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Retired earlier this year, several boxes of leftover stock cluttering up the garage - sockets, switches, co-ax outlets, lamp holders, light fittings, assorted lamps (mostly GU10, halogen and LED). Lots of 20mm conduit and fittings, black and white, box full of knockout boxes and plasterboard...

This burnout is common with the 12V MR16s, but it usually takes a few years to occur, not repeat within a few weeks (in my experience). Just to clarify, is it burning out at the lamp end or at the terminal end? If the lamp end that's normal, though, as I say, not that often. Check you're not...

If it's tripping intermittently then finding it could be a pig. Has anything been nailed or screwed into the flooring recently which could have snagged the wire of the heating element? This might be triggered by someone wlaking on the floor and causing enough movement for the fatal contact to be...

If you've got a local electrical wholesaler ask them for some 20W/60W transformers. Before you do that have a close look at the wire into the lampholders, the bit where you push in the pins on the lamps. Often happens with the 12V lamps that the wires degrade from the heat generated by the...

Before you go moving wires check the lamps (bulbs) in the lights - the most common failure of outside lights, particularly if they're halogens, is bulb failure. Next likely is that the motion sensor itself has failed. pj

Just to clear up one point, Ramekin, the earthing has nothing to do with the light working - the earth connection is there in case of a fault to give the electricity a quick path to the ground, rather than through you. It's the live and neutral that are making the lamps glow. The fact that...

When you say you checked the wiring, do you mean you checked the terminals were tight, give the wires a good wiggle? What you have certainly sounds like a loose connection somewhere, and if the connections in the switches and the rose are sound it suggests a junction box on the route which has...

The so-called "safe zones" for running cables include burying them in the walls (chasing in) within six inches (150mm) of the ceiling, so it's not unreasonable to surface clip them within that area and cover them with coving. The cables will then enter the kitchen at ceiling level, and you can...

While it looks similar to a key switch (usually used as a test device for emergency lighting), given its position I suspect it's more likely to be a fused spur, with the central "blob" being the fuse holder. If so it was probably there to power a bathroom heater which has since been removed. PJ

Did you just replace the lamps or the whole fitting? And were they in three circuits before the changeover, or was that part of the changeover? pj

As we're talking about an isolator that has a big red switch inn the middle of it, I would guess the thinking is that low down it won't be so obtrusive. But all such isolators I've seen have been noticeable whether high or low - because they've got a big red switch n the middle .... PJ

You talked about taking the switch off and checking it - you did check the light bulb didn't you? PJ

Try a rocker switch in place of the dimmer to rule in/out whether the dimmer is at fault. pj

A double pattress with a blanking plate top makes a handy junction box, either using Wago-type connectors or choc-blocks. If you need something bigger either use two pattresses or move up to an adapative box. pj

Round our way are plenty of houses that have been converted to flats, with all the meters in a large cupboard in the entry hall. PJ

Most of the supply companies ask for readings to be updated online monthly by the householder. Meter readers come round once a year if you're lucky - and I've never yet seen one with a ladder. Keeping up to date with readings stops the problem of estimated bills which get out of hand and pass...

Hard to offer good advice without more detail about distances, direction and things that might be in the way of the motion sensing, but sounds like you want a floodlight with directional sensor to point towards the end of the drive. You'll need to be careful about where you direct it so it...

Is this what you're after? http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Lighting_Menu_Index/Lighting_Kitchen_Index/Strip_Lighting/index.html pj

Oops, Friday night inattention ....

Unless you can find a 12V photocell you'll need to put the photocell BEFORE the transformer as it requires a 240V feed (at least the one I've got int the van does). Otherwise there's no reason it shouldn't work - it's just a case of wiring, switches and electricity-using objects in a line. pj