Help installing lights - wattage too high?

[opps]

I have one of those cheap chinese volt pens, it is prone to giving false positives. I seldom use it because it is so unreliable. They often pick up inductive currents- your's lights up even when the switch is turned off, and displays more LEDs when the switch is turned on, it still doesn't mean that there is 230v running to the terminal blocks.

As others have said, you need, at a minimum, a cheap multimeter to check the voltage.

It might be a good idea to check the cables in the light switch. One would hope that the previous owners would have isolated the supply to the terminal blocks before moving out. There may be a switched/fused connection unit above a cupboard.

Oh, and never assume that the red is live and that the black is neutral.

BTW, I am not an electrician.

 

[Rachel03]

I now suspect, making an assumption that the connections are good, something is connected in series.

My wild guess - the cupboard lights were wired in series with the ceiling lights, and the change to the ceiling lights, is now preventing the cupboard lights from working - the ceiling lights are not passing enough current.

So the wall and pendant light I changed in the living room are on a different circuit to the kitchen cupboard lights. There are ceiling lights in the kitchen and upstairs on the same circuit from the fuse box but none of those have been changed.

 

[Rachel03]

I have one of those cheap chinese volt pens, it is prone to giving false positives. I seldom use it because it is so unreliable. They often pick up inductive currents- your's lights up even when the switch is turned off, and displays more LEDs when the switch is turned on, it still doesn't mean that there is 230v running to the terminal blocks.

As others have said, you need, at a minimum, a cheap multimeter to check the voltage.

It might be a good idea to check the cables in the light switch. One would hope that the previous owners would have isolated the supply to the terminal blocks before moving out. There may be a switched/fused connection unit above a cupboard.

Oh, and never assume that the red is live and that the black is neutral.

BTW, I am not an electrician.

Hi I have ordered a multimeter as people have suggested, it's arriving tomorrow.

I don't think it is anything wrong with the light switch as I have tried another light where the cabinet lighting will go and that worked fine. I probably shouldn't have made that assumption, however it did work fine with a different light!

 

[ETAF]

as said , need to buy or borrow a multimeter and check if power 240v is at that choc block

 

[ETAF]

posted at some time

I have tried another light where the cabinet lighting will go and that worked fine. I probably shouldn't have made that assumption, however it did work fine with a different light

just to clarify again sorry ,
you have connected a light to that choc block and it has worked , with the switch OK

 

[ETAF]

when you get the meter
maybe let us now make and model of the meter you have purchased
Assuming its working ALL ok - but i would test on a known 240v Socket personally -
set to AC voltage range above 240v
make sure the leads are in the correct connectors on the meter

put the test leads into the PLUG end, but would need to make sure they are touching the metal (as i suggested in a previous post with the pen) on that light and see if you get 240V ac at the end of the lead before it plugs into the light - see if thats 240V

But remember playing around with 240V can be lethal , known to kill ..... and you should take a lot of precations and make sure you understand what you are doing -
perhaps watch a few youtube videos

Recap -
you connected a light to the choc block and it worked from a different room
you connected the new light in a different room and it worked
the only difference in the 2 lights one was rated at 13W the other at 5W
the 13w does have a switch on the unit itself ....
pictures of the other working light

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

just to clarify again sorry ,
you have connected a light to that choc block and it has worked , with the switch OK

I think the OP is saying, they tried one of the ceiling lights, and that worked. Basically what I'm thinking is that one light, used as a test, was in series with the other five on the ceiling. Cupboard lights wired across the ceiling light switch maybe, in the mistaken belief that red and black, are live and neutral, rather than live and switch wire. The lights intended for under the cupboard, draw too much current to be able to work in series,

 

[Rachel03]

when you get the meter
maybe let us now make and model of the meter you have purchased
Assuming its working ALL ok - but i would test on a known 240v Socket personally -
set to AC voltage range above 240v
make sure the leads are in the correct connectors on the meter

put the test leads into the PLUG end, but would need to make sure they are touching the metal (as i suggested in a previous post with the pen) on that light and see if you get 240V ac at the end of the lead before it plugs into the light - see if thats 240V

But remember playing around with 240V can be lethal , known to kill ..... and you should take a lot of precations and make sure you understand what you are doing -
perhaps watch a few youtube videos

Recap -
you connected a light to the choc block and it worked from a different room
you connected the new light in a different room and it worked
the only difference in the 2 lights one was rated at 13W the other at 5W
the 13w does have a switch on the unit itself ....
pictures of the other working light

Multimeter should be coming this afternoon so I will give that a go after watching a few videos as you have suggested.

This is the one I have ordered: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beizkna-Mu...07W3T2542/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8

So I disconnected one of the new living room lights, and connected it to the connector block in the kitchen. Worked fine with the switch from the wall turning off and on.

Connected new light in the living room also worked fine off and on with the switch on the light and the switch on the wall.

Yes only difference I can see is wattage. The living room light does have a ground but that doesn't seem to have made a difference otherwise the cabinet light wouldn't have worked in the living room.

Pic of other light, I don't have a pic of it working but it was wired up the same minus the earth. I used the same connector block that is already in the kitchen, not the one in the pic below:

 

[Rachel03]

I think the OP is saying, they tried one of the ceiling lights, and that worked. Basically what I'm thinking is that one light, used as a test, was in series with the other five on the ceiling. Cupboard lights wired across the ceiling light switch maybe, in the mistaken belief that red and black, are live and neutral, rather than live and switch wire. The lights intended for under the cupboard, draw too much current to be able to work in series,

Sorry I might be being dense but I'm not sure what you mean?

The ceiling lights and kitchen cupboard lights are on a different circuit.

Basically I have tried another light wired up the same under the cupboard and that worked, I have tried the cupboard light wired into another place and it worked then. So I know the light works, and I know the wires in the place I want to put it work.

It's just the cupboard light doesn't work when wired in under the cupboard. I have connected it all up the same in each place.

 

[ericmark]

Leads and switch as shown in picture it needs to be measured with light on. Note mains voltage does vary a little this is what my solar panel software says it is now, it can be in theroy 216 to 254 but in real terms 220 to 245 volt is normal.

 

[ETAF]

Basically I have tried another light wired up the same under the cupboard and that worked, I have tried the cupboard light wired into another place and it worked then. So I know the light works, and I know the wires in the place I want to put it work.

very strange ...

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Sorry I might be being dense but I'm not sure what you mean?

We are having to do a considerable amount of guessing, and interpretation here...

 

[terryplumb]

Is the switch a dimmer switch ?

 

[Rachel03]

Is the switch a dimmer switch ?

Hi Terry, no it's not on a dimmer switch.

 

[terryplumb]

Have you taken voltage measurements ?