Loss of lighting

[Linda59]

Hi,

The light in my living room has blown and now there is no electricity to the light switch.

Before calling out an electrician, what can I do myself to locate diagnose and possibly (safely) fix the problem.

I have a small electrical toolkit as recommended by members of this forum a few weeks back.

Ta much
Linda

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Have you tried the trip switch on MCB or RCD.
Or have you looked at fuses if above not installed?

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

Hi Linda,

Hopefully if its just the lamp thats gone, it should be as easy as:-

remove offending lamp,
fit new one,
check fuse box
-if trip switches fitted, reset the one that will be in the opposite position to the others, check lights work again.
-If re-wireable fuses, you can check with a multimeter which fuse is faulty (most probably will have two white dots on the fuse holder), replace with 5 or 6 amp fuse wire. replace fuse, check lights work again.

 

[Linda59]

Sorry, should have said this is the only light that is not working, all other lights on the circuit are working fine.

 

[Steve]

when you say there is no electricity to the light switch, how do you know this?

 

[Linda59]

Hi Linda,

Hopefully if its just the lamp thats gone, it should be as easy as:-

remove offending lamp,
fit new one,
check fuse box
-if trip switches fitted, reset the one that will be in the opposite position to the others, check lights work again.
-If re-wireable fuses, you can check with a multimeter which fuse is faulty (most probably will have two white dots on the fuse holder), replace with 5 or 6 amp fuse wire. replace fuse, check lights work again.

There is no electricity at the switch, tested with multimeter. Also tested another switch that I know is working just to be sure I am using the MM correctly.

 

[Steve]

There is no electricity at the switch, tested with multimeter. Also tested another switch that I know is working just to be sure I am using the MM correctly.

Which wires did you hole the probes to?

 

[Chri5]

In the light wired via a rose with loop in out wiring, via a junction box under the 1st floor or is there a terminal block at the light switch ?

I'm unsure what you mean by a tool kit, does than extend to a volt stick or a multimeter and if so, do you think you are skilled enough to start testing for live at the switch via L-E testing or at the rose via LNE testing ?

Might you have pulled in the lamp pendant cord flex when changing the bulb ? Unscrew the rose and make sure the cord is still terminated on the neutral and s/live terminals.

 

[Linda59]

There is no electricity at the switch, tested with multimeter. Also tested another switch that I know is working just to be sure I am using the MM correctly.

Which wires did you hole the probes to?

Brown and blue.

 

[Steve]

Live and switched live? Theres your problem. Probe Live and earth. Then tell us what voltage you get.

 

[Taylortwocities]

If the brown and blue is the only cable going to the switch then you will probably not see any voltage between blue and brown if the lamp has blown, or if the lamp is anything other than a simple incandescent lamp.

You need to test between the brown wire and a neutral (which you do not have at the switch) or between the brown wire and an earth with (that you may have at the switch).

Note: the blue wire at the switch is not a neutral conductor

 

[Linda59]

Live and switched live? Theres your problem. Probe Live and earth. Then tell us what voltage you get.

None/0...

 

[Linda59]

Live and switched live? Theres your problem. Probe Live and earth. Then tell us what voltage you get.

None/0...

Bump

 

[mikhailfaradayski]

i take you haven't fixed it yet?

 

[Taylortwocities]

I think she's expecting......

Bump