Spotlights not working

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Hi,
I am not an electrician.
I am not stupid though and am more than capable of connecting a few wires together.
However, my install of inset spots in my garage is not working....
They are 4no. GU10 halogen inset downlighters. The type with just a blue and a brown wire coming from them into a connecting block. I have connected all 4 together using twin and earth. I am getting a live at the bulb socket but, none of the bulbs are lighting.
Any possible ideas?
I've swapped out one of the bulbs but still no joy. Surely they can't all be blown?
Is it possible to have residual current in the wires from somewhere but not enough to power the lights perhaps?
Thanks for any help.
 
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Hi,
I am not an electrician.
I am not stupid though and am more than capable of connecting a few wires together.
However, my install of inset spots in my garage is not working....
:)

They are 4no. GU10 halogen inset downlighters. The type with just a blue and a brown wire coming from them into a connecting block. I have connected all 4 together using twin and earth. I am getting a live at the bulb socket but, none of the bulbs are lighting.
Any possible ideas?
How have you connected them together. Difficult to tell from that.

What did you have before?

I've swapped out one of the bulbs but still no joy. Surely they can't all be blown?
I wouldn't think so. Hard to tell from the internet.

Is it possible to have residual current in the wires from somewhere but not enough to power the lights perhaps?
You are probably using an unreliable device. Neon screwdriver?

Post some pictures.
 
:)


How have you connected them together. Difficult to tell from that.

What did you have before?


I wouldn't think so. Hard to tell from the internet.


You are probably using an unreliable device. Neon screwdriver?

Post some pictures.
Hi,
Thanks for replying.
Nothing insitu before. I have 'tapped' into the supply from the switch that goes to the existing centre pendant (using a junction box of course). From this, 2.5mm t&e to the first of the four, then the second, then the third and finishing at the fourth.
I am using a neon screwdriver
 
Nothing insitu before. I have 'tapped' into the supply from the switch that goes to the existing centre pendant (using a junction box of course).
Ok.

From this, 2.5mm t&e to the first of the four, then the second, then the third and finishing at the fourth.
2.5mm² will be a bit unwieldy for downlights, I would have thought. 1mm² (or even smaller) flexible cable would be much more suitable.

Presuming the pendant worked, did it have more than two wires + Earth to it before?
Normally there is a supply cable 2 +E, at least one cable to next light 2 +E, and cable to switch 2 +E.

If that was the situation, I can only suggest you have connected them incorrectly so a picture of the junction box wiring would be useful.

If there was only the one T&E supply cable to the pendant, then there is not much to go wrong but obviously something has.


I am using a neon screwdriver
they often give spurious results.

A cheap multimeter would be much better.
 
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Show us a picture of the wiring ,where you picked up the supply, at the switch ???
 
Ok, officially out of my depth now :-/
Here's the pics of the switch, it's insides and the connection that I've made into the wire. At the connection box, the larger wire is the one going to the new spots.
It is a 2-gang switch, as you can see. The left switch powers the room lighting, the right one isolates an external security light.
The room lights are also 2-way.

What are each of the wires for? What are the yellow ones? Which SHOULD I have tapped in to? I've clearly got something wrong. Doh!

Thanks
 

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Yes, you cannot “tap” into the switch wire there. At that point you have a live snd a switched live. No neutral.

These downlights, are they going to be separately switched, or will they come on with other lights?
 
Yes, you cannot “tap” into the switch wire there. At that point you have a live snd a switched live. No neutral.

These downlights, are they going to be separately switched, or will they come on with other lights?
The plan is that they will simply come on at the same time at the main room light.

Any ideas which wire/s I should be tapping into?

Would it better to bring another wire out directly from the switch?

Thanks
 
You cannot come from the switch at all. There is no neutral there.
If the downlights will come on with another light, then simply take the switched live and neutral (and earth) ftom that light to the downlights.

PS as above 2.5mm is too big. 1mm is what you need.
PPS you said HALOGEN lights. You do know they are now obsolete? You should be installing LED lamps.
 
You cannot come from the switch at all. There is no neutral there.
If the downlights will come on with another light, then simply take the switched live and neutral (and earth) ftom that light to the downlights.

PS as above 2.5mm is too big. 1mm is what you need.
PPS you said HALOGEN lights. You do know they are now obsolete? You should be installing LED lamps.
Thanks for all of your help.
That is very confusing. I didn't realise that there would not be a neutral at all in the switch. I said I wasn't an electrician :)
Yes, they are halogen. I've had them boxed up new for a few years. Just a shame to bin them.
I think I will swap out the 2.5mm wire as you say.
With regards taking a wire from the current light, it's a bit crowded in there. Can I 'tap' into one of the wires going into that instead?
 

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Yes. Just tap in to the two outer wires(switched live and neutral) that go to the bulb holder. Plus the earth, of course.

You’ll not get replacement halogen lamps. So start with those and replace with LED GU10 bulbs when they blow. And they will.
 
The halogens will cost up to 10 times more to run so may be worth putting leds in now.
 
Yes. Just tap in to the two outer wires(switched live and neutral) that go to the bulb holder. Plus the earth, of course.

You’ll not get replacement halogen lamps. So start with those and replace with LED GU10 bulbs when they blow. And they will.
Fantastic! Thank you for all of your help. Much appreciated.
I'm off to get some 1mm now.
 

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