Help please I've installed new lights & 2 gang 2 way switch about 4weeks ago all working fine until yesterday , now 1 trips & the other works ok. I checked the bulbs & made sure there were no loose wires now i'm lost can't understand why everything was ok in both lights 4 weeks ago & now 1 trips when you turn it on I need some advise please.
Kitchen lights 1 trips 1 ok help!
- Thread starter Johnnyboyrose1
- Start date
what it is tripping? The RCD or MCB for the circuit?
If it's an RCD it will have a little button marked T or Test on it and (usually) is twice as wide as the other breakers
If it's an RCD it will have a little button marked T or Test on it and (usually) is twice as wide as the other breakers
The fuse for the lighting on the mcb
Your 2 gang 2 way controls which lights - Is it One 2 way gang for Upstairs landing via downstairs switch and the other for the downstairs hall light?
How are you expecting the lights to work?
Which of the lights work and which don't?
You may need to take clear photographs of the switch wiring for us to help you.
Sorry both lights are in the kitchen / diner ( its 1 room ) 1 light in the diner area which trips the fuse & 1 in the kitchen area which works . The wiring has 2 red wires , 2 black wires with red sleeves the black ones are going to Each L2 & the red ones to the coms which I followed from the old switch
So you have a double gang 2 way switch set up as two individual one way switches.
I assume that both the lights are on the same lighting circuit.
I also assume you haven't mixed the red/black(red sleeve) conductors up when transferring them over. In other words the red and black are from the same grey sheath.
If that is not the case then you may have a loose connection somewhere on the circuit you have created. Also check you haven't nicked a cable or trapped the insulation in one of the terminals.
I checked the wires in the light to see if the fixture screw may have damaged it but it was fine & the wires in the switch look ok no nicks as for mixing black wires it's possible but if that was the case why after 4 weeks it starts to trip only 1 light ?
These mysteries are sent to test us
However, if a conductor is not terminated correctly it heats up more than normal and can cause problems over time.
So are both lights on the same lighting circuit?
We need to know how the 'new' part of the circuit has been wired - as I said photographs of your switch wiring and probably your light wiring is needed.
If all the conductors are correctly terminated and the photographs do not show any obvious wiring problems then to carry out further investigation you will need a multi-meter and know how to use to conduct any further checks.
I'll will take some photos tomorrow & post them thanks for the help so far
What type of lights are they.
May be worth disconnecting the light, so as to find whether its the light at fault or the wiring at fault.
May be worth disconnecting the light, so as to find whether its the light at fault or the wiring at fault.
I don't think it's light I put the old light back up & it did the same just tripped so probably wiring fault on my part maybe on the switch
- Joined
- 11 Jan 2004
- Messages
- 46,361
- Reaction score
- 3,710
- Country
If it's a fault that trips the MCB when you switch that light on, then there must be a SWL /E or SWL /N fault somewhere.
If it's not the fitting itself, make sure there's no short on the wiring in the ceiling (a screw through a cable?) then check the switch.
A conductor may have been pushed back and is catching on the box fixing screw or a conductor may have been pinched or trapped by the switch plate fixing screw.
Or have you done any drilling near the switch? Or put pictures up? There may be damage to a buried cable somewhere.
If it's not the fitting itself, make sure there's no short on the wiring in the ceiling (a screw through a cable?) then check the switch.
A conductor may have been pushed back and is catching on the box fixing screw or a conductor may have been pinched or trapped by the switch plate fixing screw.
Or have you done any drilling near the switch? Or put pictures up? There may be damage to a buried cable somewhere.
Cheers Sesuresparks you hit the nail on the head or the cable in this case. Wife put a picture up when I was at work Friday touched the wire in the wall, then blaming my wiring skills.No more DIY for her. Thanks everyone for your input this is a great forum I'm so pleased I found it cheers 
- Joined
- 11 Jan 2004
- Messages
- 46,361
- Reaction score
- 3,710
- Country
No worries: just repair it carefully and tell her about the safe zones!!
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:walls
http://www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:installation_techniques:walls
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
