No lights help!!!!!!

[vikingbobw]

Hi all. I'm new to electrics so am really tearing my hair out trying to find a fault and I'm hoping that with all the knowledge and experience on here a solution can be found. Here goes:

I have two lights in seperate rooms that will not work. I have so far changed the bulbs, changed the fuses and checked with a mains voltage tester to see that power is going to the switches and the bulb socket, it is. Now if power is going to the switch and the light fitting it can only be the bulb, right? Well as you see I have already checked and changed them. Everything else in the house is fine including the sockets in those rooms.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

Bob

 

[Jonesy83]

where abouts are you maybe its time get someone in to look at it for you

 

[nickblake]

you said you have a volt stick , one that lights up when you touch the cable , if so does it light when you touch the cables where the lights are not working , if it does then put a neutral link in, use a piece of 1.5mm just 1 core from neutral of the lights thas working to the neutral of the next light thats not working

 

[nickblake]

Bob can you remember if the wire you took out was the one with the black tape on it , one to the right of the pic ,

 

[chris gray]

are you able to trace the cable which goes to the bathroom switch?
do you have a spare light fitting as well?

 

[SirKit Breaker]

neon screwdrivers and volt stick............very nice. Would Sir prefer a cremation or burial?

 

[TPES]

Mice? Or I've known before central heating pipes resting on cables, eventually burnt thru insulation,

 

[vikingbobw]

Hi all. Well I have a screwdriver for testing for live parts and a mains voltage meter which can test test for volts and 'inductance break points.

The wire to the right is the one that was loose and is still where I found it apart from a bit more tape. I will terminate it in a 'box'.

The bathroom switch is a light pull and although I can see where it goes (i.e. Down the cavity) I can not follow it.

At the risk of annoying everyone there is a box in the wall of the bathroom that has a number of wires in it as if there was a light there before. I have just discovered it behind a mirror. They come in as Black and red/Black and red and earth. The earth is taped, the reds are taped together as are the blacks. I think they are linked into the light fitting and then onto the next light. Does that help or infuriate, sorry.

 

[vikingbobw]

for the late discovery

 

[nickblake]

you said you tested it at the switch and got 12 volts if thats the case im almost 100 % sure youve lost a neutral , this could be why youve got an odd wire in the fitting one with the black tape on , yes its the earth as i said earlier it may have had this fault before and some one connected the earths to the neutral as long as its not protected by and rcd it will work using the earth as a neutral , shouldnt be like this ,

you need a meter bob , how to test it ,

switch off supply disconnect neutral for this circuit at the fuse box and connect it to the earth bar , then at each fitting using a meter on ohms check for continuity between the neutral and earth go round every fitting until you dont get a reading ,oh youll need to take out all the light bulbs out
or go round every fitting and check the connections

let me know how you get on

 

[mogga]

I feel sorry to say this M8 but GIVE a spark a phone PLEASE before you eith electricute yourself or someone else and befor you mix up all the wiring totaly as it is and the work you appear to have done it will probably be an easy fix and just mixed up wiring have u tried looking in the Electricians in your are section of the forum their may be one of the members in your local

 

[nickblake]

right bob if you test between live and neutral on a fitting thats not working and get 0 volts test between earth and live see what you get , check all neutral connections make sure there isnt a broken neutral sound like there is to me

 

[nickblake]

I feel sorry to say this M8 but GIVE a spark a phone PLEASE before you eith electricute yourself or someone else and befor you mix up all the wiring totaly as it is and the work you appear to have done it will probably be an easy fix and just mixed up wiring have u tried looking in the Electricians in your are section of the forum their may be one of the members in your local

good point think ive covered most things probabley take a spark 10 mins to find the fault

 

[vikingbobw]

Ok thanks all for the advice. I will probably get a meter but i take Mogga's point. I'm not an electrician and the last time I had a problem like this it took two days and a few climbs into the loft at 2am to fix, no kidding. I think a spark may have to be the answer for me before I really mess things up or worse.

Thaks again for all the advice sorry i wasn't up to putting it into practice. I will come back on and let you all know what it was and how it went.

Take care all,

Bob

 

[nickblake]

Check out what ive said im sure its a neutral fault what part of the world are you any way

 

[vikingbobw]

Right!!! I managed to get one of my friends round, who knows a lot more about this stuff than me.
I passed on the theories I got from here and based on that he had a look.
You were one and all right about it being a neutral problem. The hall light is the one that caused all the strife. Believe it or not the low shade that I keep knocking my bonce on decided after one too many knocks and a rather bad tempered slap it was time to teach me a lesson.
It was a 'simple' matter of tracing the wires to the right junction and fiding the loose one and Andy said "let there be light". I owe him a beer and all of you a huge thanks for the advice and quite possibly cost and life saving warnings.

Now I know where to find all the right people I'm sure you will all see me here again with the next problem.

All take care and thanks again.

Bob.