Chandelier light replaced / issues

[Mikelondon1970]

Hi here's the problem.

Had a 5 arm chandelier style light that I've just replaced with a new 12 arm.
It's connected via a loop in circuit in the ceiling.

First time I had a loose connection in the circuit as when I flipped the breaker back on I had nothing out of any upstairs lights. Corrected that and the fitting came on (via a dimmer) with one bulb in, no probs.
Turned the power off again to tidy up, put all 12 bulbs in flipped the breaker again and a bulb popped and the breaker switched off immediately.

Removed the dodgy bulb which had blown off the fitting and put power back on.....and....nothing.

All other lights are all fine but now zip out of the new fitting. Have checked and double checked all wiring but am assuming that as the rest of the lights are fine then my wiring is ok. Replaced the switch in case that was faulty but nope not that. Can only assume the chandelier is dodgy - fair assumption? I don't know much about lights themselves and what sort of faults they could develop. It was a special order to not keen on ordering another one if it's something I've caused or could fix. Any ideas???

 

[EFLImpudence]

Just recheck all the wire connections at the ceiling and fitting (you've done the switch)

The fault current could have burnt a loose wire or one that was 'nearly broken'.

Probably not the live (loop) or neutral as other lights work.

Unlikely to be the fitting, itself, if none of them works.

 

[Astra99]

It hasn't blown the dimmer, has it?

 

[Mikelondon1970]

Don't think it's the switch as tried another, what could have caused the initial blow out? Surely if I had a short somewhere then the others in the circuit wouldn't work either?

 

[EFLImpudence]

a bulb popped and the breaker switched off immediately.

That was a fault current high enough to trip the mcb.

It could easily have burnt a weak part of the wiring.

As all the other lights are working the problem must be in the cable to the switch or between the ceiling and the new light fitting.

Do you have a meter to test continuity of the wiring?

Power off, of course.

 

[securespark]

It hasn't blown the dimmer, has it?

I'd go with that 99/100.

A blown lamp, especially one that has done a Napoleon, will cook a dimmer feeding it.

 

[EFLImpudence]

So would I but OP has said he has replaced the switch.

 

[Mikelondon1970]

Just found out the switch I used to test may have been iffy - will try a known good one when it's daylight.... Fingers crossed

 

[Taylortwocities]

Had a 5 arm chandelier style light that I've just replaced with a new 12 arm.

You don't say what the total wattage of the new fitting is. Whatever, make sure that any dimmer you use is plenty big enough for the additional load.

Test it out with a standard switch first.

 

[Mikelondon1970]

Hi, yes 310w total and its a 400w dimmer

 

[Mikelondon1970]

Yep replaced the switch and all seems fine, so yes absolutely correct the original fault had taken out the dimmer. Is there anyway to prevent that happening again ? I read somewhere about fuse protected bulbs? Or do I just need higher quality rather than some cheap non brand? Cheers for all your replies

 

[Taylortwocities]

Cheap dimmers tend to act as expensive fuses and a cheap dimmer will always fry long before a fuse will blow.

Better dimmers (eg the iQ type) have built inprotection to gross overload.

 

[holmslaw]

..

 

[Alarm]

I knew that was coming.

Class

 

[daniel2002]

Chandelier experts at work

Still love seeing this but thanks for all those replies, I was about to start a thread as I had a similar issue until I found the answer here.