inside lights not working!

[darkside121]

Hi, can anyone help?
since sunday all the celing lights all over the house have stopped working, no new lights have been added to the system and nothing has been changed. the house is about 15-20 years old, I have change the lights Main fuse cartrige in the fuse box, and still ever time i flick the button back up, it does not stay up. i have made sure all the light switches are off when i try this (dont know if that helps).
Is anyone able to help me, i would be very greatfull
Thank u
J

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Have you had any work done in the house at all?
Other than the work Mrs Darkside does that is!

 

[darkside121]

None, just dont under stand it, the day before it went off at the fuse box a couple of times, and we just switched it back on and thought nothing of it.

Have you had any work done in the house at all?
Other than the work Mrs Darkside does that is!

 

[riveralt]

I have change the lights Main fuse cartrige in the fuse box,

Given the age of your property your 'fuse box' should be a consumer unit with MCB's and possibly an RCD. So what do you mean when you say you have changed the main fuse cartridge?

and still ever time i flick the button back up, it does not stay up.

is this the MCB or the RCD.

Photograph of the front of your consumer unit with any lid down so we can see what type of 'fuses' you have would be helpful.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Could be a number of things that have caused it to trip, it could be damage to cable that was caused sometime ago, a faulty accessory or even rodents.

 

[riveralt]

None, just dont under stand it, the day before it went off at the fuse box a couple of times, and we just switched it back on and thought nothing of it.

Any bulbs blown? especially ones in the bathroom or kitchen possibly downlighters.

 

[darkside121]

sorry i dont make things very clear sometimes this is what i replaced http://www.screwfix.com/prods/44318...MCBs-Incomers/Crabtree-6A-SP-Type-B-Curve-MCB
it was not this Make tho but the same thing.
sorry i cant get a picture of it today as its my mums house.
is that any help?

I have change the lights Main fuse cartrige in the fuse box,

Given the age of your property your 'fuse box' should be a consumer unit with MCB's and possibly an RCD. So what do you mean when you say you have changed the main fuse cartridge?

and still ever time i flick the button back up, it does not stay up.

is this the MCB or the RCD.

Photograph of the front of your consumer unit with any lid down so we can see what type of 'fuses' you have would be helpful.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You have replaced it or reset it?

 

[darkside121]

replaced it.

You have replaced it or reset it?

 

[riveralt]

sorry i dont make things very clear sometimes this is what i replaced http://www.screwfix.com/prods/44318...MCBs-Incomers/Crabtree-6A-SP-Type-B-Curve-MCB
it was not this Make tho but the same thing.

MCB's very very rarely go - and you shouldn't mix and match MCB's.

You would be better off putting the old one back in first.
Then make your sure have wired it up right.
If if is a split board you may have put the neutral to the RCD side or the wrong RCD if there are two.

Without seeing the board i.e. a photgraph and since you have taken the cover off already a photograph of the inside of the consumer unit would also be helpful, it is very difficult to diagnose the problem - as PrenticeboyofDerry said there are a list of possible issues.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

riveralt is right, get some pictures of it and then it can be better analysed and hopefully we can lead you to a successfully diagnostic.

 

[darkside121]

ok i will try and get her to send one over to me now

riveralt is right, get some pictures of it and then it can be better analysed and hopefully we can lead you to a successfully diagnostic.

 

[darkside121]

is this any help

Untitled

• darkside121
• 11 Jan 2011
• 1

 

[sparkiedave]

Have there been any water leaks/ spillages recently, water cooled light fittings tend to have that effect

 

[flameport]

Without test equipment, your options are extremely limited.
The 'fuse cartridge' is actually a circuit breaker, and it is likely the old one was working perfectly. It won't switch on because there is a fault somewhere between line and neutral.

The fault could be almost anywhere, but likely culprits are:

- any outside lights, or those in an attached garage/outbuilding
- lights in the room under the bathroom, water may be leaking from the bath/sink/toilet into the ceiling of the room below.
- a failed lamp (light bulb) - switch off all light switches or remove the lamps.
- look in the loft for any leaking pipes, or a leaking roof, condensation or ice etc.