Bathroom lights - no power

[Jupiter01]

My bathroom has 4 down lights. One is above the shower and I think it’s IP65 and 4 are away from the shower.

The pull cord light switch has a single cable for the switch wiring. Each light then has one of these inside the ceiling void.


The light above the shower works and one of the three lights outside the shower also works.

The remaining two are problematic.
One of these has no power when tested with a 2 pole tester and contactless tester.

The other light activated the “AC” light on my two pole tester. Presumably because they are low voltage lights? But the bulb doesn’t light up in this down light. I used the bulb from the light that works - no joy.

I have also noticed that the wires are damaged. Rodent damage perhaps?


But don’t understand why the bulb does light up if power is being detected.

Also how do I resolve this as I am guessing there is a junction box burried somewhere?

Thanks in advance

 

[sparkwright]

There will be transformers, probably one above each light, which will have conked out.

The lampholders can also fail over time too.

 

[Jupiter01]

But with one of these lights I am detecting power. 2 pole tester is displaying “AC”?

 

[Taylortwocities]

The lights are trying to tell you that now is the time to take the lot out. Replace them with ( suitable for bathroom) 230v LED downlights.

then you won’t need transformers etc.

PS the 12v halogen lamps used in your existing downlights were discontinued a while ago (European Union directive EC 244/2009)

Read more: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2018/08/eu-halogen-light-bulb-ban-everything-you-need-to-know/ - Which?

 

[Jupiter01]

Thanks guys.

Can you help me understand why I seem to detect power in one of these but it still doesn’t work?

Also, any suggestions on how I track down the lighting loop? The cables to the transformers may not be long enough.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Also, any suggestions on how I track down the lighting loop? The cables to the transformers may not be long enough.

Hard to say without being there.
It’s an upstairs bathroom? Loft space above?

 

[Jupiter01]

It’s a ground floor bathroom.

 

[Taylortwocities]

The transformers should be accessible. If they aren’t then you have four options:

• Cut holes in the ceiling to access the transformers snd junctions
• Take up the floor above the ceiling
• Find some clever way of running new cables
• Invent wireless electricity

 

[FrodoOne]

I have also noticed that the wires are damaged. Rodent damage perhaps?

You can see the damage to the insulation on one conductor but what if there is "rodent" damage to other (TPS) cables that you cannot see?
Perhaps you should also find out how rodents (or whatever) are accessing your between ceiling and floor space, prevent further ingress - and lay baits for any which may be there now?

 

[Jupiter01]

Perhaps I should locate the transformers and then the T&E connected to this. If this has power, I should connect new bathroom led downlights to this T&E? Presumably the transformers are near the holes for each down light as in my experience the low voltage cables aren’t very long or far away from the transformer itself. Is that always he case?

In terms of rodent damage to other cables, I suppose there’s no end to this as they could have been nibbling cables across the ceiling and even in the walls. There’s no way of knowing unless there is a break in continuity?

I can chuck some rat poison in the ceiling void.

Is that a reasonable approach to the cabling and rats do you think?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Taylortwocities]

There’s no telling what the person who installed the lights has done. If installed properly the mains connection to the transformer, and the trannys themselves should be easily accessible through the downlight hole.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks guys.

Can you help me understand why I seem to detect power in one of these but it still doesn’t work?

Also, any suggestions on how I track down the lighting loop? The cables to the transformers may not be long enough.

You are using the wrong implement for testing, the results are meaningless.

 

[Jupiter01]

You are using the wrong implement for testing, the results are meaningless.

I guess I was confused further by some detection of power on one light and not another.

 

[Jupiter01]

UPDATE: The small cables popping through the holes in the ceiling had a transformer connected to it and this was then wired into a junction box which was connected to the lighting T&E on the other end. Each light had two cables and one of them had a single cable. This is the light feed cable looping around the lights I am guessing. I assume there is another lighting junction box up in the ceiling somewhere? I disconnected everything from the junction box onwards. I fitted new mains powered bathroom downlights from Screwfix.