no power to cables behind light switch

[ban-all-sheds]

Check if you have 230V between either the red or the black to earth.

CAREFULLY

What's going on on the outside of the back-box, at the top?

 

[mark1878]

Also, with your multimeter set to resistance, measure between the two lugs on your bulb, it should have a low reading. I know it is new but its not unknown for new bulbs to be faulty.

Are you using CFL (energy saving) bulbs?

 

[Halloween Jack]

I've just checked out the local hardware store and they were £17 for analogue, £30 for digital.

I'll look around and see if I can find cheaper....

Meanwhile, if there is no power behind the switch, what would be my next course of action?

thanks

 

[bongos]

Meanwhile, if there is no power behind the switch, what would be my next course of action?

Get a multimeter.

Ok so not very constructive but you really need one to locate where the fault is otherwise it'll take forever.

You should be able to pick one up from soemwhere like Maplins. Here is one for under a fiver! Or try the DIY sheds...

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Post completely changed as all the old product links were bad

This looks ideal for a household starter set - multimeter, voltage indicator and dedicated continuity tester, all in a handy case: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/showproduct/115/Junior-Set/

PDF brochure: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/downloadfile/115/beschreibung_1/

All in German, unfortunately, as is the blurb on each product:

Multimeter: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/showproductdata/487/Hexagon_55/

Voltage indicator: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/showproduct/116/2000_α_(alpha)/

Continuity tester: http://www.amprobe.eu/de_DE/showproduct/481/TESTFIX/

but it is sold in the UK - the company is now owned by Fluke, and I guess they haven't got all the websites sorted out yet - contact them (http://www.fluke.co.uk) for info on where to buy.

Also see another discussion here: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=26282

 

[Halloween Jack]

thanks guys.

I've now ordered one, I'll be back when it arrives

 

[bongos]

thanks guys.

I've now ordered one, I'll be back when it arrives

No prob!

 

[Halloween Jack]

Hi all,

and happy new year!

I'm back again. I've just tested the cables with a multimeter.

Here's a pic of the setting I used which I think is right... I tested it on another working socket and it gave a reading of 232.

On the superswitch's socket it gave 0 between red and earth and black and earth.

So what should I try now?

 

[Jacobssi]

Means a short circuit

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Does it?

0V between either of the switch conductors and earth means a short circuit?

I think not.

Jack - you need to find where the switch cable comes from - the red should be permanently live, and clearly it isn't.

One thing which puzzles me - hadn't thought about it before - how does the timer work with no neutral?

 

[bernardgreen]

One thing which puzzles me - hadn't thought about it before - how does the timer work with no neutral?

Very cunningly....... it probably charges a ""battery"" when the switch is off and there is 230 volts available.

And I agree IF no volts between red and earth AND no volts between black and earth THEN there is a broken wire or connection somewhere and NOT a short circuit.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Very cunningly....... it probably charges a ""battery"" when the switch is off and there is 230 volts available.

Available between where and where?

 

[ColJack]

between the live wire and the switch wire.. there is a path back to the neutral through the lamp..
if you put another lamp of equal rating across the live and switch wires it will light both lamps at half brightness..

stupid question.. did you check the fuse again?

if it blew the first one then there's a chance it blew the replacement the first time you switched it on..

 

[BS3036]

Available between where and where?

Could also steal a small proportion of the voltage from the lamp when it is switched on.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

between the live wire and the switch wire.. there is a path back to the neutral through the lamp..

Not if the lamp fails or is removed.

For the timer to fail in reasonably to be expected circumstances is unacceptable, and the design should never have been made.