Kitchen light please help

[francspencer]

I've checked through the ref section and everything seems ok, but my kitchen light has stopped working.
I've removed the old light which had 4 halogens as it suddenly stopped working. I replaced the bulbs and it still didn't work.
I've checked the fuse box and nothing had tripped.
I wanted to see if it was the light itself or another problem, so I've wired up
a standard ceiling light.
It still doesn't work.. please help?
Attached is the wiring.

Untitled

• francspencer
• 1 Nov 2008
• 1

[/img]

 

[breezer]

put a plug on it and plug it in.

if that doesnt work you need a new light fitting

 

[francspencer]

the light works when plugged in.
Its the wiring in the ceiling or the switch on the wall.
How do I test and is the wiring ok or should a wire go into the red lead?

 

[mikeyd]

The wiring looks normal. The black which connects to the brown should have a red sleeve but that would not stop it working.

Knock the power off, then put both the wires (red and black) at the switch in a bit of connector block. (Or even the same hole in the switch if you haven't got any) If the light comes on when you put the power back on it's a dead switch.

 

[francspencer]

thanks mike, sounds like a good plan, i'll give it a go.

 

[streetlighter]

you need some red tape on the black wire that connects to the brown wire. This will identify it as a swiched live conductor and save confusion when the fitting is replaced.

 

[francspencer]

Thanks Street,
I will make sure I do that as well.

 

[francspencer]

I've removed the switch today and joined the wires as shown in the photo.
Still no joy, I even wired up the light again just in case that was connected poperly. (but at least I'm learning some great tips)
Any other ideas?

Untitled

• francspencer
• 2 Nov 2008
• 1

Untitled

• francspencer
• 2 Nov 2008
• 1

[/img]

 

[TicklyT]

It could be a loose or broken wire in the next light fitting 'upstream'

If the live wire is loose or broken, there would be no live feed to the light or switch.

If the neutral wire is affected, then every terminal (live and neutral) at the faulty light could be live

 

[electronicsuk]

Next logical step would be to completely eliminate the switch drop, which you can quite easily do by switching off the power and wiring the fitting between permanent live (two reds in terminal block in your photo) and neutral. If the fitting still doesn't work when you turn the power back on, you can be pretty sure there is no supply at all to the fitting.

Of course, a much quicker test would be to use a meter, but I'm assuming that if you had any test kit then you would have already used it.

 

[francspencer]

Thanks Ticky and Matt,

I will try mats idea first, just to claify, I turn off the power and then just connect the brown wire on the light fitting to the 2 reds. (leave blue as is)
Then turn power on and hope the bulb comes on?

 

[electronicsuk]

Thanks Ticky and Matt,

I will try mats idea first, just to claify, I turn off the power and then just connect the brown wire on the light fitting to the 2 reds. (leave blue as is)
Then turn power on and hope the bulb comes on?

Yup, that's pretty much it. Let us know how you get on.

 

[Kes]

Or use your trusty neon test screwdriver on all three terminal blocks and report the results here.

I don't like the way the red terminal block is snuggled up to the light fitting frame, is the steelwork earthed? (Or is that an illusion?)

 

[RF Lighting]

Or use your trusty neon test screwdriver on all three terminal blocks and report the results here.

You'd be even better off if you lobbed your trusty neon test screwdriver in the nearest pond or river, and used a proper tester.

 

[Kes]

That's debatable (and has been at length here before) but I think that the chances are that the OP doesn't have 'a proper tester'.