major headache over 2 lights connected to 1 switch

[globalste]

Ive got a new house with the new wiring colour codes.

I have 2 ceiling lights which had a rose screwed to the ceiling. I changed one of the lights for a new fancy one and it was very straight forward - only 1 cable so i simply took the rose out and used a junction box to make fitting easier.

Turned the power back on and both lights work fine.

Later i decide to fit the second new light fitting, open up the rose and find two cables fitted - while i didnt write it down i swear to god it had both Neutral to the N on the rose and both Live to the L on the rose, the loop screws were fully closed.

I fitted the new light fitting up using the rose but when i flipped the circuit breaker back on it kept tripping. I inspected the light and saw that part of the metal fitting was touching the Live so i took the fitting down and put in a junction box like on the 1st one. This is where it seems to have gone wrong, because now the lights stay permenantly on.

So i took the junction box back out and put the rose in and rewired - still permenantly on. I look at wiring diagrams on forums and follow meticulously but when i do, i get the 2nd lamp bright and the 1st lamp very dim and still cant turn them off!

Its a new build so could it be the electrician put some hidden junction box somewhere?? My understanding is that the 1st light is wired to the second and then the second to the live, but where is the switch-live then?? Its as though there is a wire missing or something...

Feel like ive tried every combination going to get it to work, any help appreciated otherwise getting electrician in

 

[viewer]

Sounds like you've wired them in series; i.e. live for one goes through two (several ways this could have been done. Both should link together L-L then the lamp nearest the switch gets the switched live. Usually the neutrals from the flex connect directly to the loop in terminals (N) on the rose. The loop in lives (L) drop to switches, they don't go to the lamps themselves. The switched live should go to the flex connection block.
HTH
V

 

[viewer]

Oops, sorry, just read your post again. The first light you changed (let's call it light A) was simply connected to the other one (light B) (Live, Neutral and E). Into the second light (light B) you changed there came two cables. One is from the light A, the other contains the switched live, the neutral and the earth. It is common on new houses to make the loop in at the switch rather than the rose. So you should have all neutrals connected together and all lives connected together (and earths).
Apologies for not reading properly.
V

 

[globalste]

thanks for the reply - i was pretty certain that i was right... now i just need to figure out why the damned thing wont turn off!

Could it be a fault with one of the lights?

 

[globalste]

or a sudden fault with the switch perhaps?

 

[viewer]

Could be, but a coincidence is unlikely unless your first attempt damaged the switch. Can you check the wiring again and look inside the switch (turn circuit off as if damaged could be live when you move it)? What is inside the switch backbox?