buzzing cable

[ianholmes]

Hi all.
The cable directly underneath my landing light switch has just started buzzing loudly ive taken the light fuse out to be on the safe side. Dose anyone know what could be causing this.
Thanks ian

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Is it a standard rocker switch? If so, likely you have a loose connection at a switch plate terminal. Isolate circuit, remove cover, prove circuit is dead with approved voltage tester, then look for loose connection and or terminal screws. If all seem good, it could also be your switch contacts, which will mean replacing the switch plate.

 

[ianholmes]

Is it a standard rocker switch? If so, likely you have a loose connection at a switch plate terminal. Isolate circuit, remove cover, prove circuit is dead with approved voltage tester, then look for loose connection and or terminal screws. If all seem good, it could also be your switch contacts, which will mean replacing the switch plate.

Yes its a standard rocker so ill give that a try, thanks. Excuse me for being a bit thick but why, if the problem is in the switch dose the buzzing come from the cable in the the wall about 6 inch below?

 

[333rocky333]

any idea of the age of the wire, mention of a fuse, although still acceptable, casts doubts to a recent install, it possibly is old VIR cable this was single core cable and not unheard of the insulation breaking down and the cable possibly shorting, to the metal pipe and thus the wall.
Were the lights flickering or anything prior to you isolating them or any sign of water or damp

 

[JohnD]

how old is the house?

how old (do you think) is the wiring?

what sort of lamp is it?

if it was a dimmer switch, or a transformer-fed low-voltage lamp, or a fluorescent, it would be less unusual.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

. Excuse me for being a bit thick but why, if the problem is in the switch dose the buzzing come from the cable in the the wall about 6 inch below?

Sorry I misunderstood your original post as "The cable directly underneath my landing light switch" as meaning behind the switch plate.
If the cable is buzzing beneath the switch, then this could be as previously stated, insulation resistance failure of cable, this could be down to age or damage, there could also be a possibility that the cable has been jointed at that point and buried/hidden within the wall, and has become loose. If the cable is VIR (usually black sheathed) opening the switch plate could show evidence of deterioration of the cables insulation. Finding this type of cable on an installation, would mean that the circuits will require rewiring, as it is now to old and potentially dangerous.

Is there another switch on wall behind this at a lower point?

 

[viewer]

Could be that the vibration is in the switch as first suggested, but the capping/conduit under the switch is acting to transmit and maybe amplify the noise.

 

[ianholmes]

Thanks for all the replys just put a new switch on and it fine thanks again.

 

[Scoby_Beasley]

Although not involved, it's nice to receive feedback Ian. Thanks to you for this, it may help the random searcher in future.