Asked by nephew to look at a 'faulty' bathroom light in his new house.
New bulb put in, switched on, nothing. Checked bulb in another fitting, works fine.
Checked with contactless voltage tester, power getting to fitting when switched on.
Put bulb back in, nothing. Voltage tester lights up when placed near bulb though. Not experienced anything like this before!
Any suggestions as to the possible problem.
Simple logic would force one to conclude that the bulb is not making contact with the bulb holder properly.
though. Not experienced anything like this before!
Bad neutral connection?
though. Not experienced anything like this before!
Possibly a disconnected neutral. Possibly spring contacts in lampholder not making contact.
Does the voltage tester (whatever that is) also give a positive result when the light is switched off? These devices may not indicate what you think they do.
My first thought.
though. Not experienced anything like this before!
Contactless volsticks have their uses, but this kind of faultfinding isn't one of them. You need a proper contact type, of preferably a meter, together with the neccessary knowledge to know how to interpret the results they give..
Is there a dimmer on this circuit that doesn't support the kind of bulb you are trying to use?
though. Not experienced anything like this before!
I have a very similar problem with a flush ceiling fitting at daughter's new (70's) house. My *initial* diagnosis was a faulty light fitting, with the push-in connectors not connecting to the socket. Got them to buy a replacement. Only to find on next visit that this doesn't work either. So *either* the wiring in the ceiling doesn't have a connected neutral, or the "volts" indicated by neon screwdriver, light stick, and DVM are derived from induction, and don't have any "amps" behind them.
Ran out of time on last visit to investigate further. S-I-L doesn't have any proper spares or tools, so will be taking along a test bulb on a lead with croc clips next time, plus reel of T&E in case I have to rewire. Also circ saw and jigsaw to let me get in from above (it's under a boarded in loft).
newshound wrote in news:5096cad7$0$41346$c3e8da3$ snipped-for-privacy@news.astraweb.com:
Before doing a drastic rewire - have you checked the switch? I have had them sieze up inside (cord switch). Could the neutral have been disturbed at a loop in point in an adjacent room?
though. Not experienced anything like this before!
Strangely enough, yesterday when I was fitting a string of lamps to illuminate an outdoor party I had one bulb refuse to light. It turned out that one of the spring loaded contacts in the lamp holder wasn't springing up far enough.
Bill
Yes I have checked the switch. I agree about the loop-in; but the house has a very funny geometry and it isn't at all obvious where that might be. There's a loo and a utility room which stick into the attached garage. They are "protected" by a cement/asbestos fire barrier above which has been modified and then had a secondary "floor" above it for storage, accessibility also being severely restricted by the garage roof trusses. Because the consumer unit is in the garage and fairly close, running a new neutral (or indeed a new supply) may well be the simplest way. But thanks for the suggestions.
What sort of light is it? Normal bayonet type or what?
I've had these lose connection when you put the bulb in due to very poor construction internally. these tend to be the ones where the screws for the wires are not par of the plunger but attached by an internal spring. the cheap and cheerful ones that move up and down as one lump are actually better, though the wires can break off, and of course if its dangling on a wire, the weight has to be taken by something like a strain relief or the pins lost contact. If its another form of lightin, then I dunno. Brian
Is it a screw bulb, and are sure 100% the new bulb is *exactly* the same fitting as the old ?
When I fitted our bathroom mirror, it came with two spotlights which took a screw bulb. It took a bit of time before I realised the screw bulbs I had bought (mirrored reflector bulbs) weren't screwing in far enough - there are different types of base.
When did we vote to get rid of bayonet fittings, by the way ? I must have been on holiday. I always thought bayonet was slightly safer than screw fittings (which can work loose and arc).
Thanks for all the suggestions, as usual on here, I have been given the answer.
Poor neutral connection. I went in daylight and could turn off power to look at fitting, all looked OK on a visual inspection, however neutral wire was not in fitting far enough when I did a check of all connections
Thanks again
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