as well again with the way some wires were run. One went from a light switch in the hall down to under the floor along to the other end of the hall and back up inside a cupboard to a light fitting in the hall. While the other light fitting on the same switch took the conventional route of u the wall into the loft and to the light fitting.

There is no reason for the wire to go this route either.

 

[tenheads]

seen it only the other day all the wiring seemed sound but on further investigation found a horrible chock block infact i heard it arcing, it was underneath some insulation be worth your while going in loft tracing your wires out and ill bet it will jump straight out at you, the other obvious place is in the switch possibly a weakened switch wire but after that definitley do some wire tracing.

 

[gorilla]

seen it only the other day all the wiring seemed sound but on further investigation found a horrible chock block infact i heard it arcing, it was underneath some insulation be worth your while going in loft tracing your wires out and ill bet it will jump straight out at you, the other obvious place is in the switch possibly a weakened switch wire but after that definitley do some wire tracing.

My favourite job tracing wires, this will be Sundays little task then.

I will post once I have done that and tell you what I have found.

 

[gorilla]

Just going to drag this up again.

I have done all the looking for dodgy connections including choc blocks.

I still have the problem, where the light goes out for no reason. Done all the usual testing and everything is normal.

I am now at a point of not having a clue as to what to do next. I just can not diagnose the problem so can not sort it.

If anyone has any sort of idea of what I could try next then please post it.

 

[acat]

Even though its only 2 years old change the light switch seems like you have done everything else. If all cables are secure then it may be a loose switch connection rather than cables.

Chris

 

[gorilla]

Even though its only 2 years old change the light switch seems like you have done everything else. If all cables are secure then it may be a loose switch connection rather than cables.

Chris

Well I may just try that. However just with the carry on I have had with it I doubt it will work.

 

[gorilla]

Well instead of a new thread for another connected issue, I will put it here.

Anyway the original issue has been resolved for now (I hope) I have replaced the switch and changed the bulb yet again and retested the fitting and all is good.

Now with my light switch basically I want to shift it. Just now it is in a corner, with my door facing having a bit cut out to allow it to fit in.

The problem with it is I want to move it out of there and well, I did try to pull some slack through but not getting any. I don't want to force it. Now I am not moving it much infact all I am doing is going to bring it out a bit and mount a back box and the switch on a bit of MDF that will create a housing for it.

Now I think I need about an extra 3 or 4 inches of wire and well if my earth was that wee bit longer I would be fine but it has been cut too short for it's current place. Now as you all know I am planning on doing a 2 way light set up to make life easy for me so will need to work out the best way to do this.

Now the strange thing here is when I had the switch off it looked like the wire was going down the way and not up the way (needs further investigation but we will see)

Now for running my wires I don't want to chase out anything so that is why I will be using a pull cord for my secondary switch.

But just in case I need to do something to re run wires to the current switch what is the best way about it without to much damage oh and before any one dares suggest trunking that is a no-no unless I can get away with 16mmx16mm mini trunking.