Mystery light failure

[Atinwi]

My bedroom light stopped working. The ceiling rose looks fine. No other lights are affected in the property and the fuses have not tripped. The bulb is fine. The light switch looks fine. Why did my light stop working?

 

[westward10]

If you say the bulb is fine (I assume you tried it somewhere else) then it could be a faulty accessory such as the lamp holder/switch or a poor connection somewhere. Does the lamp holder look discoloured?

 

[Atinwi]

If you say the bulb is fine (I assume you tried it somewhere else) then it could be a faulty accessory such as the lamp holder/switch or a poor connection somewhere. Does the lamp holder look discoloured?

Hello. Thanks for all responding. No nothing looks unusual at all

 

[Atinwi]

Hello. Thanks for all responding. No nothing looks unusual at all

I'm planning to replace the ceiling rose and the light switch although neither looks damaged. After that I will have no clue what happened!

 

[littlespark]

I may as well say it now.....

Please be aware that if you're replacing this ceiling rose with a fitting, the 3 brown wires in the centre are permanently live.
ISOLATE the circuit before working on it....

To find a fault with this at the moment, you need a two prong voltage tester, and the knowledge to use it properly for successful fault finding.

 

[Atinwi]

I may as well say it now.....

Please be aware that if you're replacing this ceiling rose with a fitting, the 3 brown wires in the centre are permanently live.
ISOLATE the circuit before working on it....

To find a fault with this at the moment, you need a two prong voltage tester, and the knowledge to use it properly for successful fault finding.

Thanks. I have one. Cheers

 

[littlespark]

First you need to check with your voltage detector that theres a supply here... There should be if other lights on the circuit are all working.

Between the 3 browns in the centre, and the 3 blues.... you should get an indication of 230v.... Take care!
Between the brown/blue with brown sleeve and the 3 blues you should get 230v ONLY when the switch is on

If that is ok, then its the lampholder on the end of the flex, or the lamp itself (which you say works in another fitting?)
Top half of the lampholder should unscrew off so you can examine the wires... Again.... do this with care, and if just visually looking at it, turn the power off

The lampholders can become very brittle if you've been using a halogen lamp in it, or even an older tungsten filement

 

[mainline]

First you need to check with your voltage detector that theres a supply here... There should be if other lights on the circuit are all working.

Between the 3 browns in the centre, and the 3 blues.... you should get an indication of 230v.... Take care!
Between the brown/blue with brown sleeve and the 3 blues you should get 230v ONLY when the switch is on

If that is ok, then its the lampholder on the end of the flex, or the lamp itself (which you say works in another fitting?)
Top half of the lampholder should unscrew off so you can examine the wires... Again.... do this with care, and if just visually looking at it, turn the power off

The lampholders can become very brittle if you've been using a halogen lamp in it, or even an older tungsten filement

Continuity with the power off would be a safer start.

 

[littlespark]

He’s got a voltage detector…. I don’t think he’s got an MFT.

 

[7029 dave]

Had a situation up stairs lighting circuit assumed all 3 plate wired two bedrooms not working, got my volt tester out no supply 0Volts on the two not working, pulled down a working celling rose 234V all good. Up into the loft area found a JB lose on live conductors remade all working. Moral of the story dont assume all connections are made at each celling rose point. Just to add all roses had 3 cables 3L 2N 1SL the rose that had 2 end of line was working, so I suspected there was a JB somewhere.

 

[mainline]

He’s got a voltage detector…. I don’t think he’s got an MFT.

Read your post at #6 asking if he had a two pole tester.
He said yes.

And at post #7 You told him what to test for.



A lot of two pole testers have continuity.

IMO a quick continuity test from the bayonet to the ceiling rose and SL would take seconds and tell you that the fault is unlikely to be at the rose, flex, bayonet, or switch.

Your test wouldn't account for a break in the flex.

Also, avoid working on an energized circuit for the least amount of time possible.

 

[mainline]

He’s got a voltage detector…. I don’t think he’s got an MFT.

You don't need an MFT one function will do as long as it's continuity

 

[Atinwi]

Thanks everybody for your responses. It's all a getting a bit technical for me. I was just wondering why a ceiling lamp would stop working for no apparent reason. When everything else in the property seems fine.

The electrical wiring in the property was completely redone only about 10 years old. All the other lamps are working.
I plan to isolate the electricity supply at the consumer unit and replace the ceiling rose /lamp holder with something like this from Toolstation
Axiom Pendant Set 100W T2 6" Drop
Code: 70966

And if that doesn't work. I guess I will be getting a professional in and cancelling my weekend in Bognor Regis.

 

[timhoward]

I plan to isolate the electricity supply at the consumer unit and replace the ceiling rose /lamp holder with something like this from Toolstation
Axiom Pendant Set 100W T2 6" Drop

IMHO they aren't great.
An MK one from Screwfix would be easier to fit, the terminal screws are bigger and they don't fall apart!

 

[Atinwi]

IMHO they aren't great.
An MK one from Screwfix would be easier to fit, the terminal screws are bigger and they don't fall apart!

Ok thanks, I'll go for that one

 

[Atinwi]

You don't need an MFT one function will do as long as it's continuity

 

[Atinwi]

Thanks everybody. Turned out it was the light switch and I didn't need to touch the lamp holder so I'm going back to Screwfix for a refund

 

[LukeD]

Thanks everybody. Turned out it was the light switch and I didn't need to touch the lamp holder so I'm going back to Screwfix for a refund

when you say it was the switch, you changed it before the problem or it had a loose wire etc ??

 

[Atinwi]

Had a look inside the switch. The live wire broke away from the switch as soon as I moved it. So I thought that was the problem and I stripped back the wire and reattached it. However it still wasn't working. Luckily I brought a spare light switch and replaced the old one... and voila it worked