Strange - lights not working

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Hi

I have what is an unusual problem, for me anyway.

Our dining room lights have stopped working (Not the bulbs)

when I take the light switch off (Dimmer) there are only 3 wires and when I take the light fitting down there are only 3 wires. blue-blown and earth.

When I hook it up to a multi meter it flutters around 0-1v

I can't imagine how this is, or was, working. Maybe magic.

Our living room lights which are only about 3m away are still working, could the dining lights be fed somehow from the living lights?

Thanks for any help

Regards

Andy
 
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The lights and the dimmer will be connected together with a mains feed somewhere....given there are only three wires at both the switch and the light then there is possibly a junction box, somewhere...,

before you go searching for the Jb, eliminate the dimmer (they do often act as expensive fuses). Swop the dimmer for a standard switch, or connect the two wires at the dimmer together (power off first!). At least then you will have eliminated the most likely culprit.
 
Hi Thank you for the replies. I will check the dimmer, but I took readings from both the switch and the light wires and both had the same reading, 0v when off and fluttering low volts when switched on.
essentially the black in on L1 and the red is on com and earth is on the back box
It worked fine like this for nearly a year (when we moved in) but has stopped recently.
 
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At switch ,where did you put each probe of the mutlmeter, to measure voltages ?
What is the voltage measured...
1. Between red and earth
2. Between black and earth
With switch in "on" position ?
 
Hi I had the multimeter across the red and black wires on both switch off and switch on
 

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That is no use at all ,not the way to measure voltage. Refer to my last post.
By the way the switch plate must be earthed .The earth conductor should go to the switchplates earth terminal,and a flying earth link to the back box terminal wouldn't be a bad idea too.
 
Yes I did see thanks and will give that ago in the morning when I can see properly in there again.
I need 4 hands to use the torch I have.
If there is 240v coming through there, then it is most likely the switch? as Taylortwocities suggested.

I did think the earth should be as you describe and will make that change.
 
Last edited:
If you have 230/240 volts at com and L1 when measured to earth then the switch is obviously allowing voltage to pass across it as it should ,and your problem is elsewhere.
 
Test between the earth and the red wire. That’s the line in to the dimmer. If you get no volts there then either there’s no earth or the fault may be somewhere else.

Eliminate the dimmer first. Then you can worry about the next steps.

And, yes, the switch plate should be earthed, but that has absolutely nothing to do with your problem.
 
Securespark - no not replaced anything and all lights work elsewhere

The lights in the dining room, where the fault is, where never as bright as lights elsewhere - despite the same set up
 
You mean the lamps in the dining room fitting are not as bright, even if they are the same wattage as elsewhere?

Has it always been this way?
 
Seems to be pointing to the dimmer being the wrong type from beginning and has now given up completely.
Do what TTC said earlier and swap the dimmer for a standard on/off switch. If the light comes on then it would appear you have found the fault, you can then see if it seems brighter than before.

If you don't have a spare switch you could connect the red and black together in a connector block, (making sure the power is off first). This will show if you have power through the switch, when it is fitted.
 

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