Radial Networks

[riveralt]

Got a customer whose kitchen has six down lighters. The down lighters are 230v with the power taken through a switch and then linked via a switch live loop - Only two of the downlighters are immediately accessible and these two are not working. The other four are working but are inaccessible (sods law) without removing floorboards or chipping away at the artexed and painted ceiling, which the customer has declined.
Checked bulbs - they work.
Each of the dead down lighters has two T&E cables attached for the switch live loop, neutral loop and cpc which makes me believe that they are part of the middle of the circuit.

While the other lights are working a voltage test at the two dead lights reveals zero voltage across line,neutral and cpc. If these are mid point lights then how can the other lights after them work?

Has the electrician wired a radial network using JBs?

where did those stars come from? Mods must be quick except there is one star too many - so they can't spell sods.

 

[pjcomp]

Sounds like a junction box job to me. Floorboards or forget it, methinks.



PJ

 

[skenk]

You should be able to find out what's connected to what by dropping all the lights down from the ceiling, disconnecting cables and testing, no?

Swear filter is probably automatic

 

[riveralt]

You should be able to find out what's connected to what by dropping all the lights down from the ceiling, disconnecting cables and testing, no?

Yes I wish I could but the down lights (don't you just love them) are firmly attached (almost welded) to the ceiling artex and paint - which is why the owner isn't happy for me to dig.

Having given it some thought, my view is that the 'electrician' who wired the lights has put a jb before the two dead lights and split the switch live - one to the now dead lights and one to another jb to the lights after the dead ones - creating a parallel path. Quite why he would do this I don't know and quite how he would know which lights would fail I haven't got a clue.

The mystery might be resolved if I can convince the owner to get rid of said downlights and replace them with something a bit more aesthetically pleasing - oh and give out proper light.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Adam_151]

Surely the ones which are 'stuck' to the ceiling should be removeable if you carfully run a stanley knife around the edge of the fitting? no?

 

[skenk]

Sounds like they've been artexed in

 

[Chri5]

You can't really avoid the need to pop the fittings out to wire trace / find the junction box.

Although not ideal, you could stanley cut around the fitting and then when you reinstal them use

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Manufacturers/Knightsbridge/Downlight_Converter_Kit/index.html


It mights sound harsh to your client, but he can't have his cake and eat it. Silly person shouldn't have allowed the artex man to artex in fittings that will occasionally need removal- as the current 'issue' proves !

 

[ban-all-sheds]

he can't have his cake and eat it.

Ever wondered why that saying makes no sense?