Help - new light flickering.

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I recently engaged an electrician to upgrade my consumer unit, the whole house was tested and found to be correct and I am awaiting the Safety Certificate.

I then decided to change all my lights to LEDs and ordered some lamp holders, next I (stupidly) removed the kitchen and hall light fittings, taking no note of the connections or photographing anything.

The new lights arrived and I fitted a new lamp holder in the kitchen and a Radar LED ceiling light in the entrance hall.
When the power was reconnected the Radar light came on for a couple of mins then flickered and went off.
The kitchen light I was unable to test as I had no suitable bulbs, so I rigged up a bulb holder on suitable flex to check and the light and switch worked perfectly.
BUT
The Radar light in the hall will not operate nor will any of the other lights on the ground floor.
I have tested the ceiling rose in the entrance hall and there is no power.

Does anyone have any suggestions what the problem may/could be or what tests I can carry out to access the extent of the problem.

I have a Fluke AC multimeter and Einhell digital detector and a full range of tools.
 
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I recently engaged an electrician to upgrade my consumer unit, the whole house was tested and found to be correct and I am awaiting the Safety Certificate.

I then decided to change all my lights to LEDs and ordered some lamp holders, next I (stupidly) removed the kitchen and hall light fittings, taking no note of the connections or photographing anything.

The new lights arrived and I fitted a new lamp holder in the kitchen and a Radar LED ceiling light in the entrance hall.
When the power was reconnected the Radar light came on for a couple of mins then flickered and went off.
The kitchen light I was unable to test as I had no suitable bulbs, so I rigged up a bulb holder on suitable flex to check and the light and switch worked perfectly.
BUT
The Radar light in the hall will not operate nor will any of the other lights on the ground floor.
I have tested the ceiling rose in the entrance hall and there is no power.

Does anyone have any suggestions what the problem may/could be or what tests I can carry out to access the extent of the problem.

I have a Fluke AC multimeter and Einhell digital detector and a full range of tools.
Book an Electrician.
 
next I (stupidly) removed the kitchen and hall light fittings, taking no note of the connections or photographing anything.

You have obviously made a wiring error. (probably in the kitchen). But it is not something easy to diagnose on a forum. Best get your electrician back.
 
Check all the connections at both ceiling roses ,making sure the copper conductors are making proper contact at the terminals. Posting pics here may be helpful. Did you do any work on switches ,or just the two ceiling roses ?
 
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Check all the connections at both ceiling roses ,making sure the copper conductors are making proper contact at the terminals. Posting pics here may be helpful. Did you do any work on switches ,or just the two ceiling roses ?


Yes Terry I did.
Initially I wired the kitchen light switch correctly but the ceiling junction box wrong, this blew the dimmer switch and tripped the house lights switch in the consumer unit.
I have bought a new (basic) switch and wired it correctly and it operates the kitchen light on and off correctly.
I am a qualified mechanical engineer and take care to ensure the whole of the bare wires are in direct contact with the screws in the rose/junction box and switch.

Q; I have been using the live (red) wire to trace the direction of the feed, is that a suitable method?

My latest theory is to rewire the ceiling rose straight through (omitting the switch wires) to hopefully continue the feed to the lower floor by isolating any possible switch problems.
 
Besides the switch in kitchen ,have you changed any others ?
Don't know what you mean by " using the red wire to trace direction of feed"
Are there neutrals present at the switch positions ( not connected to the switch),or are the neutrals looping in and out at the ceiling roses ?
Can you safely use multimeter on live circuitry to measure voltages ?
The junction box you mentioned ,is this in addition to the roses in hall and kitchen ?
Can you post pic's ?
 
Besides the switch in kitchen ,have you changed any others ?
Don't know what you mean by " using the red wire to trace direction of feed"
Are there neutrals present at the switch positions ( not connected to the switch),or are the neutrals looping in and out at the ceiling roses ?
Can you safely use multimeter on live circuitry to measure voltages ?
The junction box you mentioned ,is this in addition to the roses in hall and kitchen ?
Can you post pic's ?


Thanks again for replying.
Trace direction of feed - at the ceiling rose/junction box I seperated all the wires from the three T&E cables, switched on the power and tested each wire with an electricians screwdiver, only one red wire lit up, this I assumed was the IN feed?
With one T&E going to the switch I assume the other T&E's must be an IN-OUT loop or continuation of the 'ring'?

No spare or loop natural wires at the kitchen switch backbox.


Kitchen ceiling rose isn't actually a rose, it is a 4 entry plastic terminal block, sorry I was trying to make it easier to understand.

When I removed the original light fitting it had a 3 entry plastic terminal block and a single ceramic terminal block (1970's build).
I did not replace the fitting as it had a solid wood base, 3 halogen bulbs but no earth.

I have used my Fluke meter to test batteries and electic fencing units, never on domestic electrics.
Long ago I speared a ring main with a screwdriver and was blown across the floor so I realise the power of electricity.

Hope this helps.
 
tested each wire with an electricians screwdiver,
which could give false readings. Worse case they can show a wire as being not Live when it is Live. They indicate the difference in potentail between the person holding it and the wire it is touching,

Rings are not used on lighting circuits.

Rings are not normally used on lighting circuits.

Ring finals can be used for lighting when the installation requires it.
 
These are pics of the T&E cables in the kitchen ceiling, numbered 1,2&3 left to right, old wire colours.

Assuming the Red wires are correct.
I attached bulb holder on flex to Kitchen and Hall terminal blocks.

Power on results when Black wire 1,2,&3 are exchanged in terminal of blue bulb wire.

IMG_1775.JPG
Pic 1
Kitchen light - ON fully bright : switch not operated.
Hall light - ON but very faint : switch not operated

IMG_1782.JPG
Pic 2
Kitchen light - not on : switch not operated
Hall light - ON and fully bright : switch had no effect, bulb always ON

IMG_1784.JPG
Pic 3
Kitchen light - ON but only half bright : switch not operated
Hall light - ON but very faint : switch not operated

Switch - Red in L1 : Black in top terminal.


??????????????????????????????
 
That doesn't make sense.

When you put the Neutral (one of the blacks) in with the Switched live (another of the blacks) then the fuse/breaker would trip when you turned on the switch.


Therefore we can assume that none of the blacks is a Neutral due to a wiring error somewhere else.

This is not the way to carry on. You should get an electrician.
 
Thank you for your reply EFL.

However I didnt operate the wall switch as when I did previously the breaker did trip (and killed the dimmer switch) exactly as you say it would.

I now have a brand new rocker switch fitted btw.

I really need to confirm which of the three cables goes to the switch?
Edit.
Continuity between cable 2 and the switch - Confirmed!
 
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Then you need to SWITCH OFF the power.

Separate the black wires.

Set meter to low ohms (beep if you have it).
Connect one probe to the reds, other to one of the blacks.
Operate switch on and off and hear if the beep also goes on and of (or reading goes from open to closed circuit).
The black that does this will be the switch wire. The other two will be neutrals - IF everything is as normal.
 
Thanks EFL
I have set the meter for continuity, separated the blacks as you suggested and checked each of the black wires at the switch and the ceiling end.

The switch wire is cable 2 (the only wire that indicates continuity 0 ).


Connected the bulb holder and BINGO everything is working correctly!!!

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D


I wish to thank all those who assited and those who showed their concern by posting advisory warnings.
Im a stuborn B and just hate to be beaten by something as simple as this, especially as I caused it myself.

Handshakes guys.
 
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