Spotlights blowing fuse

[loula73]

Hi there, can anyone help? I turned on the switch for the kitchen spotlights and there was a flash and a bang. Fuse had burnt out in the fuse box, so replaced the wire. When I turned on the kitchen light again, it blew again.
Could it be one blown bulb to cause this? Whenever bulbs have gone in my house before they've never blown the circuit, but perhaps spotlights are different??
Sorry if terminilogy is all wrong, I'm a helpless female!

 

[davy_owen_88]

Lamps failing can cause MCB's to trip, but it isn't so common on rewirable fuses because they are less sensitive. For the fuse to 'blow' a second time indicates a fault. Do you feel comfortable turning off the 'leccy and having a look behind switches/lamp holders to check for loose connections?

 

[RF Lighting]

What sort of spotlights are they? Are they the recessed type which sit flush with the ceiling, or is it a surface mounted fitting with 3 or 4 spots on it?

Does the fuse blow if you leave the kitchen light switch off?

It is unlikely to be a failed lamp (lightbulb) which is causing this problem.

 

[nozspark]

Loula,
Sorry to be asking what might seem to be a daft question, but are these newly fitted spotlights or have they been in a while??

 

[JohnD]

"red to red to red, and black to black to black", eh?

Blows the fuse immediately the light swich is operated.

 

[Tim 77]

"red to red to red, and black to black to black", eh?

and blue to bits?!

 

[nozspark]

My thought exactly

 

[loula73]

Lamps failing can cause MCB's to trip, but it isn't so common on rewirable fuses because they are less sensitive. For the fuse to 'blow' a second time indicates a fault. Do you feel comfortable turning off the 'leccy and having a look behind switches/lamp holders to check for loose connections?

Well I took one bulb out that looked a bit black, but then looking at the others, they look quite dark guess that doesn't help! No one has touched the actual light fittings for a while, which is the bit that intrigues me...

 

[nozspark]

Right then, this is a whole different matter then.

Next Q
Are they mains or 12v lamps?

You can tell by the pins on the back. Mains are a sort of mushroom shape and 12v are thin straight pins.

 

[loula73]

What sort of spotlights are they? Are they the recessed type which sit flush with the ceiling, or is it a surface mounted fitting with 3 or 4 spots on it?

Does the fuse blow if you leave the kitchen light switch off?

It is unlikely to be a failed lamp (lightbulb) which is causing this problem.

Yes they are recessed. And no, the fuse doesn't blow if I leave the light switched off. I found this after getting through a metres of fuse wire lol

 

[loula73]

Right then, this is a whole different matter then.

Next Q
Are they mains or 12v lamps?

You can tell by the pins on the back. Mains are a sort of mushroom shape and 12v are thin straight pins.

They're 2 pin...
PS am I replying correctly or should I just click on your name?

 

[nozspark]

What sort of shape are the pins on the lamps, mushroom or just straight pins?

 

[JohnD]

Very rarely, a bulb can fail with an internal short... if you take all the bulbs out, does it still happen? (also observe any broken-feeling lampholders)

 

[loula73]

What sort of shape are the pins on the lamps, mushroom or just straight pins?

Just straight pins... can I download a photo of them?

 

[nozspark]

No need, you have 12v lamps.

This could indicate that one of the transformers that supply one of the lamps might have failed when the lamp blew.