UK Took down light to fix pendant light. Wires are live but nothing works, not even the old light now

[LMbessy]

Tested all wires from ceiling and the switch. Both have power.
But nothing works!!!
Should’ve been a simple switch over but now not even the old light fitting works. What the hell has happened?!!!

 

[westward10]

Some pictures might help.

 

[LMbessy]

Light switch - everything is wired up exactly how we found it before taking off - not a thing changed

 

[Moley]

What did you test for power with? If it's one of those pens that lights up then it could be giving a false live reading by picking up induced current from elsewhere. Do any other lights on the same breaker work?

 

[Avo Mk8]

There's not a grub screw in the light switch (or light fitting) accidentally tightened onto the wire insulation rather than the copper, by any chance?

 

[littlespark]

You may be able to pick up lives with a pen, or non contact detector, but they don’t work on the neutral side.

A photo of the fitting will help… if it’s one of those badly designed decorative things, the connectors will be too small, the casing has no space, and there’s nowhere for the earth wire to go…

 

[brianmoooore]

You may be able to pick up lives with a pen, or non contact detector, but they don’t work on the neutral side.

They do when a lost neutral is the problem. If more wires than should be are 'live', then that's likely to be the clue to follow.

 

[LMbessy]

What did you test for power with? If it's one of those pens that lights up then it could be giving a false live reading by picking up induced current from elsewhere. Do any other lights on the same breaker work?

All do

 

[LMbessy]

They do when a lost neutral is the problem. If more wires than should be are 'live', then that's likely to be the clue to follow.

Only live on the return - we put everything back as it was before & no light at all.

 

[LMbessy]

You may be able to pick up lives with a pen, or non contact detector, but they don’t work on the neutral side.

A photo of the fitting will help… if it’s one of those badly designed decorative things, the connectors will be too small, the casing has no space, and there’s nowhere for the earth wire to go…

 

[LMbessy]

 

[Avo Mk8]

Is it possible the old and new lights don't work for two different reasons?
I guess you've tried to eliminate the possibility of faulty bulb, and faulty new fitting, eg by putting a plug on the new light to check it works?
With screw-in bulbs, depending on design of bulb and holder, I've occasionally had the outer bulb contact (at the bottom of the holder) failing to connect with the bulb thread, even with the bulb screwed in tightly. The remedy can be to bend the contact inwards a bit - with the power off obviously! ️

 

[westward10]

We need to see the connections at the lighting point.

 

[LMbessy]

Is it possible the old and new lights don't work for two different reasons?
I guess you've tried to eliminate the possibility of faulty bulb, and faulty new fitting, eg by putting a plug on the new light to check it works?
With screw-in bulbs, depending on design of bulb and holder, I've occasionally had the outer bulb contact (at the bottom of the holder) failing to connect with the bulb thread, even with the bulb screwed in tightly. The remedy can be to bend the contact inwards a bit - with the power off obviously! ️

Done all of that, tested both light fittings with a plug

 

[LMbessy]

We need to see the connections at the lighting point.

Posted a picture of the connections at lighting point already