living room lights flickered then went off

[yehwelleye]

hi
last night both the wall light and the ceiling light flickered for about 10 mins we switched them off but each time we switched them back on they just flickered, they have now gone off, also the hall and landing lights have gone out!
all the bulbs are energysaving bulbs, we have checked the switched and all the bulbs everything seems ok (no loose wires). usually when a bulb blows it trips out but that hasnt happened this time
NOW WE'R SCRATCHING OUR HEADS! CAN ANY1 SUGGEST ANY THING?
i hope iv included enough info also weve had no change of lightin recently
kind regards

 

[333rocky333]

Loose connections sometimes take time to become apparent.
From what you describe, sounds more like a live or neutral come adrift within one of the light fittings, thus causing loss to the other rooms.

 

[oharaf]

yep sounds like a loose connection. First thing is identify the circuit and the lights and switches on it, isolate it and check every single connection, start at the CU.

If you are not confident doing this yourself then call a sparks.

 

[conny]

Are your upstairs lights on a different mcb?
Are there any other lights downstairs still working?
If there are other lights downstairs still working then the problem lies between the last one on the circuit that is working and the ones that aren't.
Isolate all the lighting circuits and starting from the last one that works check every connection in each fitting including the one that is working. If they are all tight check the wiring in the switches, again, starting from the last one working.

I say isolate all the light circuits as if you have any 2 way switching, such as the hall/landing, it may also be connected across both circuits due to 'borrowed' neutrals.

May be an obvious question but have you tried the bulbs in a fitting that definitely works to check to see if the bulb is still ok?

 

[wingcoax]

Take the covers off the ceiling roses and using a neon screwdriver(ouch)check if there is power to the lampholder positive terminal.

 

[Taylortwocities]

check if there is power to the lampholder positive terminal.

Positive, are you positive??? I wasn't aware that there were any domestic DC systems left in service.


Dear yehwelleye

Please ignore wingcoax's post. I think he's had too long a break for Christmas and needs retraining.

There are live and neutral conductors in lighting circuits. The problem you describe could be due to a fault in either the live or the neutral. To test this you will need a multimeter or a proper test indicator.
Neon screwdrivers are useless for this as they are unreliable and can be dangerous if they are faulty. Also they will not tell you that you have a broken neutral.

 

[wingcoax]

Sorry, I did mean live. Honest.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I know you did, I just like to make ya suffer a bit.

Happy New Year!

 

[wingcoax]

And the same to you to T2C

 

[YorksSparks]

Take the covers off the ceiling roses and using a neon screwdriver(ouch)check if there is power to the lampholder positive terminal.

Take your neon screwdriver - throw it in the bin, and get something fit for purpose!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Like this:

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 11 Feb 2009
• 20

 

[wingcoax]

Come on T2C we are talking diy. Not everybody has a multimeter but most have a neon. AND i did say ouch

 

[securespark]

Please ignore wingcoax's post. I think he's had too long a break for Christmas

Yeah, 'bout 50 years!!