Dec 17, 2022
30
5
83
Milton Keynes
If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
United Kingdom
What type of forum member are you?
DIY or Homeowner (Perhaps seeking pro advice, or an electrician)
Hello all,

I'm replacing a 3-bulb spotlight with a standard BG ceiling rose but upon connecting, the light won't turn on; the problem is, I can't see why.
We can handle the wiring shortly, but after a day or two of testing - wiring the spot back on, test (it works), replacing with the ceiling rose (it doesn't work), I finally gave up and wired the spotlight to a plug and tested - dropping the 13A down to a 3A first.
The spotlight predictably worked as expected, but upon switching over to the ceiling rose, using the same bulb as the spotlight - it's a 7w bulb, I'm not getting anything, although I am registring power both on the cable terminals and, the light terminals, just no light. It's as though the light terminals are performing a huge resistence that the power could not overcome it and light the lamp.

I have already gone through the motions of junction boxes and switches trying to troubleshoot, which came-up blank - even to wiring the rose direct to the light cicuit and the junction box in the attic [we're still on junction boxes for the lighting circuits rather than using the rose loop] to bypass the switch [using the RCD as a switch], and predictably, I got nothing, hence the direct to wall-outlet approach as a last resort.

Any ideas?
 
Can you show a picture of the wiring.
 
No the ceiling rose.
 
No the ceiling rose.
Yes the ceiling rose connected to the plug.
You wouldn't need to see the wiring on the ceiling as this isn't what needs to be troubleshooted.
 
You say when connected to the new ceiling rose it doesn't work so can we see the wiring at the rose.
 
You say when connected to the new ceiling rose it doesn't work so can we see the wiring at the rose.
I also said it doesn't work when I wire it to a plug and connect it to the wall
 
So are you going to show the wiring or not.
 
So are you going to show the wiring or not.
Hold your horses, I'm getting them for you. I just wanted to be clear that we were troublshooting the correct items - the lampholder rather than the ceiling circuitry.
 
Show is as connected when not working.
 
The photos of the connections as requested.
  • Pic 1 is the spotlight wired to the plug - it is working, no disputing that
  • Pic 2 showing the 3 terminals of the spotlight connected to the plug - the spotlight is metal so the earth is required
  • Pic 3 is with the Earth released - just so we know that there is no issues with the earth as the problem lampholder is plastic, it can't be seen in shot, but the spotlight is still illuminated
  • Pic 4 is the problem lampholder wiring at the lampholder
  • Pic 5 the lampholder to power cable circuitry - as mentioned above, no earth
  • Pic 6 - no light - it isn't showing but the plug is powered on - I had intended to include my circuit tester in the shot but my camera was being awkward so I just didn't have enough hands - hence my circuit tester in shot in pic 4
  • Pic 7, a close-up of the lampholder wiring, just so you can see that we're connected to the correct terminals. It can't be seen from this shot but the light is off (those reflected in the work surface are the kitchen lights), but the power is on.
 

Attachments

  • DSC_0161.JPG
    DSC_0161.JPG
    146.1 KB · Views: 115
  • DSC_0162.JPG
    DSC_0162.JPG
    171 KB · Views: 127
  • DSC_0163.JPG
    DSC_0163.JPG
    179.1 KB · Views: 122
  • DSC_0164.JPG
    DSC_0164.JPG
    225 KB · Views: 114
  • DSC_0165.JPG
    DSC_0165.JPG
    209.5 KB · Views: 110
  • DSC_0166.JPG
    DSC_0166.JPG
    173.7 KB · Views: 116
  • DSC_0167.JPG
    DSC_0167.JPG
    148.9 KB · Views: 122
Sounds like the terminals in the lamp are not touching the bulb.
 
  • Like
Reactions: suffolkspark
Sounds like the terminals in the lamp are not touching the bulb.
Its funny you should say that as they are, I had made absolutely sure of it.

The problem is, as I had just discovered, it was my pc build with an Asrock motherboard from 2005 that prompted me to look another direction
 
The connections really need tidied up. im not sure if some of those flexes are held in the screws properly, and so much copper showing, they could touch together
 
Are the terminals lining up with the terminals on the bulb.
 
  • Like
Reactions: smartin1612
What about a pic of the wiring at the the ceiling where the luminaire was originally. Or have I got hold of the wrong end of the stick?
 
What about a pic of the wiring at the the ceiling where the luminaire was originally. Or have I got hold of the wrong end of the stick?
Slightly wrong end of the stick at present as after spending the last couple of days troubleshooting, I've determined the problem to be with the lampholder and not the wires at the ceiling.

If the light works when plugged into the wall, nut not the ceiling, then we know its something else, but currently, as its not working from the wall outlet either, when the original 3-lamp spotlight is, tells me the problem is with the lampholder.
 
The connections really need tidied up. im not sure if some of those flexes are held in the screws properly, and so much copper showing, they could touch together
I don't care for the connections right now, you are seeing a test cable connected to a wall-plug rather than off the ceiling, as right now, I'm troubleshooting the lamp-holder.
Once I go back to the ceiling, they'll be covered in heat-shrink
 
Are the terminals lining up with the terminals on the bulb.
I believe so, I pulled the terminals up and in a little to ensure the connection is made
 
So just to clarify the new lampholder does not function at the rose nor the wall outlet but you know the spotlight is good because you have proved this at the old spotlight track.
 

Similar threads

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

Electrical Goods - Electrical Tools - Brand Names Electrician Courses Green Electrical Goods PCB Way Electric Underfloor Heating Electrician Courses Heating 2 Go Electrician Workwear Supplier
These Official Forum Sponsors May Provide Discounts to Regular Forum Members - If you would like to sponsor us then CLICK HERE and post a thread with who you are, and we'll send you some stats etc

Advert

Daily, weekly or monthly email

Thread starter

Joined
Location
Milton Keynes
If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
United Kingdom
What type of forum member are you?
DIY or Homeowner (Perhaps seeking pro advice, or an electrician)

Thread Information

Title
No power through ceiling rose
Prefix
N/A
Forum
UK Electrical Forum
Start date
Last reply date
Replies
66

Advert

Thread statistics

Created
smartin1612,
Last reply from
Dave OCD,
Replies
66
Views
8,274

Advert