odd one

[rwood1981]

was called to a job late today. problem was 3 lights had stopped working 3 weeks ago on landing 2 way and intermediate 4 positions. It was 5 o clock at this point so not a lot of time to do a lot before dark. What I found was at the switches I was getting 120v L-E at thelight loop to E 240v loop to N nothing. Also nothing on sw L. It seems to me they have lost the feed to the switches and the N to the lights. Furthur investigation ahead. Any other ideas and why 120v at switches? 240v out of mcb

 

[AndyL]

have any of the lights been recently installed? Has a neutral and switch line been crossed somewhere, possibly creating series circuit through lamps? Do you get 120v with lamps removed?

 

[rwood1981]

have any of the lights been recently installed? Has a neutral and switch line been crossed somewhere, possibly creating series circuit through lamps? Do you get 120v with lamps removed?

no lights installed recently. I did not remove the lamps Andy. If the voltage then dropped would this point in the direction of crossed L-N?

 

[rwood1981]

with lamps out

 

[AndyL]

no lights installed recently. I did not remove the lamps Andy. If the voltage then dropped would this point in the direction of crossed L-N?

seen a crossed looped switch line and neutral before causing 2 lamps to be in series, if you take a lamp out it opens the circuit and the lamps go out

 

[rwood1981]

no lamps are lighting at all

 

[rwood1981]

I'm just gonna trace the circuit back to find the fault. fully boarded loft have to get the r2 lead out!

 

[Darkwood]

You have approached a job with a customer discription, don't assume the earth is good to start with, if you are getting such reading then test the circuit to rule out possible poor earth, then consider the info you have been given isn't correct, it amazes me how often I got told no-one had done anything when the evidence was clear it could never have worked the way I found it.

 

[AndyL]

no lamps are lighting at all

sorry just re read post 1. lost neutral somewhere if you are getting 230v L-E but not L-N.
As you say time for some tracing. Are there other lights on the circuit that are woring?

 

[rwood1981]

To be honest I never turned off any mcbs so not sure what else in on the cct but all other surrounding bedrooms ok.Thanks for your views will update you when I get it sorted

 

[AndyL]

Good luck, can be a wind up those types of faults sometimes and as mentioned above not all customers tell the whole truth

 

[Wonderwall]

It sounds like a neutral fault to me. Can be a time consuming job!!, or you might get it after 5 mins. Good luck

 

[rwood1981]

It sounds like a neutral fault to me. Can be a time consuming job!!, or you might get it after 5 mins. Good luck

Neutral fault as suggested. 1.5 hrs only 3 other lights on the circuit so not bad. Thanks all.

 

[DPG]

Neutral fault as suggested. 1.5 hrs only 3 other lights on the circuit so not bad. Thanks all.

What was the fault though? Daz

 

[rwood1981]

Apologies Daz it was a loose neutral in another light in the circuit.