Bathroom / Shower light ad extractor fan problem

[rjm67]

Odd problem came up at home yesterday.

I have a pull cord in the ensuite that operates the main light and one in the shower cubicle (that has a fan integrated too). I also have a vent axia cord for the fan in the shower. When I turned the lights on yesterday, the main light came on, but not in the shower. Then when I tried to turn the shower fan on, nothing happened. After a couple of disbelieving pulls, I turned the main light off, only for the shower light to come on dimly. If I pulled it again, the shower light went off, and the main ensuite light came on. I'm not an electrical wizz, but any troubleshoooting tips of ideas what is going on would be appreciated.

Thanks

 

[ColJack]

you, or someone in your house has been messing with it or other lights haven't you?

the symptoms you describe are indicative of the neutral and switched live being mixed up.... or of the switched live at a switch being mistaken for a neutral..

post pics of the connections in the lights and at the switch and we can advise further..

 

[rjm67]

Thanks for the feedback.

I haven't touched any of these switches or lights, but about three weeks back I changed all the wall light switches in the house (as we had a mix of ages) All work as expected, but the only thing I did do different is that the ones on the landing and master bedroom (both next to the ensuite) had an unconnected earth and sheathed earth wire, that I did connect up the earth connection on the switches. Could that have contributed to the issue?

Cheers

 

[ColJack]

unconected earth and sheathed earthwire?
please clarify..
if one of them is yellow then it's not an earth..

 

[rjm67]

Sorry if I didn't explain that very well. Both the existing wall switches have a wire that wasn't connected, but it was totally covered in earth (green/yellow) sleeve. I just cut the sleeve back to expose a bit of wire, then connected this to the earth on the switch. FYI, the rest of the wall switches in the house don't have earth wires at all.

 

[Goldberg]

Both the existing wall switches have a wire that wasn't connected, but it was totally covered in earth (green/yellow) sleeve.

Did you test this to make sure that it is an earth?

I just cut the sleeve back to expose a bit of wire, then connected this to the earth on the switch.

The words "earth on the switch" don't make sense unless the plate is metal instead of plastic. Could you elaborate, or, even better, post a picture?