Light fitting fell down from ceiling

[Louannet124]

Hi everyone

Hope someone can help...

I went in to the dining room earlier to discover that the ceiling light fitting had fallen down, looks like the wire has snapped or possibly burnt?

Never had an issue with it before but it’s an old house.

When it fell it tripped the fuse and I haven’t switched this back on yet.

Any ideas what could have happened?

Will get an electrician out but what can I do in the interim to ensure it’s safe before switching the fuse back on?

Many thanks!

 

[EFLImpudence]

Difficult to say exactly from here. It depends where it broke.

You would need to separate any wires that are touching or may have melted together and insulate them from each other and from being touched.

 

[Louannet124]

Thanks for getting back to me

It has basically snapped half way down (from what is hanging from the ceiling)

Will I be safe for now if I haven’t reset the fuse and don’t touch the wire?

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes. Ok with fuse off.

 

[Louannet124]

That’s great - I can sleep well tonight then!

Any ideas what could have caused it? The thought that it may have burned scares me a little!

 

[EFLImpudence]

I don't know.

I was imagining a heavy light and the wire just breaking over time causing the electrical fault.
I suppose it could have been a fault melting the wire and causing the fall.

Probably a bit of both.

Does the bit of wire still attached to the light look burnt or stretched?

 

[securespark]

Photos pleeeease!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Photos pleeeease!

Yes! Otherwise it is a matter of

Untitled

• Taylortwocities
• 17 Apr 2008
• 30

 

[markyd1]

why was the cable holding the weight of the light fitting

 

[333rocky333]

Sounds more like the light has come adrift and fell from the ceiling,likely due to inferior fixings, what the ops likely seeing is the Main house wiring still hanging down, where its pulled out the fittings connecter blocks.
Its unlikely for the wires to snap i would think

 

[JohnD]

have the photos arrived yet?

@Louannet124

 

[Taylortwocities]

The film is at Bonusprint being developed. I wonder if they still give you a free film when they arrive in the post.

 

[Louannet124]

Sorry guys, silly me couldn’t figure out how to upload a photo!

Please see attached.

It’s actually come away lower down than I first realised...thoughts??

 

[JohnD]

I can't see the lamp/shade/chandelier/whatever it is, so can't guess the weight, but I expect that there was nothing to take the weight except the terminal screws holding the wire cores, which have eventually given way.

I can't make out the ceiling rose (if any) or the colours of the wires, but I have seen similar in an Edwardian house that was wired in 1922.

 

[FrodoOne]

Sorry guys, silly me couldn’t figure out how to upload a photo!

Please see attached.

It’s actually come away lower down than I first realised...thoughts??

Now those photos are "interesting".
The ornate (non electrical) "ceiling rose" is at least "Edwardian", if not "Victorian".
I note the vents into the roof space - to allow the escape of combustion products from the gas lamp which (no doubt) was originally fitted.
Perhaps there are still gas pipes in the ceiling (hopefully, disconnected.)

(The first house we bought, in Sydney, which was built before 1914, did still have (disconnected) gas pipes for lighting in the roof space !)

It may be that those wires, which appear to be cotton covered VIR, are actually fed via the old gas pipe ?!?!

It is certainly necessary to rewire this light fitting (and, probably, all other light fittings in these premises) with more modern wiring.
If you reinstall this fitting (or any similar fitting), might I suggest that you use a Lewden Plug-In Ceiling Rose such as is shown in https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lewden-Plug-In-Ceiling-Rose-Brass/dp/B00NGT5PJS and https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/LDMC11A.html
(While there are other brands of Plug-In ceiling roses, in my opinion, the Lewden Maestro is the best available.)

Such a Plug-In electrical ceiling rose (which will support up to 5 kg - on a hook/chain) makes taking down a "chandelier" for cleaning quite easy.