how does your lighting circuit work
- Thread starter kevin1234
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windup or serious question?
imagine a hosepipe suspended above a piece of guttering..
if you poke a hole in the hosepipe the water runs out of it and into the guttering, then along it and down the spout.
the hosepipe is the live wire, and the guttering the neutral. the hole is the light bulb..
if you poke more holes in then you get more water coming out.
if you then put your finger over one of these holes, the water stops coming out of that one, but still comes out of the other holes
imagine a hosepipe suspended above a piece of guttering..
if you poke a hole in the hosepipe the water runs out of it and into the guttering, then along it and down the spout.
the hosepipe is the live wire, and the guttering the neutral. the hole is the light bulb..
if you poke more holes in then you get more water coming out.
if you then put your finger over one of these holes, the water stops coming out of that one, but still comes out of the other holes
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What if you stick your wotsit in a d y k 3?
yea so even if any of the bulbs do decide to pop, it doesnt have to go through the bulb first to get back to neutral is that correct? it just goes through the neutral cable that is connected, and what about the last light in the line how does the neutral get back to the board?
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I discovered today that in my house the hall light is fed with a bit of 2.5mm 4 core flex with the blue core snipped off at both ends! Well good! And the screws in the junction box it goes too were loose! Oh well I suppose It gives me something to do tomorrow 
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Are you thinking of christmas lights some of which are wired in series?
These stop working if a lamp fails, as there is no longer a return path.
Domestic lighting circuits are wired in parallel. Regardless of the number of blown lamps, there is always (unless in the event of an open circuit fault on the wiring) a return path.
These stop working if a lamp fails, as there is no longer a return path.
Domestic lighting circuits are wired in parallel. Regardless of the number of blown lamps, there is always (unless in the event of an open circuit fault on the wiring) a return path.
that what i dont understand how can there be a return path if the bulb has blown doesnt that make the final connection with the return path??
Could somebody explain with the aid of a drawing thanks.
You get a rash.
my analogy explained it perfectly.. where's the problem?
the end of the hosepipe ( live wire ) is the last light. the water pours out of it and into the guttering ( neutral ) then back down the guttering to the spout
if you block the end of the pipe ( ie the last bulb blows ) then all the other holes still let the water out and it still runs into the guttering and down the spout..
the end of the hosepipe ( live wire ) is the last light. the water pours out of it and into the guttering ( neutral ) then back down the guttering to the spout
if you block the end of the pipe ( ie the last bulb blows ) then all the other holes still let the water out and it still runs into the guttering and down the spout..
Because the neutral and live in the circuit are continuous and the live is switched separately to each fitting allowing independant operation. I suck at explaning things
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:single_way_lighting [/url]
//www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting:single_way_lighting
[/url]so its way back to neutral is through the other light that havent blown is that correct?
The lights are 'tapped' onto the circuit so i suppose if you look at a circuit diagram of a parallel circuit, if one of the bulbs in that circuit blows, the others still light and the live (pos/neg) and neutral are still there regardless
Yea so like im thinking is this correct if the last bulb pops the way back for the neutral is through the bulb before that is that correct,
the neutral has to go through the bulb for it to be able to go back to neutral is that correct?
This is b****y ridiculous.
How can you still be at the stage of "assuming" the lights are wired in parallel?
How can you possibly not understand current flow in basic circuits?
You said you were, in which case this post makes you an annoying and time-wasting little ****.
Or if you're not a qualified electrician then you are an annoying and time-wasting lying little ****.
Either way, just **** off and never come back.
Oh - and note to the mod - before you decide that those ****s mean something objectionable, and decide to remove or edit this post, please spend 10-15 minutes looking through this guy's post history and ask yourself how genuine he is.
You're a qualified electrician.
How can you still be at the stage of "assuming" the lights are wired in parallel?
How can you possibly not understand current flow in basic circuits?
You're a qualified electrician. What kind of qualified electrician asks something like that?
You're a qualified electrician???
You're a qualified electrician???
You're a qualified electrician and you do not have, or know where to find, or in fact have never even seen, a diagram of a lighting circuit?
You're a qualified electrician???
You said you were, in which case this post makes you an annoying and time-wasting little ****.
Or if you're not a qualified electrician then you are an annoying and time-wasting lying little ****.
Either way, just **** off and never come back.
Oh - and note to the mod - before you decide that those ****s mean something objectionable, and decide to remove or edit this post, please spend 10-15 minutes looking through this guy's post history and ask yourself how genuine he is.
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