Fault finding (downlights)

[gazdkw82]

Helping a friend out. The have lost all lights in the kitchen (around 15) they are 240v led downlights. They also have some under counter lights that have failed.

I've done some basic checks, circuit is love from the DB. Living room lights work and the loop is 240v. There is a feed into the garage, lots of JB boxes. All are 240v and working correctly.

All switches (2 gangs and intermediate switchs) have no power at all.

My next point of call was to pull carpets and flooring upstairs and investigate in the ceiling void. Would that be the next logical step?

I could possibly pull some of the downlights out but not sure what I would achieve or see.

There has to be a JB somewhere between the living room light that is working fine and the kitchen.

How are 240v downlights usually wired? In series?

 

[Pete999]

Helping a friend out. The have lost all lights in the kitchen (around 15) they are 240v led downlights. They also have some under counter lights that have failed.

I've done some basic checks, circuit is love from the DB. Living room lights work and the loop is 240v. There is a feed into the garage, lots of JB boxes. All are 240v and working correctly.

All switches (2 gangs and intermediate switchs) have no power at all.

My next point of call was to pull carpets and flooring upstairs and investigate in the ceiling void. Would that be the next logical step?

I could possibly pull some of the downlights out but not sure what I would achieve or see.

There has to be a JB somewhere between the living room light that is working fine and the kitchen.

How are 240v downlights usually wired? In series?

Isolate the circuit, take first light down and check wiring, prove and go from point to point checking, don't go ripping up carpets and flooring just yet, it is more than likely a dodgy connection in one of the down lights, good luck.

 

[gazdkw82]

Done that. The ground floor plan is 1. Entrance cloak room 2. Downstairs toilet 3. Livingroom 4. Kitchen (refurbed a few years ago.

All work except the kitchen.

 

[Pete999]

Done that. The ground floor plan is 1. Entrance cloak room 2. Downstairs toilet 3. Livingroom 4. Kitchen (refurbed a few years ago.

All work except the kitchen.

When you say you have 240V is that L-N or L-E? because you may have lost a N somewhere.

 

[Leesparkykent]

Have you pulled all the down lights out to check there isn’t a 3plate at a JB at one of the Down Lights?

 

[Richard Burns]

If your friend knows how the lights were before the downlights were installed then you should be able to make an educated guess as to where the loop in wiring was located, e.g. if there was a central pendant then the nearest downlight(s) to the centre of the room are likely candidates.
Even if it is now switch fed wiring then the junction box should be near the original light position and possibly accessible from the downlight hole.
Just another thought, having been caught out by this once, the kitchen was not redone by having the lighting fed from a fused spur on the kitchen sockets, that has been turned off?

 

[gazdkw82]

Well I've never seen that before. Switch upstairs in back bedroom. Lights in the kitchen are now back on

 

[telectrix]

wonder what ----wit did that. was it JK's wet-pants?

 

[littlespark]

Perfect height to be turned on and off while hoovering

 

[GeorgeCooke]

How are 240v downlights usually wired? In series?

Absolutely not. If you wire 15 lights in series on 240v each one would only get 16v.

 

[gazdkw82]

Absolutely not. If you wire 15 lights in series on 240v each one would only get 16v.

Ah ok. Parallel it is

 

[telectrix]

Perfect height to be turned on and off while hoovering

what about when dysoning or henrying?