advise required

[ron99]

Gents, I have just returned from holiday to find i have no power to the upstairs lights, downstairs are on and i have checked the fuse which is ok.

My son (breaks everything) said he just put a new light bulb in his bedroom, its didnt work and he noticed the bathroom light go off as he tried putting the bulb in his room. tried the rest upstairs and they are off.

upsairs ring main (sockets) are on

Thanx Colin

 

[jj4091]

If you are 100% sure that the fuse is ok then you have a problem with the cables supplying the lighting circuit & if this only happened after the lamp was changed I would guess that the problem is in the ceiling rose(loose connection). Time to call in a spark if you don't feel competant to investigate yourself.

 

[ron99]

Thanx for the reply.

just checked the ceiling rose wiring and it all appears ok. good connections. above in loft all ok too.
definately lost the upstairs lights as the bulb was put in. but fuse ok.

baffled now.

any further advise?

Thanx Colin

 

[Chivers7]

What type of fuse have you got Ron?

 

[ron99]

The consumer unit is a Wylex, fuse is 5amp, type with 2 pins and connecting fuse wire which is unbroken.
Only one fuse in unit for lighting and downstairs is on

thanx

 

[FredFlintstone]

Even though you say he fuse is definately OK, my first test would be to swap the upstairs and downstairs fuses over and see if the lights work. It takes seconds (assuming they're fuses, not MCB's) and definately eliminates the fuses as the cause.

Regards

Fred

 

[Chivers7]

Turn off power Swap over the fuses, switch back on and see what's occuring.

Wilma!

 

[ron99]

i have only 1 5amp lighting fuse, surely downstairs would be off too?.

i dont want to swap with a higher rated fuse eg upstairs main and try do i, thought that might be unsafe.

thanx

 

[Chivers7]

Sorry Ron thought you'd have one for up and one for down??

Just re read your third post Doh

how many breakers has your wylex got in total sounds like your place is due for a new CU and rewire, I suggest calling an electrican to have a look.

Can you take any photos and upload?

 

[ron99]

if i have power to downstairs lighting and all lighting runs off the same fuse, then wont the problem be elsewhere, as i said it went off upstairs when my son put a bulb in his bedroom, but rose wiring seems fine.

thanx

 

[Chivers7]

The circuit may have shorted/had a surge current when it happened so you'll have to check all the joint boxes / ceiling roses upstairs. They'll probably be some in the loft somewhere. Have you got a head torch you could use?

 

[ron99]

thanx again for your advise.

The bathroom is right above the consumer unit in the hall. i had downlights fitted in the bathroom last year, and remember all the supply to the upstairs lighting comes into the loft above the bathroom, so i think the downlights are first in the loop.
If a surge occurred can it have affected the downlights (5off) is some way.

the downlights are 5 x 20w

thanx

 

[ron99]

any advise on whether these downlights could be the cause.
they mains voltage, i remember each of the 5 lights were wired into a box in the loft, is this boxed fused?

Thanx

 

[sparkmanc]

I doubt it, I think you just mean junction boxes, or possibly a transformer, either way I doubt its fused.

Have you tested for voltage at the ceiling rose?

If you know in which order the lights are fitted, you said the circuit starts at the bathroom and will probably follow logical order across the house, test each one for voltage and see at what point you lose the juice. At least then we can isolate the fault. Are you sure he only changed the lamp and hasn't tried ****ing about with the wiring?

I await your reply, Jamie.

 

[bongos]

I don't know much about such things but if the bathroom lights were first in the circuit and are off then isn't it unlikely that you would have lighting further on in the circuit?

could the fault be down to a loose connection in a junction box/loop in wiring?