Wiring in place but no power

[19nffc77]

Hi,

The previous owner to my house boarded out the loft and installed lights and electric sockets up there. He used the room as an office and had a computer up there so I know that the power worked up there.

Since I bought the house I haven't used it (it's been about 6 years) but I've recently been up there and nothing works, no lights and no power to the sockets. I've taken off the light switch and the sockets themselves and tested at the wires with a multimeter and there is nothing there.

On looking at the fuse box it is an old style one with the fuses inside fuse holders. They are marked up as upstairs lights, downstairs lights, sockets, shower and there is one fuse position with nothing in it. I've never been in there to remove any fuse so I'm assuming it's always been like this (although I did rent it out for a while but can't think why someone would take it out).

Any ideas on simple things to check?

 

[DaveHerns]

Fuse might have been removed because the wiring was defective. Are the sockets and lights on the same circuit?

 

[19nffc77]

Thanks for the reply, the sockets and the lights are on different circuits for the rest of the house, There is just one position missing though.

 

[deadshort]

Hi, i would search for a switched fuse connection unit perhaps at the entrance to the attic or in the room below ? If you have one which is turned off?

DS

 

[19nffc77]

Thanks guys, an update-

I was wrong in my original post, there is power to the sockets up there it's just the light switch that's dead. The wiring is in place so I can only assume that it's not been connected at the other end wherever that is.

Also I've searched for a switched fuse connection and there's definitely not one of those around.

 

[JohnW2]

I was wrong in my original post, there is power to the sockets up there it's just the light switch that's dead. The wiring is in place so I can only assume that it's not been connected at the other end wherever that is. ... Also I've searched for a switched fuse connection and there's definitely not one of those around.

The light circuit was presumably working when it was being used as an office, so it must have been connected at some point in the past? Are you absolutely certain that there is not a fused connection unit (FCU) hidden somewhere - it would be quite common for the lighting in a loft to be supplied from a sockets circuit via an FCU.

Kind Regards, John

 

[19nffc77]

I'm no expert John so I don't know how many different types of FCU there are but if it's just a sort of switch with an on/off light or a fuse holder then there's not one of those anywhere in the house that I can see. As for the office use I thought that as the sockets are working he may have just had a plug in table lamp up there or something similar.

 

[JohnW2]

I'm no expert John so I don't know how many different types of FCU there are but if it's just a sort of switch with an on/off light or a fuse holder then there's not one of those anywhere in the house that I can see.

It would look something like:

or maybe no switch

or maybe switch+neon

As for the office use I thought that as the sockets are working he may have just had a plug in table lamp up there or something similar.

I suppose that's possible, but if there are lights and a light switch, it seems pretty likely that they were once powered and working. That empty position in the fuse box might be worth investigating - is there any chance of a photo of it?

Kind Regards, John

 

[19nffc77]

John,

You're right of course I'm just clutching at straws I suppose. I'm not actually at the property at the minute but will take some photos and upload them tomorrow when I go over. One more idea, would it be completely stupid to think that the power is coming from another switch which needs to be on in order for power to be available? So for instance wired into the bedroom light switch?

 

[JohnW2]

John, You're right of course I'm just clutching at straws I suppose. I'm not actually at the property at the minute but will take some photos and upload them tomorrow when I go over.

Thanks - that might possibly help us to have some ideas, but don't hold your breath!

One more idea, would it be completely stupid to think that the power is coming from another switch which needs to be on in order for power to be available? So for instance wired into the bedroom light switch?

In situations like this, one has to consider all the 'stupid' things that might possibly be going on! What you describe is not impossible (but certainly would be a stupid way to have things arranged!), but would seem very unlikely! I suppose you could experiment with the light switches around the house, just to see! Is the wiring in the loft visible? If so, can you see what direction the cable(s) from the light switch are going (i.e. where they might be 'heading'?).

Kind Regards, John