Ceiling electricity not working

[ursa]

Hi. lightbulb blew up in hall. Thought I'd exchange it. But it does not work. I poked vaguely with a screwdriver with a small lightbulb in it into plastic thing, but no light.
What shall I do? The busted lightbulb had a grey sheene on the metall rim.
help please, thanks

 

[breezer]

i suggest you call an electrician (i assume all other lights work?)

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Please look in Yellow Pages under "Electricians" - you are not safe.

PS - Breezer beat me to it - sorry....

 

[ursa]

I am safe, especially if you explain to me, but I am not English!

I have this special tool for electricians, which has a lightbulb in its handle, and it would show if there is electricity or not. Yes everything else is working.
So please tell me the way to know if I should just fix a new lightfitting (with electricity off of course) or what the problem might be.

Thank you

 

[BR]

I have this special tool for electricians, which has a lightbulb in its handle, and it would show if there is electricity or not.

This must be the latest special tool out today, i have never heard of it.

No, Ursa i only joking, this tool is called a phase tester and is extremely common however useless it may be. To be honest with you i do not think you are capable of dealing with this problem yourself, however if you would like me to help you just say the word.

Just to be clear, although you are not English you are living in Britain? This is important.

Also, A word of warning - It is inadvisable to 'poke vaguely' with a phase tester, the chances are you will see a flash and have shorted something out. THE RESULT: the fuse will blow and you will have damaged your fitting

 

[breezer]

its probably not a phase tester, but a neon screwdriver?

Ursa, we would love to see you post some more on here, thats why i still suggest you get an elctrcian, what is a few pounds against a life?

 

[ursa]

Yes I do live here. The tool in question is what looks like a screwdriver with a little lightbulb in.
If you would tell me where to touch and where not, I would be safe - no? Vaglue poking was a poetic way to describe touching first the left then the right shiny bit in the fitting. Noting happened, neither with wall switch on of off.
If you still think I am not able to do it, can you recommend someone (I am in London Waterloo) that would come round for something as minor?

 

[BR]

Ursa, I'll start talking about how to go about diagnoising and solving the problem letting you decide youself whether you are up to the job. Some of this involves testing using your 'neon screwdriver'(thank you breezer) so care must be taken.

I presume you know how to use it (place your index finger on the metal cap at the top of the handle and touch the terminal or wire you wish to test with the blade (screwdriver bit).

To function your light needs two things. A live wire (red)and A neutral wire (black). You will only be able to test for the presence of a live with the equipment that you have.

1. Open the ceiling rose(round unit fixed to ceiling) by twisting it anticlockwise and allow it to hang out of your way.

2. Switch on the light switch.

3. Using the process described above touch the blade of your screwdriver against the terminal to which the red or brown wire coming from the flex hanging down to where the bulb fits in is connected to.

4. If this is live then you either have a loose connection (or faulty unit) at the bulb holder OR are missing a neutral in which case you will have to call an electrician.

5. If this is not live then your next step is to (a) turn off the power at the fusebox and (b) remove the switch from the wall. Check that all the wires are tight and that none have worked loose.

Failing this there are many other possibilites, try this first and report back your findings. If your setup is not as described try and explain it here and we will do our best to help.
It would also help to know how old the house is.

See pictures below. You are only conserned with one unit in each of these although there are several in the drawing.

Picture 1 – this is the brown wire I want you to test.
Picture2 – this will show you where it is connected. In the veiling rose
Note: you may come across green/yellow wires, disregard them.

 

[ursa]

Thanks for that. I am out all day tomorrow, so will try Sunday and post back then,

 

[ursa]

Report:

With lightswitch on, there is no electricity to the wire (i.e. bulb not burning in screwdriver)
I turned off power and checked the wires fitting on the ceiling, they are screwed tight and there are no burnmarks.
Will now look at the wallswitch.
The house, its a flat, was built in the 1960ties.

thanks Ursa

 

[breezer]

sorry no offence i still recomend you call an electrician

 

[BR]

sorry no offence i still recomend you call an electrician

Talk about jumping the gun! Will ya wait unit she checks the switch

 

[c.k.]

no reply from ursa - feck it, she's after getting a shock out of her screwdriver and fallen down the stairs

 

[ursa]

I checked the switch. Connections are tight. There are only two wires, one red and one grey or a faded blue (hard to see with flash light). Otherwise nothing unusual. How would I know if the switch is working in terms of mechanics?
thanks

 

[breezer]

i still suggest you call an electrcian, very sorry but you will be posting how do i.......... ,then it will be ,well you ................. it is not the way to go about it sorry