No power coming through but RCD didn't tripped

[Zweets]

Hi all
I was wondering if anyone has any advice for me. All my lights for upstairs suddenly went off yesterday night. That includes one bathroom and 3 bedrooms apart from the shower room which the light and extractor fan is still working. Before it suddenly went off my bulb flickered and then it went off completely, my daughter noticed exactly the same thing in her room exactly the same time. Today my partner replaced all the bulbs for all the bedrooms and checked for any loose wires in the celing fittings and wall sockets but they is no power coming into them whatsoever apart from the shower room which is still working. We checked in our RCD board the 2 bathrooms and 3 bedrooms are on one circuit but strangely only shower lights are working and the others are completely dead. This incident didn't tripped anything on the rcd board but they is no power coming through. Any help, advise would be appreciated. Especially at the times of lockdown and kids are at home. No current coming through and it didn't tripped either. Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[JohnD]

Probably a loose connection burned out. What sort of tester are you using?

If a neon screwdriver, throw it in the bin.

 

[Zweets]

Hi

Loose connection from where ? All 3 bedrooms and family bathroom lights are out. Could this be triggered by a faulty ceiling or wall switches?

A tester screw driver , i dont have anything else. Couldn't have happened at a worst time while being in lockdown.

 

[bernardgreen]

A picture of the consumer unit would help to identify what is there. Is it one or two RCD and several MCB or all RCBO

RCD have a maximum current rating, a test button and a value 30mA printed on them
MCB have only a current rating
RCBO ( MCB and RCD combined ) have a current rating, a test button and a value 30mA printed on them,

It may be an MCB that has tripped but without dropping it's operating lever so it appears to have not tripped. Switch the MCB for the lights off by pressing the lever right down and then switch them back on by pressing the lever back up. This might restore power.

 

[Zweets]

Hi
I have reset it already but no luck. My upstairs lights are on socket 10. This is 3 bedrooms, 1 shower room and a family bathroom. At the moment all lights are out apart from the shower room which is strange. Upstairs landing lights are on a different socket no 11 which is working fine.

 

[JohnD]

Hi

Loose connection from where ? All 3 bedrooms and family bathroom lights are out. Could this be triggered by a faulty ceiling or wall switches?

A tester screw driver , i dont have anything else. Couldn't have happened at a worst time while being in lockdown.

How many lights are on this one circuit? Do any of them work? Turn the MCB for the circuit on and off to check.

You can buy a multimeter for around £8 and up at any hardware or DIY store, or online.

Throw your neon screwdriver in the bin.

https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/rapitest-digital-mini-electrical-test-meter/p/0202332

https://www.screwfix.com/c/tools/mu..._sp=managedredirect-_-electrical-_-multimeter

 

[terryplumb]

Most domestic lighting circuits are wired in such a way that the supply cable " loops" from one room to another. This can be done at the switches ,or the ceiling light positions ,or using junction boxes.
As one light on your circuit is working,and the rest are not, the supply from the consumer unit is intact. You therefore have a break ,or loose connection ,on the live or neutral .
You need to start at the shower rooms connections ,to identify the circuit cable that feeds from there, to the next lighting point . Those connections could be at the switch enclosure, the light fitting enclosure ,or a junction box.
Pics of wiring at shower room switch, and ceiling light fitting would help identify how your lighting circuit is wired.

 

[Zweets]

. Could this problem be triggered by a faulty ceiling or wall switches?

 

[terryplumb]

Not really. The likely hood of all the switches or ceiling lights failing in 4 rooms simultaneously isnt really worth consideration.

 

[JohnD]

It is most likely a bad connection. Probably in a ceiling rose but could be in a junction box, perhaps in the loft, or even inside your consumer unit if the working bathroom light is on a different circuit, which you can check by turning the MCB off and on. It will not be a light switch.

Pop out to the shops and buy a multimeter.

Throw your neon tester in the bin.

Lighting circuits are run in a string. The fault is usually in the last light that works, or the first that doesn't, in that string.

 

[AdrianUK]

Some worrying things in that fuseboard....

i). Garage MCB is the wrong brand and has been bodged to fit the board.
ii). Garage MCB is a B40A - is the cable feeding the garage really suitable for that current?

iii). PV array is also a B40A. Thats one big solar array if that is correct!

iv), Outside lights on a B16A - I hope it isn't wired in 1.0mm2.

v). Doorbell on a B16A - thats gonna be one loud doorbell at 4kVA.

I suggest that you get a qualified sparks in to have a look - there are some worrying signs here.

Considering that you have a dual RCD board it would be prudent (not essential, but wise) to have the lights & sockets split so that half are on each RCD. Also prudent that upstairs lights & downstairs sockets get combined on the same RCD (and vice-versa). This minimizes the disruption if if one RCD trips.

 

[crystal ball]

Not really. The likely hood of all the switches or ceiling lights failing in 4 rooms simultaneously isnt really worth consideration.

I had a call the other week "all my light switches have stopped working" called round on my way to a job, real minging house, asked me to take my boots off, no chance, changed four lamps and left

 

[terryplumb]

I had a call the other week "all my light switches have stopped working" called round on my way to a job, real minging house, asked me to take my boots off, no chance, changed four lamps and left

Op's partner has changed all the bulbs.

 

[crystal ball]

I know, just an anecdote

 

[terryplumb]

But did you solve the problem ,not the one about your boots