lighting circuit keeps tripping (Ed.)

[AstonHill]

so at first i had the trip switch on and the lights in one room on for about an hours or 2. Then the fuse tripped; so turned it on again, then it tripped again about 5-10 minutes later then switched it back on again. then tripped again and i turned all lights off and tried it and as soon as i tried turning trip switch back on, it would instantly trip and there was light/ a spark showing inside the box behind the switch

So where do i look first please?


(Removed)

 

[robinbanks]

Start simple, take all the bulbs out and see if it still does it

 

[Taylortwocities]

Umm. Fuses don’t trip.

What exactly is the device that is “tripping” ?

Post a photo if you aren’t sure.

 

[Mottie]

What does your landlord say about it? Contact them - they have a duty to make sure their properties are safe for their tenants and you're paying good money to stay there. Oh, wait, just realised…….

 

[ericmark]

What is tripping?

 

[blup]

It might just be a faulty bulb or loose wiring in the switch/ceiling rose. Check bulbs and switches and get a sparky in if still a problem, especially if there is a spark at the board.

 

[Murdochcat]

Call a competent sparky?

 

[Mottie]

Well, looks like the waters on now, once the electrics are sorted no doubt the 'how do I reconnect the gas question' will be asked….

 

[AstonHill]

Start simple, take all the bulbs out and see if it still does it

please reread the full thread

so at first i had the trip switch on and the lights in one room on for about an hours or 2. Then the fuse tripped; so turned it on again, then it tripped again about 5-10 minutes later then switched it back on again. then tripped again and i turned all lights off and tried it and as soon as i tried turning trip switch back on, it would instantly trip and there was light/ a spark showing inside the box behind the switch

So where do i look first please?

 

[AstonHill]

Umm. Fuses don’t trip.

What exactly is the device that is “tripping” ?

Post a photo if you aren’t sure.

Its the switches in the fuse box; sorry to dark to take photo right now

 

[AstonHill]

View attachment 334570What is tripping?

its hard to tell relly from your photos! but it looks more like the last "RCD" one, the one with the writting on loos best

 

[AstonHill]

It might just be a faulty bulb or loose wiring in the switch/ceiling rose. Check bulbs and switches and get a sparky in if still a problem, especially if there is a spark at the board.

as i said before that I switched everthing off and still tripped

 

[blup]

as i said before that I switched everthing off and still tripped

Remove the bulbs and test each fitting with one you know is working out, they can have internal shorts

 

[ericmark]

I had it some years ago in the dinning room, the shower had leaked, and the water cracked the bulb, and it failed then as it cooled sucked water in, so by time I came home, leak cured, but no dinning room lights due to it as it cooled sucking up water, 24 hours travelling and job one fix the lights. Being fair she had managed without the lights for 4 months. I went away for 6 months at a time.

I was lucky, I could see the bulb filled with water, and everything else had dried out.

There are three tools, the RCD tester to show it is OK, the insulation tester to test when there is no power to the circuit, and the clamp on ammeter to test when it has not tripped.

One of these costs around £35 there are more expensive which are calibrated, but I got this one for £35, it uses 500 volt DC to test, so clearly you need to know what you are doing. If you can't be sure it is the RCD in spite of pictures, I am not sure it is safe for you to try to DIY the diagnosis?

 

[Mottie]

as i said before that I switched everthing off and still tripped

Sounds dangerous, possibly fatal. They shouldn’t rent property out in that condition. What has the landlord said - have you notified them?