faulty ceiling light

[jockie]

All lights are out in first floor bedrooms. Have a Mk sentry consumer unit. Turned off mains, switch is up for \\\'upstairs lights\\\' still no lights. Checked all ceiling light fittings and found one bulb \\\'catch\\\' on the fitting -don\\\'t know correct word, sorry!- is slightly broken, leaving the bulb at a slight angle. Could this be the problem causing a short circuit? What do I do next?

[JohnD]

I'm sorry you haven't had any earlier replies, have you solved it already?

edited to say, I'm not quite clear, did you mean that all the MCB's are in the "on" position?

For a start, trip the MCB for the upstairs lighting circuit off, take out the bulb that looks wrong. Then have a squint at the bulbholder with a torch; it might be that it is bent or cracked. they can go brittle with age and heat.

If it looks OK, try putting a new bulb in and see if it is held correctly, or if one of the bayonet sides is out of place (if it is make a note to buy a new one tomorrow.

then try turning the breaker back on at your consumer unit (fusebox).

If the MCB had tripped, It is quite likely that the MCB tripped due to a sudden surge when a bulb failed, this often happens and is nothing to worry about unless it happens often enough to annoy you.


If the glass of the bulb breaks and you can't get it out, some back and I'll tell you a trick to getting the broken part out without cutting yourself, using only ordinary kitchen things.

edited to say, looking at your other post, I was barking up the wrong tree. Pay no attention to me