Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi there,
There is an issue with role permissions that is being worked on at the moment.
If you are having trouble with access or permissions on regional forums please post here to get access: https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058365403/you-do-not-have-permission-for-that#latest

Problem with new light fitting

  • 09-10-2008 10:36am
    #1
    Kashkai
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,399 ✭✭✭


    I installed a new light yesterday and it worked fine initially. However, when I went back later on, it would not switch on. I checked the circuit breaker and it had not tripped so I was stumped. I unscrewed the light fitting and checked the wires, which were all in place. I then retried the light and it worked.

    Now before I rescrew it back into the ceiling, I want to find out why it wouldn't work previously. I used the original fitting block for screwing the wires (i.e. the live and neutral) into, but I had to break off the part that holds the earth wire to make it fit inside the new light housing. I attached the earth wire from the light to the house's earth in the screw fitting in the broken off part of the original light fitting. Is this now hitting off the other wires or fusing itself on the light fitting when I screw it into the ceiling? Why did it work initially and then cease working only to work again when I unscrewed the light from the ceiling? Will insulating tape around the earth wires solve the problem?

    I'm stumped here as I've never had a problem with other light fittings I've installed before.


Comments

  • #2
    Steve
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,584 ✭✭✭✭Steve


    A few possibilities...

    - The fitting itself may be dodgy giving a poor connection to the bulb.

    - Either the live or neutral connection is dodgy - it could be that inside the terminal, the clamping screw is clamping on the insulation instead of the copper and giving an intermittent connection.

    If the earth touched the live when you screwed it back up, it would trip the breaker. If it touched the neutral, you wouldn't know unless the circuit had a RCD (which is not likely).
    When using flat T&E cable, it's common practice to insulate the earth using green/yellow sleeving - available from any wholesaler or most of the diy shops.


  • #3
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    sounds like the connection to the screw in bulb is not great, if it lights just leave it and see, sometimes end of bulbs can be a little tarnished or the contact point in the fitting not pressing against end of bulb etc. As said already, contact between that earth and live would of tripped breaker, earth to neutral would do nothing, except if rcd on circuit which would not be usual on lights


Advertisement