trip switch whenever I try to power a bulb?

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I'm in Ireland but as far as I know it's the same theory as the UK.
My livingroom light kept dying. Well, the bulbs never lasted. Now I notice that when I replace a bulb and switch it on, the fuse for the downstairs light switches trips, and the bulb dies. I found it very strange. Stranger to me still, is that today, I plugged a lamp into a wall socket in the living room, which runs on a different fuse to the light switches, turned on the lamp and that bulb died too, and it tripped the downstairs sockets.

Could this be a coincidence or is there something obvious to an electrician that I am missing? I mean my laptop, and my stereo are not causing the sockets to trip?

Any help appreciated. Thanks
 
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What type of consumer unit have you?
Is it protected by RCDs (RCCB or RCBOs) on these circuit.
What type of light fittings are they and type of lamps (bulbs in Ireland)?
 
has anything changed anything altered like changed any fitting or new source off bulbs

i havent actually got a clue :D
 
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Bought them in Tesco! Written on the bulbs is "Solus Ireland" KF11, 240V 60W
 
The Box says Enery rating is "E". Then it says 710 Lumen, 60 Watt, 1000 h

No more info!
 
You should be in the electrics outside the uk forum. Otherwise we can't tell you off about part p
 
Pearl-Bayonet-thumb.jpg


That is the light bulb. It's a standard 60Watt Bayonet light bulb. The Irish electrical system is the same as the UK. For some reason, whenever anything with a bulb is either plugged in or switched on, in the living room, there is a trip in power. I've lived here for 7 years. In the last year or 2, I've noticed that my ceiling light bulbs don't last very long. Now they don't last at all, the just trip. Same with lamps that are plugged in. Any other type of electrical device plugged in seems to work perfectly. It only seems to be happening with the bulbs? I have tried Tesco brand bulbs also, and the same thing happens.
 
Does it trip if the bulbs (lamps) are not in place?
Cheap lamps can blow very quickly, this type of lamp does not normally cause tripping when blown. The first thing to do is investigate, isolate circuit and check for loose connection at both switches and fittings.
 
it might be that the voltage in your home is a bit high.

Get some energy saving lamps (CFLs)

they are very tolerant of voltage fluctuations. Also, unlike old-fashioned filament bulbs, they do not cause a power surge when they blow.

If you get one rated at about a quarter the Watts of your old one, you will not grumble about it being dim.
 

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