Job for tomorrow

[yellowvanman]

Had a call today saying upstairs lights not working, tripped yesterday but now nothing working. Thought it would probably be something simple, but oh no!

No supply to any ceiling roses, not a thing anywhere! MCB makes and breaks ok. Copper making contact in the MCB OK.

Couldn't stay long so said I'll be back tomorrow morning.

Got to be an issue with the supply cable going up into the loft, trouble is I don't know which ceiling rose it connects to first or the route of the cable.

Just trying to get a 'plan of attack', probably have to use a flying lead!

Any other good ideas?

 

[telectrix]

get in attic with voltstick once you have determined that it's not a lost N.

 

[yellowvanman]

get in attic with voltstick once you have determined that it's not a lost N.

Not a lost neutral (I think) because used a neon indicator between L-N & L-E - no voltage anywhere!

 

[7029 dave]

LN feed down, up in loft see where the riser comes up, and test from there.

 

[shanky887614]

Not a lost neutral (I think) because used a neon indicator between L-N & L-E - no voltage anywhere!

going to have to be long lead method i think.

people here dont like them but i would turn off all the other breakers and use a volt stick in loft if you think it goes there first

 

[Richard Burns]

Is the hall light working? the upstairs lights may be fed from the hall!

Start with the light closest to the supply point of entry to the loft and use a cable tracer back toward the CU until it stops signalling, there is the break.

 

[NDG Elecs]

I had similar recently when installing some new extractors. It was a convoluted set up I did which meant several hours of knocking about in the loft. Long story short, the vibrations from constantly banging about dislodged a really poor neutral connection at a light fitting. Didn't take long to find it once I was in the loft, <45 mins. This dodgy connection knocked out three other light fittings and resulted in something like 100V only getting through to the fan.

If I was you I would try voltstick first to see if anything quickly shows up. If no joy, then bell it out with a wander lead.

Have the occupiers done anything recently that may have caused it. Sometimes you have to tease info out of them!

 

[Plonker 3]

Is there 230 volt on the outgoing side of the MCB?

 

[Midwest]

I got called to a property where the bathroom light had just stopped working. Been there before, when lady run over hoover lead. Sure enough light/extract fan not working. Took down surface spot, no power. Went to landing and hey, is that a new ceiling rose? Oh yes says the lady, had a nice man here from 'Fifty Plus' (something like that), who did some painting for me. He put up a light fitting in the lounge & changed some old ceiling roses. Loose connections in ceiling rose, and new metal light fitting in lounge not earthed! Next time I'll ask first, 'Have you had anyone else here?'.

 

[yellowvanman]

Update on the story!

Went back this morning, straight up in the loft with my voltstick, nothing anywhere. Followed the cables around and found the first port of call when exitting the conduit up the wall. Pulled the CU apart to get the cable out straight to see if there is any damage there! Long lead test on the cable - L-open, N-good, E-open! Also L-N shorted at light fitting end.

Scratching my head by now, and then the owner tells me she had a handrail put up on the stairs earlier in the week! Yes, I did ask earlier if anything had been done, but she is in her 90s, bless her! I knew the cable feed was going up the wall in the area, not in a safe zone though, and it looks like the guy hit the cable!

So had to run another feed and all is well!

 

[7029 dave]

Update on the story!

Went back this morning, straight up in the loft with my voltstick, nothing anywhere. Followed the cables around and found the first port of call when exitting the conduit up the wall. Pulled the CU apart to get the cable out straight to see if there is any damage there! Long lead test on the cable - L-open, N-good, E-open! Also L-N shorted at light fitting end.

Scratching my head by now, and then the owner tells me she had a handrail put up on the stairs earlier in the week! Yes, I did ask earlier if anything had been done, but she is in her 90s, bless her! I knew the cable feed was going up the wall in the area, not in a safe zone though, and it looks like the guy hit the cable!

So had to run another feed and all is well!

Did you manage to pull through the conduit.? Suppose not with an screw through it.

 

[yellowvanman]

Did you manage to pull through the conduit.? Suppose not with an screw through it.

Didn't really want to route the old way because it wasn't in a safe zone and thats what happens when cables are not in safe zones!

Managed to route cable with some other cables on the surface under the stairs and then used my supperrods to get under the floorboards to the airing cupboard (where there was a loose floorboard), and up inside the airing cupboard!

 

[7029 dave]

Didn't really want to route the old way because it wasn't in a safe zone and thats what happens when cables are not in safe zones!

Managed to route cable with some other cables on the surface under the stairs and then used my supperrods to get under the floorboards to the airing cupboard (where there was a loose floorboard), and up inside the airing cupboard!

yeah, airing cupboards do save the day, not many left most get knocked out. lol

 

[NDG Elecs]

Bloody hell! How high was the handrail or how low were the switches! :wink_smile:

EDIT: just re read and realised it wasn't a switch drop.... Doh!! And even if it was it wouldn't cause the symptoms...

 

[Midwest]

Update on the story!
Scratching my head by now, and then the owner tells me she had a handrail put up on the stairs earlier in the week! Yes, I did ask earlier if anything had been done, but she is in her 90s, bless her! I knew the cable feed was going up the wall in the area, not in a safe zone though, and it looks like the guy hit the cable!

Yep I was always taught to expect the unexpected and ask them to state the bleeding obvious, except I've seen to forget my own advise!