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Give us a timeline of the job starting with the lighting circuit in good working order.
BATHROOM CEILING SWITCH
- Thread starter Belboz
- Start date
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You have not by chance doing anything to the light fitting, which may have disturbed or miss connected the neutral loop have you? Worth checking that the neutral loop is still in place.
None of the light fittings have been touched prior to working on the switch.
Everything worked prior to removing the ceiling switch - all 3 lights.
As requested, here is the timeline;
1. All lights working. Ceiling switch pulled to OFF. Mains supply isolated. Ceiling switch housing unscrewed to reveal connections.
2. Old switch contained two earth wires in earth block plus ONE red wire in L2 and TWO red wires in COM (these were twisted together) Both the old switch and the new switch had 'slots' for an L1 connection but there was not a connector in L1 on either switch (just L2 and COM) Void checked with lamp and no other wires coming down.
3. Unscrewed all wires ensuring that the ONE red wire was tagged (with tape) before removal. Left the earths and the TWO red wires twisted together. Placed wires in connectors on the new switch and tightened ensuring insulation not caught in screws. Supply turned back on. Tried ceiling switch - light did not come on. Checked bulb was okay (by trying in another light) and bulb working.
4. Noticed ends of the wires were oxidised so decided [after isolating supply] to pare back some of the insulation on all wires ensuring that I was not pulling on the wiring whilst doing so. All wires (now all with bright copper ends) screwed back into their respective connectors. Light still didn't work. Also found the other 2 lights were not working.
5. Assumed that I could check 'circuit' by placing all 3 reds in connector block on the baisis that all I was doing was taking out the switch and that all 3 reds together ought to make the 'circuit' and result in all 3 lights working. No joy.
I then wondered whether I had caused a loose connection on the wiring above the switch as I removed it from the housing. Checked attic to find that all wiring is in metal conduit which connect each circular metal box up. The metal box for the ceiling switch housing is joined by a single length of metal conduit to the metal box for the bathroom ceiling rose. That box also has 2 other lengths of metal conduit feeding into it (presumably from the other 2 lights in the 'circuit') Thus couldn't check what was going on within the conduit.
As last resort, checked ceiling rose in bathroom to see if any loose wires. There was none - all in situ.
Posted on here!!
Sparky mate is round tomorrow to check wiring with his meter. That will tell me what's going on (I hope!!)
Everything worked prior to removing the ceiling switch - all 3 lights.
As requested, here is the timeline;
1. All lights working. Ceiling switch pulled to OFF. Mains supply isolated. Ceiling switch housing unscrewed to reveal connections.
2. Old switch contained two earth wires in earth block plus ONE red wire in L2 and TWO red wires in COM (these were twisted together) Both the old switch and the new switch had 'slots' for an L1 connection but there was not a connector in L1 on either switch (just L2 and COM) Void checked with lamp and no other wires coming down.
3. Unscrewed all wires ensuring that the ONE red wire was tagged (with tape) before removal. Left the earths and the TWO red wires twisted together. Placed wires in connectors on the new switch and tightened ensuring insulation not caught in screws. Supply turned back on. Tried ceiling switch - light did not come on. Checked bulb was okay (by trying in another light) and bulb working.
4. Noticed ends of the wires were oxidised so decided [after isolating supply] to pare back some of the insulation on all wires ensuring that I was not pulling on the wiring whilst doing so. All wires (now all with bright copper ends) screwed back into their respective connectors. Light still didn't work. Also found the other 2 lights were not working.
5. Assumed that I could check 'circuit' by placing all 3 reds in connector block on the baisis that all I was doing was taking out the switch and that all 3 reds together ought to make the 'circuit' and result in all 3 lights working. No joy.
I then wondered whether I had caused a loose connection on the wiring above the switch as I removed it from the housing. Checked attic to find that all wiring is in metal conduit which connect each circular metal box up. The metal box for the ceiling switch housing is joined by a single length of metal conduit to the metal box for the bathroom ceiling rose. That box also has 2 other lengths of metal conduit feeding into it (presumably from the other 2 lights in the 'circuit') Thus couldn't check what was going on within the conduit.
As last resort, checked ceiling rose in bathroom to see if any loose wires. There was none - all in situ.
Posted on here!!
Sparky mate is round tomorrow to check wiring with his meter. That will tell me what's going on (I hope!!)
You need to check if you have a life supply to the pull cord and live at the bathroom lamp, it possible that a live has become loose or broken, this could be at another switch on the circuit if looped-in at switch or at ceiling roses if looped-in there. Also checking the continuity of the neutral conductor would be helpful. You need eliminate which conductor has not got continuity.
I assume there is nothing wrong with the device protecting the circuit.
I assume there is nothing wrong with the device protecting the circuit.
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Thanks for that.
As stated, my mate will be round tomorrow to check all connections with his meter. That will tell us where the issue lies.
I assume that some sort of fishtail will be able to pull some cable through if it needs replacing? Reason I ask is that there doesn't appear to be much room in the [small bore] conduit.
Not that I'll be doing it - my mate is the expert!
Thanks again.
B
As stated, my mate will be round tomorrow to check all connections with his meter. That will tell us where the issue lies.
I assume that some sort of fishtail will be able to pull some cable through if it needs replacing? Reason I ask is that there doesn't appear to be much room in the [small bore] conduit.
Not that I'll be doing it - my mate is the expert!
Thanks again.
B
Apologies for the delay in posting the final chapter in this saga.
In short, my sparky mate came round and it took him well over an hour to solve the issue.
There was no power in any of the wiring to the switch.
He then discovered that the original sparky had used a combination of 'looping in' at both ceiling roses AND at switches.....!!
After a lot of testing, he found that the double light switch in the hallway was being used as a central 'loop in' point.
More testing and he found that one of two wires in on one of the COM connections on this switch was making an intermittent connection.
He tightened up the wires and HEY PRESTO - a working switch.
I'd never have sussed that out even if I had a tester - would have taken me a year..........
God knows who did that original wiring (in the 60s....)
Thanks to ALL posters who tried to help on this one.
Just have to pay my mate a shedload of beer now...
In short, my sparky mate came round and it took him well over an hour to solve the issue.
There was no power in any of the wiring to the switch.
He then discovered that the original sparky had used a combination of 'looping in' at both ceiling roses AND at switches.....!!
After a lot of testing, he found that the double light switch in the hallway was being used as a central 'loop in' point.
More testing and he found that one of two wires in on one of the COM connections on this switch was making an intermittent connection.
He tightened up the wires and HEY PRESTO - a working switch.
I'd never have sussed that out even if I had a tester - would have taken me a year..........
God knows who did that original wiring (in the 60s....)
Thanks to ALL posters who tried to help on this one.
Just have to pay my mate a shedload of beer now...
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