downstairs lights

[alscds]

hi, i seem to have a problem with the down stairs lights. they have been flickering for a few days now and this morning they went off. i checked the fuse and everything seemed ok. then about 10 mins later they came back on? the kitchen lights have been on for a couple of hours and all of a sudden they have gone off again. ive checked the fuses but they seem ok but still not lights in the living room or kitchen they have been fine up untill now. does anyone have any ideas?
cheers Alan

 

[luminaire]

The'res probably a bad connection somewhere along the line. The only thing you can do is start from the supply and work along each light fitting checking all the connections. Make sure you know how they work beforehand by looking on the Wiki and make a note of which wire goes where before you start pulling at them.

 

[alscds]

so do i check all the switches and associated ceiling fittings of do i rip up the floorboards and go from there then ??

 

[alscds]

ok all sockets and switches are dead. all fuses seem ok, im guessing that the living room is first on the circuit so if this is dead then the rest will be. i take it that i now have to get the floorboards up in the bedroom to see whats going on there?

 

[luminaire]

ok all sockets and switches are dead. all fuses seem ok, im guessing that the living room is first on the circuit so if this is dead then the rest will be. i take it that i now have to get the floorboards up in the bedroom to see whats going on there?

Just check the connections at each ceiling rose.
Have a look here to see an example of a typical ceiling rose.

 

[alscds]

they all seem fine. no loose wires as far as i can tell. Ive checked the switch which i believe to be the first one on the circuit and i didnt get a jolt from it so im assuming theres something not connected somewhere?

 

[alscds]

Ok. just on the off chance i replaced the switch in the living room but ive now been able to investigate a bit more. so then. all the lights are on the same fuse but only the downstairs are affected. all the wires are in the right place in the ceiling and the switches. basically whats happening is that when you turn on the outside light/kitchen light/dining room light. along with the living room light they flicker and go out when you turn them all off again then the living room light will work. its as if they are oveloading the circuit or draining the power. a bit like when you turn the elctric shower on and the lights flicker. anyone got any ideas?

 

[stargazer]

checked the switch which i believe to be the first one on the circuit and i didnt get a jolt from it so im assuming theres something not connected somewhere?

alscds exactly what do you mean by "i didn't get a jolt"? How did you test the switch? If you mean what I think you mean please stop now and go find yourself a competent electrician.
http://www.competentperson.co.uk/search.asp

 

[alscds]

checked the switch which i believe to be the first one on the circuit and i didnt get a jolt from it so im assuming theres something not connected somewhere?

alscds exactly what do you mean by "i didn't get a jolt"? How did you test the switch? If you mean what I think you mean please stop now and go find yourself a competent electrician.
http://www.competentperson.co.uk/search.asp

dont panic and thanks for the concern, ive actualy tested it with a voltage detector but you never know with electrics.
anyway do you have any ideas of what could be causing the problem?
cheers Alan

 

[alscds]

ok im no expert and maybe im clutching at straws but!! ive been checking round on the net. is it possble that this could be a drop in current coming in? ive been playing with the lights for a while and they are now ok. yes when i turn another one on you get a slight dip on the other but not flickering like they have been doing or completly going off, also ive read somewhere that 0amps isnt enough these days but my consumer box says do not ecceed 60amps. ive also read that there could be problems with a local substation and guess what theres one about 300 yards away.
is there anyway to check if there has been an issue with the substation? i know that i can chesk on bt outages i just wondered if the same was possible for elcetricity?

 

[stargazer]

Interesting theories alscds but from what you’ve posted so far it’s likely your problem was caused by a loose connection in one of your ceiling roses, not problems with the incoming supply.

ive been playing with the lights for a while and they are now ok.

Then all is well with the world.

 

[alscds]

Interesting theories alscds but from what you’ve posted so far it’s likely your problem was caused by a loose connection in one of your ceiling roses, not problems with the incoming supply.

ive been playing with the lights for a while and they are now ok.

Then all is well with the world.

yep i know what you,re saying but theres still a slight flicker when i turn each set on? i,ll wait for tonight and see how it goes, at the end of the day ive got some candles somewhere so atleast it will look like ive made an effort to be romantic

 

[stargazer]

yep i know what you,re saying but theres still a slight flicker when i turn each set on?

This could be normal, or it could mean you still have a bad connection somewhere along your lighting circuit.
You may have found the culprit screw during your previous ceiling rose investigations, but why not systematically check all connections again starting with the top and bottom terminals of your lighting circuit MCB (isolate power first!). While you're in there also check the neutral (and earth) wires of your lighting cable are securely screwed into their respective bars.

is there anyway to check if there has been an issue with the substation?

This is the DNO’s responsibility
http://www.nationalgrid.com/uk/Electricity/AboutElectricity/DistributionCompanies/
Have you checked to see if your immediate neighbours have had similar problems? If not my money is still on a bad connection within your own installation.

ive got some candles somewhere so atleast it will look like ive made an effort to be romantic

And how did the romantic weekend go?