Strange...

[Gibson67]

Hello there, after some help with a wee electrical problem...


I turned off the fuses at the main consumer unit to take some lights off because we're having some plastering done.
Put the lights back up today and only one of them is working.
What's more, the light in the kitchen isn't working and the hall light is flickering and not coming on permanently yet I didn't remove these lights.


Any ideas?
Well appreciated!

 

[Dave 85]

I suggest you reconnect the lights in the way in which they where connected in the first place....that's probably where you've gone wrong.

 

[guest119]

DIY section beckons

Boydy

 

[markc123]

Depends how your lights are wired...could be just a loose connection at the light first in-line. Impossible to advise properly online. You're going to have to call an electrician 'im afraid' ...

 

[Richard Burns]

As you say you are a DIY person, then I would agree with Dave 85 that there is a misconnection somewhere in how you have reconnected the lights.

Also the flickering and failure to work on the other lights means that you have not correctly connected the entire circuit back together and probably have a loose connection on a neutral conductor.

These are likely at the fittings you removed but if the cable have been pulled then there could be disconnected junction boxes now in the floor above.

 

[telectrix]

i assume that the OP has engaged a professional plasterer. why not a professional sparks?

 

[Marvo]

Please everyone, if the OP has come clean as a DIY'er then making unhelpful remarks defeats the whole idea of the separate and opt-in nature of the DIY forum. If the thread was in the open forums then please just use the report button and suggest it's moved to DIY.


@Gibson, it might be worth removing the fuses again and checking the fuse wire is correctly fitted, you may have disturbed it when you first removed them.

 

[Gibson67]

Jesus Christ, didn't realise some folk could be so unhelpful. If someone came onto a forum concerning my profession then I'd help out if I could, no question. I hardly think removing and refitting a light calls for a spark, I've done it many times with no hassle.
To those that actually helped, I appreciate the advice, all connections are exactly as they were so I'll check to see if there's a junction box within the floor that is loose.

 

[dan86]

out of curiosity, what kind of engineer are you? that's a very broad description!

 

[Sintra]

Hi mate the thread was on an open forum and then moved to the DIY section. In this section of the forum you will only get sound advice.

 

[markc123]

Jesus Christ, didn't realise some folk could be so unhelpful. If someone came onto a forum concerning my profession then I'd help out if I could, no question. I hardly think removing and refitting a light calls for a spark, I've done it many times with no hassle.
To those that actually helped, I appreciate the advice, all connections are exactly as they were so I'll check to see if there's a junction box within the floor that is loose.

What is your profession?

Your next 2 lines genuinley infruriate me. But in the spirit of the new forum i'll ignore it....

All connections are exactly the same....i've heard that several times before and a wire has popped out...remove all the fittings again, and check that one hasn't come loose when fastening the fixture back to the ceiling.

1 light working, the rest not - suggests to me that the fitting first in line has a loose connection, thus de-energising every other fittings. But without been there on site, we're just guessing on here.

If you insists, have another look making sure the power is switched off. Failing that, consult a local electrician.

 

[Marvo]

Apart from loose connections check that the connector hasn't screwed onto the outer insulation rather than the copper wire which happens if the wire is inserted too far inside.

 

[Sintra]

Or if it is a solid conductor it hasn't snapped off when you have reconnected.

 

[Gibson67]

I'm a civil engineer, apologies for not elaborating.
Mark, which two lines infuriate you? I didn't mean to cause offence I just find it incredulous that some folk take the time to be so unconstructive.
I've checked connections and double checked, I'll call a local spark.
Appreciate the help anyway.

 

[markc123]

You didn't cause offence, i have a thicker skin than a cow covered in cement.

The way you worded it sort of seemed to me that you were saying 'being an electrician is a piece of pi$$' sort of thing. Infruriated was maybe abit too strong, more like slightly annoyed but don't worry about it.

It's hard to be properly constructive over a forum to be fair - pictures would be welcome. Let us know how you get on anyway.