Only half my ceiling lights work....

[RobbieAb1979]

Hi everyone,

This is my first post to this website and looking at responses to other threads I'm impressed so thought I should join now I am in trouble in need some help.

While changing a ceiling rose last night the 5 amp fuse in my 4 way Wylex fuse box blew. I changed the fuse wire but now only half of my ceiling lights are working (all the ones down the left hand side of my property). I have looked in the fuse box and simply can't work out what has happended to the circuit. I live in a flat so no upstairs to worry about.

There is a larger fuse box near the top with a number of plug fuses but not sure if one of these have blown and if so which one. Can anyone please help me with this as I'm at a loss as to what to do.

Many Thanks

Robbie

 

[ban-all-sheds]

While changing a ceiling rose last night the 5 amp fuse in my 4 way Wylex fuse box blew.

While changing?

You were working on it with the circuit live?

I changed the fuse wire

What else did you change?

Why did the fuse blow? Did you correct whatever mistake you made which caused it to blow?

but now only half of my ceiling lights are working (all the ones down the left hand side of my property).

You may have broken the loop at that rose.

I have looked in the fuse box and simply can't work out what has happended to the circuit.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting

There is a larger fuse box near the top with a number of plug fuses

"Plug fuses"?

Do you have storage heaters?

Post a photo..

 

[ricicle]

While changing a ceiling rose last night the 5 amp fuse in my 4 way Wylex fuse box blew....

I hope you weren't working live

 

[RobbieAb1979]

I had taken the fuse out when I was changing the ceiling rose, I put the fuse back in and the ceiling light came on. When I turned the ligth off at the wall the fuse blew taking out half the light ciruit with it.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sounds like you didn't learn about lighting circuits before deciding it was OK for you to work on yours, and made the mistake of thinking that all black or blue wires must be neutrals.

//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting

Wire it up correctly, and then see what does or does not work. You may well have destroyed the switch, BTW.

 

[rebuke]

Sounds like you've wired the switched live wire from the switch to neutral, so when you filcked the switch you created a L-N short, blowing the fuse.

Have a read of the wiki first, it might make it clear to you what's gone wrong - if it's stil not clear, post pictures of the ceiling rose and the back of the switch and people here will try and help...

 

[RobbieAb1979]

Thanks for the help. The ceiling light has 3 red wires which were all entangled and 3 black, 2 of which were entangled and one that wasn't. Is the one that wasn't likely to be a earth or something?

With regards to the bigger problem, the light I was changing was the living room light, does anyone know why my hall light and bedroom light now no longer work since the fuse blew (basically all the lights down one side of my flat)? The kitchen and bathroom lights work fine...

 

[rebuke]

If you read the wiki page that BAS linked then all should become clear - the separate black (which should have had a bit of red/brown sleeving or tape) is the switched live back from the switch - i.e. it goves live when the switch is turned on, so should be wired to the live terminal of the light fitting.

As for why some lights don't work, perhaps when the short circuit happened, it damaged one of the conductors at the rose, so the loop has been broken (again, read the wiki page, it should make it more clear as to the normal loop in/out arrangement of lighting circuits)....

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Is the one that wasn't likely to be a earth or something?

FOR THE THIRD TIME: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting[/size][/b]

does anyone know why my hall light and bedroom light now no longer work since the fuse blew

Possibly because you've screwed up the wiring at that rose, and the circuit live now goes no further?

Wire it up correctly, and then see what does or does not work. You may well have destroyed the switch, BTW.