The case of the phantom neutral.

[TyBrent]

Hello,

I have a lighting circuit that works with no neutral.

I have removed all the neutrals from the board incase it was a shared neutral, and even went so far as to take the neutral and earth tails out and then turned on the MCB with just that light circuit and it works...

Does anyone know why this is happening?

Many thanks in advance,

Ty

 

[telectrix]

splt circuit down. might be a fault to an extraneous conductive item.

 

[Edd]

Sounds like a Neutral earth fault and its getting its neutral through as tel says extraneous conductive bonding or somthing

 

[TyBrent]

Thanks guys...

Sounds good I will look in to it further.

Ty

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I'd try looking for the fault with your multimeter or insulation tester, safer than energising a faulty, half-disconnected circuit! If the fault will light a lamp, 99% probability your meter will find it. Testing live, all you know is that there's a fault. A continuity test or two will tell you to what, and roughly how far away.

Catchy title though, I thought this was going to be an exciting mystery leading to the discovery of a secret star-connected transformer or motor regenerating the missing conductor from the phases.

 

[johnboy6083]

Sounds like a head scratcher!!
I would test between live to each earth in turn (disconnecting from the DB) and then test between neutral and each earth (both disconnected)
this should show the problem.

 

[Edd]

Hey make sure you let us know what you find,,, please...

 

[Octopus]

I'm guessing you don't have an RCD on this circuit, so is the CPC being used as the neutral?

 

[ipf]

I'd try looking for the fault with your multimeter or insulation tester, safer than energising a faulty, half-disconnected circuit! If the fault will light a lamp, 99% probability your meter will find it. Testing live, all you know is that there's a fault. A continuity test or two will tell you to what, and roughly how far away.

Catchy title though, I thought this was going to be an exciting mystery leading to the discovery of a secret star-connected transformer or motor regenerating the missing conductor from the phases.[/QUOTE]

Or a ghost who can't make his mind up

 

[guest119]

I take it you are not a time served electrician?

Boydy

 

[Knobhead]

A note to everyone, have a look at this guys past started threads.