One specific light causing all lights in house to flicker

[mrobbo]

Hi all, occasionally all lights in the house will flicker, sometimes (but not always) causing the lights to trip. I've narrowed this down to a specific light - the problem only happens when the hall light is on.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Probably a loose connection in the ceiling rose. Make sure you turn off the power at the consumer unit if you investigate this yourself.

 

[mrobbo]

Thank you, I will take a look

 

[securespark]

If it were a loose connection on the loop, surely it would show symptoms regardless of whether the hall light were on or off??

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

If it were a loose connection on the loop, surely it would show symptoms regardless of whether the hall light were on or off??

Yes, possibly. But local heating effects may be occurring; and it seems like a good place to examine first.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Wouldn't you, as a blindingly obvious thing to do, check for loose connections at switches and lights if they are flickering, before posting a question on an advice forum?

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

We don't all have a brain the size of a planet like you Bas.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

AFAIK you don't need a brain the size of a planet to think "flickering lights - I'll check for loose connections".

Just an IQ bigger than your shoe size.

 

[hotrod]

Wouldn't you, as a blindingly obvious thing to do, check for loose connections at switches and lights if they are flickering, before posting a question on an advice forum?

No. The whole raison d'être of this site is to give advice to DIYers - a fact you all too frequently seem to forget.

 

[bernardgreen]

This is a forum to help people who need help because they do not have the necessary information to fix a problem they need to repair. Sometimes the need is urgent and the person may be desperate to get it fixed. In these cases help should be offered provided that does not encourage the DIYer to attempt something that cannot be guided from a distance.

Yes there are dangers involved with DIY electric repairs and this forum should always point out the dangers but this should done be in a way that encourages the person asking for help to remain "in contact" with the forum until the problem is fixed or they accept it is beyond them and they call in a tradesman. Even then the forum can help them avoid a rip off "tradesman" duping them into paying for un-necessary work.

Experience provides us with the knowledge that we take for granted. We must accept and make allowances for the fact that first time DIYers do not have that experience.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

No. The whole raison d'être of this site is to give advice to DIYers - a fact you all too frequently seem to forget.

What you seem to be forgetting is that anybody without the nous to check for loose connections without having to be told to is so incapable that they should never be contemplating any sort of DIY.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

We must accept and make allowances for the fact that first time DIYers do not have that experience.

FFS you don't need "experience" to think "flickering lights, I'll check for loose connections"!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

It's like this guy here: //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=278237&start=0 who faced with a rotating part which no longer rotated properly didn't think to see if a clean and a bit of light oil was needed.

If you don't have the sort of mindset where a staggeringly obvious thing to try just doesn't occur to you then you do not have the mindset of someone who should be DIYing.

You won't have the nous, you won't be "DIY-sympatico", you just won't be the sort of person who is comfortable using tools, you won't be the sort of person to whom DIYing comes naturally, etc.

And if you've reached the age of adulthood and homeowning, with no background of any sort of DIYing, or hobby involving electrical or mechanical manipulation it's too late to start.

 

[bernardgreen]

If you don't have the sort of mindset where a staggeringly obvious thing to try just doesn't occur to you then you do not have the mindset of someone who should be DIYing.

It is only staggering obvious to you because you have seen it many many times. Some people would find it staggering to discover your mindset did not include the basics of their specialist activity. ( One assumes there are some specialist activities about which your ecperience and knowledge is less than 100% ).

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Bernard, you are very wrong.

Checking for loose wires, or thinking "I'll try giving it a clean and a drop of oil" etc are not, in even an unimaginably microscopic way, "specialist activities".

They are basic, fundamental, and should be as-natural-as-breathing activites.

If not then you're one of the people who does not have a DIY bone in his body.