light staying on

[lisap]

I went upstairs and found a bedroom light had come on all by itself! ( I had used the light in the morning but it wasnt on when I went in the room an hour earlier) When I turn it off and on it just dims slightly in the off position but stays on. I have checked the wires in the switch and the light itself and nothing seems to have altered. Its all a bit spooky if you ask me, but is there another explanation!!??

 

[bernardgreen]

More information needed. the crystal ball is at the menders due to an un-forseen accident

Is it an energy saving lamp bulb and how many switches operate the lamp ?

 

[riveralt]

I went upstairs and found a bedroom light had come on all by itself! ( I had used the light in the morning but it wasnt on when I went in the room an hour earlier)

Was the light switch on?

When I turn it off and on it just dims slightly in the off position but stays on.

Sounds as if something is loose or someone has changed something at the ceiling rose or the switch.

If you haven't done anything to the circuit then I would start with the switch - it could be sticking on - swap it with another you know works.

 

[ColJack]

how long were the nails / pins you used to put up the x-mas decotations?
you could have spiked a couple of wires in a wall..

 

[lisap]

how long were the nails / pins you used to put up the x-mas decotations?
you could have spiked a couple of wires in a wall..

We havent put any pins or nails in the wall. ( We do have decorations just hanging off curtain rails or picture frames so we dont leave holes in the walls!)
Its a wall light and it was switched off. Nothing has changed with it or the house electrics since about 2001 ! We use it more now so could it just be the switch rather than the electrics? Seeems to make the right clicking noise when you switch it...doesnt seem to stick.

 

[riveralt]

how long were the nails / pins you used to put up the x-mas decotations?
you could have spiked a couple of wires in a wall..

We havent put any pins or nails in the wall. ( We do have decorations just hanging off curtain rails or picture frames so we dont leave holes in the walls!)
Its a wall light and it was switched off. Nothing has changed with it or the house electrics since about 2001 ! We use it more now so could it just be the switch rather than the electrics? Seeems to make the right clicking noise when you switch it...doesnt seem to stick.

If everything is as you have said then unless you want to start testing the individual cables to identify switch live at the ceiling rose and check it whether it or another cable has become loose then I would suggest, if you feel comfortable doing it, that you consider changing the switch. The clicking may be fine but sometimes the contacts stick. If that doesn't work then you will need to explore the ceiling rose.

 

[londonboy]

I have seen this a few times: damp in switch and damp in ceiling rose.

The damp bridges the terminals (somehow) and causes the light to come on dimly.

 

[PrinceofDarkness]

Don't be ridiculous, Londonboy.


Lucia.

 

[londonboy]

I can assure you I am not, I must add it was with a CFL lamp.

I can give you the address if you like

 

[tonyelectric]

i've seen a CFL staying on dimly due to one of those neon plateswitch locators that bridge the switch contacts

 

[PrinceofDarkness]

Londonboy, I'd rather you didn't give me that address if you don't mind, because I'm rather busy for a while.

Do you realise how wet (and not 'damp') a s/p switch would have to be to 'let by' ((disregarding its possible tracking to earth!). If you believed that particular theory of yours at that time, you were sadly mistaken.


Lucia.

 

[bernardgreen]

A persistantly damp switch can after time develop a slightly conductive surface on the insulation between the contacts. This could trickle enough energy to dimly light a small CFL

 

[PrinceofDarkness]

You're speaking from your back passage, Bernard. The term "Slightly conductive" is just as riduculous as Slightly pregnant".

Long-term dampness results in 'insulation tracking ' which leads to tracking to earth. A switch would have to be seriously wet and isolated from earth before it would let by.

Lucia.