Can this wait or is it urgent??

mogwai72 · 20 Jul 2011

We are living in a 1961 house which is about to be extended and rewired/replumbed. The builder starts in 3 weeks and we are due to move into a rented house at the beginning of September while the messy stuff is done.

Last night I heard a loud crackling sound when I switched off the light in the kitchen. This light used to work fine but over the last month I've noticed it takes ages to come on after you flick the switch. This is the first time I've heard a crackle (it came from the switch).

I've duct taped the switch to make sure nobody uses it. Can this wait until the builder starts or do I need to call an electrician?

Thanks

MalcofArabia · 20 Jul 2011

mogwai72 said:
We are living in a 1961 house which is about to be extended and rewired/replumbed. The builder starts in 3 weeks and we are due to move into a rented house at the beginning of September while the messy stuff is done.

Last night I heard a loud crackling sound when I switched off the light in the kitchen. This light used to work fine but over the last month I've noticed it takes ages to come on after you flick the switch. This is the first time I've heard a crackle (it came from the switch).

I've duct taped the switch to make sure nobody uses it. Can this wait until the builder starts or do I need to call an electrician?

Thanks

Is this a normal light or a fluorescent?

Where did the crackling sound originate from, the fitting or the switch?

It does not sound too much of a problem, most likely an light or switch failure due to age, but of course this is conjecture without seeing or hearing the problem. If you had basic DIY skills you could perhaps change the light and switch like for like for very little money.

But even though you have this project planned in the very near future I would still rectify this condition, for safety reasons.

holmslaw · 20 Jul 2011

RussSvatt · 20 Jul 2011

I agree with holmslaw, it sounds like arcing which is a fire waiting to happen. Isolate the power and check the wires behind the switch are terminated well.

cajar · 20 Jul 2011

I had an incandescent bulb in the kitchen that took ages to come on. When I eventually got round to looking at the fitting I discovered that the plastic had cracked causing the metal conductor to barely break contact with the bulb. As the resistance caused heat, the materials expanded and made contact to make the light come on.

mikhailfaradayski · 20 Jul 2011

cajar said:
I had an incandescent bulb in the kitchen that took ages to come on. When I eventually got round to looking at the fitting I discovered that the plastic had cracked causing the metal conductor to barely break contact with the bulb. As the resistance caused heat, the materials expanded and made contact to make the light come on.

I don't quite follow that

ColJack · 20 Jul 2011

what's not to follow?
sounds perfectly simple to me..

bad contact in the fitting...
High resistance connection
gets hot
expands and pushes the contact harder against the lamp connection
lower resistance connection
light comes on..

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Can this wait or is it urgent??

mogwai72

MalcofArabia

holmslaw

RussSvatt

cajar

mikhailfaradayski

ColJack

DIYnot Local

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