Why do my new B&Q halogen lights smell of burning?

[Barneystubble]

I installed my shiny new B&Q halogen light strip (4 x50w bulbs) in place of a single light bulb (100w) on a simple rose. I put all the wires exactly in same place and order in new light fitting as the old rose....

Since then 2 bulbs out of 4 have blown and it smells of burning when turned on. The 2 way switching works fine as do all my other lights.

Have done some research - is it crappy quality bulbs causing problem or have I somehow wired it up wrongly, in which case I will employ the services of a professional.

Thanks for any advice

Barney

 

[daytona]

are you sure all the connections and correct and nice and tight?
check the above but really,anything that smells of burning needs the attention of a professional

 

[daytona]

any chance of a picture of the connections?
may be able to help you more then

 

[securespark]

How much was the light fitting?

 

[Barneystubble]

The bar cost only about £10.

I have looked at the blown bulbs and they have turned brownish at their pins, smelling of the same burning smell I experienced. I have installed a new bulb I bought seperately to see if burning smell returns - will let you know.

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• Barneystubble
• 11 May 2008
• 1

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[kai]

Where is the earth sleeving on the incoming earth cores?

 

[Barneystubble]

Kai,

There don't seem to be any. If there are then they are further up the main wire. The wiring is circa 1970 I think.

Also, with the new bulb the light still smells of burning when on, but the bulb hasn't gone black at the connections like the B&Q bulbs that came with it. There is no sign of blackening in the rose part of light or wiring.

Barney

 

[oharaf]

Barney!!!! The earth sleeving doesn't 'come' with the house, YOU buy it and put it on

Call in a pro or take it back

I don't suppose by any chance you have missed little plastic covers on the lamps and made sure the lamps are properly inserted

 

[Barneystubble]

Oharaf

Sorry I didn't realise you could/should buy earth sleeving, there were none fitted in previous light rose- what you see is how it was for 20 odd years (previous house owners were elderly).

But would it explain why the bulbs are burning up?

Also there are no plastic covers or anything else on bulbs.

Barney

 

[mattylad]

Could they by chance be 12v bulbs instead of 240v?

 

[daytona]

no they wont fit.
how long do you leave them on for?

 

[Barneystubble]

Bulbs are 240v 50w. The ones supplied with light are all pitted and burning (chrome pins), but the one bulb I fitted (from screwfix with brass? pins) is working fine and doesn't smell. I think I have therefore discovered that it was the bulbs that were the problem, although I may not have fitted them in well enough so that may have been a factor. I will get some sleeves for my earth wires and some decent quality bulbs and hopefully that is it job done!

Thanks to everyone who kindly replied your advice has helped a lot.

Cheers Barney.

 

[GreenElectrics]

You may have inadvertently wired the light incorrectly!

This may not be the reason the light is smelling, I suspect that to be the lamps themselves.

Usually the two red cables go together in the separate connector block, then the two black wires go to L and N, one would be marked with red (now brown) over-sleeving ( designating it as "live")

The way you have it wired could cause the switch to be working in the neutral conductor.

There is no way of telling without some test equipment, and I dont mean one of those horrible "electricians screwdrivers"!!

 

[Taylortwocities]

You may have inadvertently wired the light incorrectly!

This may not be the reason the light is smelling, I suspect that to be the lamps themselves.

Usually the two red cables go together in the separate connector block, then the two black wires go to L and N, one would be marked with red (now brown) over-sleeving ( designating it as "live")

The way you have it wired could cause the switch to be working in the neutral conductor.

There is no way of telling without some test equipment, and I dont mean one of those horrible "electricians screwdrivers"!!

Well spotted. That is a much more important thing to sort out than a bit of earth sleeving!

 

[DCC]

There may be wiring reasons for the problems you're encountering (as suggested above) which you should give some thought to, but in the spirit of ruling out the obvious and as an amateur suggestion .... there are some fittings which are only rated for 35W halogens - the ones I've seen are designed for bathrooms or other damp places and have a rubber-like sealing ring around the stem of the bulb and the implication is that if you put a 50W lamp in they are going to overheat. Might be worth checking the fitting you've bought hasn't been supplied with the wrong lamps (it should say on it somewhere with a little sticker the max wattage for the bulbs). Probably way off but I'd check it.