Help/Advice needed re lighting problem

[Castleirwell]

Was changing a hallogen light in my kitchen spotlight, and something "blew" as I tried twisting the bulb out. The downstairs lighting circuit no longer works. I assumed that a fuse had blown, but have checked and all are ok. Is it possible that a fuse within the consumer unit ban blow? Even though the switch didn't trip. Could it be a resister in the lighting unit itself? Help/advice much appreciated. The 3 electricians I've called all think/say it's the fuse, and none seem too bothered to come out to fix it?!?!

Cheers.

 

[ColJack]

if they haven been used in a while it's posible for breaker handles to "stick".. the internal mechanism still works but they would still look like they're on..

but you mention fuses..
re-wireables or cartridge type?

 

[Castleirwell]

the consumer unit has catridges, but there are also two re-wireable fuses. Those are both ok, and the catriges in the consumer unit were all "on". The circuit/ring is obviously broken somewhere, all the downstairs lights do not work. Could there be a something in the spotlight unit that's blown?

 

[scarypants]

Did something blow (bang) or did it just stop working, have you pulled a cable out?

 

[ColJack]

cartridges cannot be "on", they're either blown or not blown.
you need a multimeter set on the lowest resistance setting..

 

[Castleirwell]

Yes as I was taking the bulb out of the spotlight, there was a blow and a puff of smoke from the light (all the lights were off at this point). So something has short circuited or blown the ring/circuit. Apologies if this isn't clear, but surely it can be one of ony two things that's blown/broken, right? The fuse and/ or something else. I'm at a loss as to what the "else" could be.

As for the cartridge, maybe my understanding of cartridge is incorrect. I was referring to the consumer unit, which has three "cartriges" (maybe this is not the correct term?) One for the oven, one for power shower..etc.

 

[ColJack]

do you mean these things?

they're plug in breakers..

by spotlight do you mean a recessed into the ceiling one, or are we talking on a fitting mounted TO the ceiling here?

were the lights powered up ( at the fuseboard ) at the time of the "flash"?
you've likely pulled a live wire out of a connector..
turn the power to the house off and have a feel about in the hole for a connector block or junction box..

a photo of the consumer unit would do us the world of good...

 

[Castleirwell]

those are the ones! Is it possible for these to blow?
As for the work you mention, should I not be getting a qualified electrician in to do that, mind you I've tried!
The lights were off. The flash/smoke came from my kitchen light (which was off at the time) as I was forcing the halogen bulb out. I was pushing it and trying to twist, pushed a little harder and then bang! all downstairs lights stopped working. Surely the fuse has blown, but all looks ok and none of the plug breakers flipped.

CU is in cellar with no lighting, unfortunatelly I'm not in the house at the mo, but will get a pic ASAP

 

[ColJack]

again I ask, is it a light ON the ceiling or IN the ceiling?

either way, it sounds like you've broken a wire in it or behind it..

and again I ask.. OFF how? at the fuseboard or just at the light switch?

 

[Castleirwell]

sorry it's getting late...it's a strip of 4 spotlights, not recessed into celing. it's one of those s-shaped spot lights (if you know what I mean?)

The lights were off at the switch, I didn't turn off at the fuse board, since I was only changing a light bulb...

 

[ColJack]

ah yes.. "light dawns on marble head" ( or something like that..)..

you've loosened a connection in the fitting somewhere then.. most likely the incoming mains as the rest of the downstairs is off.

time to take the fitting down and have a look ( in the morning when the sun is up obviously ).. make sure you turn the power off at the fuseboard first..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If you look here: //www.diynot.com/wiki/electrics:lighting you'll see how even though the switch is off you still have live wires at the light fitting.

 

[Castleirwell]

The strip of four lights has been removed from the ceiling, with the live and neutral hanging loose, still no lights will come on downstairs. I've yet to open up the light casing to check connetors, will do so this evening.

Always turn off power when removing a light fitting, but don't for changing light bulbs...should I!?

 

[scarypants]

how many wires and what colours are coming through ceiling?

 

[wingcoax]

Definately switch off! Then start looking for loose wires.