Neon tube light stopped working - MCB tripped

[chris1982]

Our neon tube light installed on a beam in the garage stopped working.
Two days ago roofers replaced our garage roof. In the evening that day, the light still worked, but today it does not. In the interim the roofers moved tools and long ladders around the garage, and I guess might have banged something.

The garage has its own (old) consumer unit without a RCD and is
wired from the RCD side of the main consumer unit in the house.
I saw that in the garage's CU the breaker for the lighting circuit tripped. I put it back in and it stays in, but the light does not work. Nothing in the main CU tripped.

So I am wondering what is most likely to be broken that would have resulted for the MCB to trip once but the light to permanently stop working? The surface-run cable to the light seems fine, but there is also no obvious damage on the light fitting (the tube is protected by a cover).

Many thanks for your thoughts!

 

[DaveHerns]

Did it rain while the roof was being done? For what it costs , get a new light fitting.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I'll guess the installation of the new beam has damaged a cable, or the wiring to the light.
Or maybe if they banged things around while the light was on, maybe just the lamp has popped and you need a new one.

But all of that is gueeswork.
Do you have a voltage tester? Is there 230V getting to the light fitting?

 

[chris1982]

Thanks both.

I guess I wasn't as clear as I should have been: The beam was not replaced, and the light still worked after they finished fitting (with a blow torch) the roof. Only the next day when they were only moving some stuff around inside the garage it stopped. It didn't rain at all.

I have a multimeter, but I have to find it first (I packed up all my tools into multiple boxes before the work in the garage started). Will that be of any help?
Where would I start testing? At the light switch?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Not at the switch.
Test the wires where they connect to the light itself first. You should see 230v when the switch is on.
If you see volts then the lamp or fitting are faulty. No volts= fault elsewhere.

 

[chris1982]

Right, thanks!

 

[winston1]

It is not a neon tube which is a red light. It is a fluorescent tube.

 

[chris1982]

Oh right. I will need to tell my dad, from whom I picked up the wrong jargon!

 

[Taylortwocities]

It is not a neon tube which is a red light. It is a fluorescent tube.

His dad is more right than you think, Whinney!
A fluorescent lamp tube is filled with a gas containing low pressure mercury vapor and argon, xenon, neon, or krypton.

 

[winston1]

His dad is more right than you think, Whinney!
A fluorescent lamp tube is filled with a gas containing low pressure mercury vapor and argon, xenon, neon, or krypton.

A neon tube is filled with neon and glows red when energised. No way can a florescent tube be called a neon tube.

 

[Taylortwocities]

If you read my response you will see that many fluorescent tubes contain several gases.
What you call a neon lamp (ie the one that glows red) contains neon and a small percentage of Argon.
Neon mixed with other gasses display different colours. Ever been to Piccadilly Circus at night? I thought not.

What you call fluorescent lamps contain a mixture of gases. Often Neon is mixed with mercury vapour or Xenon. It enables initial striking of the tube.
Have a read of this, note the section on Neon filled lamps.
http://www.lamptech.co.uk/Documents/FL Gases.htm

This may be more of an education for you, and also highlights that referring to a fluorescent lamp as a neon lamp is in common parlance. Maybe you should get out more?

Anyway, i am happy to spend my energies on helping people, rather than trying to score cheap points..

 

[chris1982]

It turns out that the breaker broke. The roofer tried what happened when putting in the spare 5A breaker from the garage CU, and with that everything works.
So I will wait and see whether everything is good now or whether this one will trip too.

 

[333rocky333]

Ever been to Piccadilly Circus at night?

Sadly nearly all gone now, they lasted donkeys years,yet the new pixel things only been up 5 minutes and already turned off for essential maintenance apparently

 

[winston1]

If you read my response you will see that many fluorescent tubes contain several gases.
What you call a neon lamp (ie the one that glows red) contains neon and a small percentage of Argon.
Neon mixed with other gasses display different colours. Ever been to Piccadilly Circus at night? I thought not.

What you call fluorescent lamps contain a mixture of gases. Often Neon is mixed with mercury vapour or Xenon. It enables initial striking of the tube.
Have a read of this, note the section on Neon filled lamps.
http://www.lamptech.co.uk/Documents/FL Gases.htm

This may be more of an education for you, and also highlights that referring to a fluorescent lamp as a neon lamp is in common parlance. Maybe you should get out more?

View attachment 116520

Anyway, i am happy to spend my energies on helping people, rather than trying to score cheap points..

Of course I've been to Piccadilly Circus, I live in London. I've also been to Times Square in NY, and also been to Hong Kong. You are arguing for the sake of it. A florescent tube may contain various gasses including neon but it is NOT a neon tube. Anyone referring to it as such is wrong and needs to know this.

 

[Jackrae]

Adding a penny's worth. The fluorescent in "florescent" (sic) is actually the coating which fluoresces when 'excited' by the ionised gas