Tried changing ceiling light fitting in kitchen,didnt work.Please help.

irlande_euroluv

Hi. I have a double dimmer switch in the kitchen. 1 that controls two seperate light fittings in the kitchen and the second controls the light in the dining room beside the kitchen.
Anyway, I bought a new ceiling light fitting in ikea, 3 halogen bulbs on a rail & took down one of the ceiling lights and replaced it with this new ikea one. Well it didnt work, none of the lights worked on the dimmer, so I took off the new one and put back up the old light fitting. It doesn't work, again none of the other lights work that are connected to the dimmer.

Is there anything I can do to get the lights working again without getting in an electrician, as I dont have the money to spend on this.:o

Davy

The ikea lights may not work with a dimmer, this should be stated on the box if they do or dont. Now the dimmer is probably gone and needs to be replaced. Less hassle to put a normal switch in its place

irlande_euroluv

Thanks for the reply. It didnt say anything about not being dimmable anywhere on the packaging so I thought it would be alright. I will try change the dimmer to a normal double switch in the morning. Thanks alot, I haven't a clue.

Bruthal

It also might be possible you missed connecting in a neutral when you took down the old fitting and connected the new one.

Are both lights on the double dimmer now not working?

irlande_euroluv

Both lights on the double dimmer arent working and now I've just discovered that my outside back garden light isnt working either. Its a seperate normal switch altogether, over by the back door. Fml.
Hi Robbie,I connected the new light exactly as the old one was connected, L-brown Yellow/Green stripe-middle N-blue .
Any ideas gents ?

Bruthal

irlande_euroluv wrote: »

Both lights on the double dimmer arent working and now I've just discovered that my outside back garden light isnt working either. Its a seperate normal switch altogether, over by the back door. Fml.
Hi Robbie,I connected the new light exactly as the old one was connected, L-brown Yellow/Green stripe-middle N-blue .
Any ideas gents ?

With other lights not working, it is likely you missed a neutral. At the light there was probably 1 brown, and 2 blues. The 2 blues would be into the same connector. You might not have noticed the second blue as you disconnected the original light, and it might be in the ceiling space now.

Not every light would have 2 blues, but most of them will, and it sounds like this one did if other lights are not working, assuming you have switched the circuit back on.

irlande_euroluv

Yes it had one brown connected into the Live connector & two blues that i connected into the 1 Neutral connection.

irishkopite 2011

I also think it sounds like a neutral is missing. I assume your mcb is up.

irlande_euroluv

Yes all are up. Do the two blue have to be twisted together?

Bruthal

irlande_euroluv wrote: »

Yes all are up. Do the two blue have to be twisted together?

No, just into the same connection. Take a photo of the connections if possible and put it up.

irlande_euroluv

robbie7730 wrote: »

No, just into the same connection. Take a photo of the connections if possible and put it up.

Ok.I'll do that now.

irlande_euroluv

Ok this is the original fitting I put back on.

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/3347/img0245kdb.jpg

meercat

agree with the others about the neutral missing
however there may be 3 blues(have come across this frequently)
also check that the copper wire is touching the connector blocks

meercat

pic looks ok


just remove the cables and remake connections to be sure

turn power off at tripswitch when doing this

Bruthal

irlande_euroluv wrote: »

Ok this is the original fitting I put back on.

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/3347/img0245kdb.jpg

Just undo the 2 blues and ensure you have not simply clamped the insulation. That happens now and then.

Also as said, possibly could have been 3 neutrals.

irlande_euroluv

Here thanks lads for all the quick replys. I know what you mean robbie, could be that.
Im gonna have another good look in the morning when it gets bright & remove and reconnect the cables.

irlande_euroluv

Right I removed and reconnected the cables, no other neutral in ceiling space or anything, making sure they were connected right & still no joy.
I think the dimmer is blown, the wife wants to keep the dimmer and wants an electrician to fix it rather than spend money on a new dimmer switch. I dont know what else it could be, but still dont know why the outside light isnt working either.
Think I'll have to get an electrician then.

.G.

Call out for an Electrician anywhere from €30-60 approx. New dimmer €5 approx.

That might make it more clear for her;)

Check your fuse board that all the switches are up and no fuses are blown.If they are GARO switches in your fuseboard they may appear to be up but might not be.When the older type GARO MCB's trip they only pop halfway down,you need to pull them fully down and then back up to reset.If you have a spare double switch just to swap for the dimmer right now that will tell all,if the temporary switch works,you know the dimmer is at fault however take care when replacing the dimmer with the new switch not to mix up the browns behind it all you'll be adding to your problems.

if nothing works call a Sparky.

ted1

can you check the supply at the dimmer with a meter and also at the luninaire.

irlande_euroluv

Yeah superg, I tried to explain about the cost to her, but Women hey. She thinks I'm just gonna make it worse if I start taking off dimmer switches, so I cant be arsed squabbling about it with her. She has a sparky cousin, he's coming over to fix it tomorrow.... and make me look bad
I re-checked everything over & over but its still puzzling me why the outside light isnt working. Is there fuses behind every switch on the mcb ?
Ah feck it, sometimes ye just gotta admit defeat.

Bruthal

irlande_euroluv wrote: »

Yeah superg, I tried to explain about the cost to her, but Women hey. She thinks I'm just gonna make it worse if I start taking off dimmer switches, so I cant be arsed squabbling about it with her. She has a sparky cousin, he's coming over to fix it tomorrow.... and make me look bad
I re-checked everything over & over but its still puzzling me why the outside light isnt working. Is there fuses behind every switch on the mcb ?
Ah feck it, sometimes ye just gotta admit defeat.

To the electrical problem, yes, but not to the woman.

meercat

robbie7730 wrote: »

To the electrical problem, yes, but not to the woman.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

fred funk }{

It's possible you put a screw/drill through the cable when mounting the new light?

meercat

any update op just to tidy thread up,cheers