"Weak" Electricity

Does another light somewhere in the house - probably a bedroom - come on at the same time as it?

I do not think another light in the house illuminates.

BTW when i refer to an electical outlet I am referring to the one that you would plug an electrical appliance to. (I probably was not very clear about this). I was initially using a lead lamp in the attic, connected to the suspect electical outlet.

But as the lamp is not illuminated very brightly I am currently using an extension cable from downstairs which is a pain in the arse.

A colleague at my work has suggested that this could be a fire hazard and should not be used until I have an electrician investigate who might probably have to rewire the outlet to another "ring".

It might not be a fire hazard (at least until you use it) but it is a sufficiently bizarre (and therefore possibly serious) fault that it must be looked at! It *may* indicate a fault with the wiring that might cause an electric shock hazard elesewhere (for eaxample).

Might sound daft - but try having a portable radio tuned to Medium Wave then plugging in the light. If you get interference on the radio then it indicates a bad connection (causing sparking).

Does the cable appear to be of adequate size? If very thin it could be heating up and acting as a resistance.

Worth checking. Easy to do. Or switch on all the upstairs lights and see if the socket still works.

Yes - I guessed as much.

The thing is there isn't normally a ring circuit (for sockets) routed through the attic, but there usually is a lighting circuit. So many will use that to feed a socket - which isn't really correct but not dangerous if you realise its limitations power wise. But it's possible to wire it incorrectly.

I bet this has been wired in series with something else. If your not that confident with electrics I reckon you'd best get someone in...

Series - my thought but the OP has been asked if he notices anything else coming on when the loft socket is used.

And the other thing would not work unless something were plugged into the socket in the loft.

MBQ

I don't know how much you know about electrics, but it is possible that this socket is incorrectly wired, probably with neutral and earth swapped over but it could be worse. I would recommend that you get someone who knows about such things to have a proper look at it as this is a safety issue - particularly in a loft. The wiring problem may not be at the socket end, of course.

... unless the socket had been wired in parallel with a light switch.

Does the light plugged into the socket still work if _all_ the upstairs lights are on?

My guess is wired across a switch pair. So it 'works' with the switch off but wouldn't with the switch on.

Yep but we don't quite know what this socket is connected, or to where or what across!...

Thanks for the information(s).

I'll check if the other lights come on, tomorrow and will check with the aid of a candle, the wiring behind the electrical outlet. I am confident with checking if the wires are put in the right holes (colours) and done up tightly, as I have renewed many of the light switches and outlets in the house. If I can't see anything obvious, I am going to leave it and have an electrician take a look when I can afford it.

What sort of lamp?

If incandescent, does it look redder than ones downstairs.

Bulbs often seem weaker when in lofts because the loft is bigger and dirtier than the rest of the house. I have several large fluorescents in the loft, and it is still dim compared with elsewhere, because of its size and atate.

This is a very good point! I've noticed a similar thing myself, but the OP mentioned that he reverted to a long extension lead from below, so I'm sure that he'd have noticed the difference. Of course, I don't know if he has used the same lamp...

In message , de_ja writes

I really hope you're not serious about the candle..

Ahh, the plot thickens, did the socket work OK before you replaced the switches and sockets? Do you remember any light switches with 'extra' cables or more than you'd expect when you changed the switches and sockets? I'd have somebody watch the light in the loft and then wander around switching on every light in the house after having asked them to shout if anything changes. If you can identify a switch or socket that changes the light in the loft then it at least makes it easier for any electrician to rectify the fault because you've done half the work for them.

Probably best if it's a wiring error and not just loose contacts.

tomorrow and will check with

Thanks,

This problem has occurred since I moved in, before and after I changed all the electrical outlet covers.

I have found (by switiching the trip switches) that the outlet in the loft appears to be connected to the lighting circuit for at least the front and rear bedroom on the first floor. From the useful information provided here I understand that this is incorrect procedure.

Why would the electricity be so "weak", it is "weak" even though both bedroom lights are not illuminated.

I'll not use that outlet until I hire a qualified electrician to correctly rewire it.

Thanks for all information.

Has it always behaved like that or did it only recently start?

Robert

Always since I commenced occupation.