Flickering switch light

[dancematic66]

Hi all,

Please have a look at this video and see if you might know what could be causing the flickering..

A brief description of the supply layout of the property are outlined in this thread:

http://www.electriciansforums.net/e...lectrical-regulations/69833-no-rcd-place.html

Here is a link to view the video of the flickering switch:

http://www.applemed.co.uk/downloads/flicker.MOV

Many thanks for your help,

Michael.

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

The flickering light is the Neon connect across the load side of the switch, just replace the switch, or if u feel confident check the connection of the neon itself, you don't have to have one with a neon on it, make sure if you do it yourself to isolate (switch the power off) before you change the switch

 

[markc123]

To be honest, i'd love to help but i'm not going to be opening that link till another sparks does it's not that i don't trust you, i'd just rather not have the missus thinking i've been looking at dodgy websites again should the worst happen haha.

And im guessing you mean the lights flickering and not the switch? or isit arching....some sparks please view the video for me :biggrin:

 

[markc123]

ahhh llan beat me too it...what he said dancematic. thumbs up.

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

See mark...short, safe and on topic ;-)

 

[dancematic66]

Thanks guys!

So it isn't some problem with the voltage like I was theorising? lol

It is basically just a slightly dodgy indicator neon?

 

[dancematic66]

Would the live connection run completely through the neon lamp or would it be alongside it?

 

[dancematic66]

To be honest, i'd love to help but i'm not going to be opening that link till another sparks does it's not that i don't trust you, i'd just rather not have the missus thinking i've been looking at dodgy websites again should the worst happen haha.

And im guessing you mean the lights flickering and not the switch? or isit arching....some sparks please view the video for me :biggrin:

Again... ^_^

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

Can't say it's not a problem with voltage because I'm not there to measure it but I very much doubt it, on the back of the switch there are 6 terminals , 2 for earth , 2 for L and 2 for N, one set of L&N terminals are marked supply and the other load, the neon should be connected across L & N of the load side

 

[markc123]

Again... ^_^

Aye, old comp got riddled with viruses after i tried to stream some preimerleague matches online through some iranian website. error.

For the life of me no matter how hard i tried she was covinced i'd been viewing babestation or whatever haha thats women for ya.

 

[markc123]

And thats me taking things offtopic again for you llan haha.

 

[dancematic66]

And thats me taking things offtopic again for you llan haha.

hehehehe

 

[dancematic66]

Can't say it's not a problem with voltage because I'm not there to measure it but I very much doubt it, on the back of the switch there are 6 terminals , 2 for earth , 2 for L and 2 for N, one set of L&N terminals are marked supply and the other load, the neon should be connected across L & N of the load side

Thanks Llandrillospark,

So if the Neon lamp blew the supply circuit would be broken?

I will measure the voltage with my ammeter later, what sort of fluctuation would cause the flickering like that?

 

[LlandrilloSpark]

Ok...who's fishing???? lol :smilewinkgrin:

one more piece of advice....Dont put your "ammeter" across L & N, good luck

 

[DPG]

The neon is across L and N of load side as per Llandrillo's post. It is not in series with the live line conductor. Wise advice on not putting an ammeter across live and neutral - you'll get quite a flash! Neons are notorious for flickering due to the way they work - it's a gas filled envelope with 2 electrodes; when the voltage across the 2 electrodes reaches sufficient value then the neon ionises (I think) and glows. Daz

 

[dancematic66]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the advice, it is a clamp ammeter with attacheable prongs.

I have in the past set it to AC Voltage and used the red and black prongs to record the voltage of a circuit (red onto live, black onto neutral).

:-/

 

[Deleted member 26818]

It wasn't clear from the video, but is the cooker switch on or off?

 

[dancematic66]

It was on Spin

- - - Updated - - -

Now I'm more worried about the guys advice of not using my ammeter to measure the voltage across L & N when I have in the past and not experienced any ill effects :-?

 

[DPG]

The confusion arises from you calling it an ammeter, which it is for its usual usage. Yes, if it has a voltage setting that's fine. Daz

 

[dancematic66]

haha I thought so, yes that is my mistake.

The correct name is a multimeter?