Shaver lights not working

VonLuck

Hoping you can help me with what I hope is a relatively straight forward problem.

I moved into a new place recently and have two shaver lights in two separate bathrooms. Both of the lights weren't working when I moved in, so I eventually got round to replacing the bulbs. However, this has not fixed the problem.

I figure it is very unlikely that both of the fixtures are broken and that I'm just missing something simple.

All the trip switches are up in the fuse box and the cover to the bulb is back in place, so it's neither of those. Could it be an internal fuse or what could be the cause?

Hannibal

Next step would be to check if there's power going to the individual fittings, preferably done with a multimeter

maestroamado

It could be anything, you did not say if the shaving socket is working.
If it is it likely be simple, there is no fuse in anything i have seen..

VonLuck

maestroamado wrote: »

It could be anything, you did not say if the shaving socket is working.
If it is it likely be simple, there is no fuse in anything i have seen..

I don't have an electric shave which I can plug in to test unfortunately. Would a voltage tester be worth investing in to check?

Also, I have next to zero knowledge of all things electrical, but is it possible that the socket could work but the light doesn't? Are they on separate circuits?

Alun

On mine there's a little hidden push switch that's activated by a plastic part on the inside of the light cover, and without the cover on, the light won't turn on. Maybe that's broken off, or maybe the switch is broken?

maestroamado

VonLuck wrote: »

I don't have an electric shave which I can plug in to test unfortunately. Would a voltage tester be worth investing in to check?

Also, I have next to zero knowledge of all things electrical, but is it possible that the socket could work but the light doesn't? Are they on separate circuits?

I think there is a good chance they are not wired at all.
I have often seen people buy these units and never connect them up.
The only way you will know for sure without removing is if you have attic above the wires be coming down directly above.
There are devices you can buy to detect but its only professionals

need these.
Voltage tester an option but the terminals in these devices hard to access with same.
To answer Q, all on same circuit but it could be witch, loose wire, loop wire not connected.
I'm betting they not wired at all...

VonLuck

Alun wrote: »

On mine there's a little hidden push switch that's activated by a plastic part on the inside of the light cover, and without the cover on, the light won't turn on. Maybe that's broken off, or maybe the switch is broken?

I thought that as well, but all the plastic bits of the light cover are intact and no clear signs that there is a broken switch, although I don't know exactly what it looks like. Would be strange that two different lights have the same broken switch though.

maestroamado wrote: »

I think there is a good chance they are not wired at all.
I have often seen people buy these units and never connect them up.
The only way you will know for sure without removing is if you have attic above the wires be coming down directly above.
There are devices you can buy to detect but its only professionals

need these.
Voltage tester an option but the terminals in these devices hard to access with same.
To answer Q, all on same circuit but it could be witch, loose wire, loop wire not connected.
I'm betting they not wired at all...

Well it's in an apartment block so would have thought these were all wired when they were built. There are two screws behind the bulb fixing it to the wall. I guess I could remove these and check the wiring behind? I probably should turn off all the power at the fuse box first though.

Alun

VonLuck wrote: »

I thought that as well, but all the plastic bits of the light cover are intact and no clear signs that there is a broken switch, although I don't know exactly what it looks like. Would be strange that two different lights have the same broken switch though.

Here's the switch on mine ... (click the thumbnail to expand)



As you say though it's unlikely they would both break in the same way.

VonLuck

Alun wrote: »

Here's the switch on mine ... (click the thumbnail to expand)



As you say though it's unlikely they would both break in the same way.

Well I don't have a switch like that, although I just noticed that the cover to the light has 4 plastic clips that go into their respective holes on the light fixture itself. Two of the holes seem to have metal connectors internally and the corresponding plastic clips on the cover are slightly different to the other two clips (shorter). I'm not sure if they're meant to be shorter or if in fact they've broken off and are not switching the light on.

Are there lights that operate this way or am I way off?

Alun

VonLuck wrote: »

Well I don't have a switch like that, although I just noticed that the cover to the light has 4 plastic clips that go into their respective holes on the light fixture itself. Two of the holes seem to have metal connectors internally and the corresponding plastic clips on the cover are slightly different to the other two clips (shorter). I'm not sure if they're meant to be shorter or if in fact they've broken off and are not switching the light on.

Are there lights that operate this way or am I way off?

Are the two short clips on one edge of the cover , and the two longer ones on the other edge? If so, does the cover go on one way only, or will it also go on if you rotate it by 180 degrees?

VonLuck

Alun wrote: »

Are the two short clips on one edge of the cover , and the two longer ones on the other edge? If so, does the cover go on one way only, or will it also go on if you rotate it by 180 degrees?

They are on diagonal corners and the cover only really goes on one way.

tphase

I had to install one of these recently. The translucent cover had to be in place in the correct orientation for the light to work and it was a bloody fiddly job to get it in. The hidden switch was actuated by one (or more) of the tabs on the cover

VonLuck

This is the exact one I have, if it's of any help: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Selectric-LG9237-Shaver-Fitting-Voltage/dp/B006E0L7XO

tphase

VonLuck wrote: »

This is the exact one I have, if it's of any help: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Selectric-LG9237-Shaver-Fitting-Voltage/dp/B006E0L7XO

that one looks very similar shape-wise to what I got but the cover on mine is push-fit. That one seems to have 4 screws to hold the cover which is a better job

VonLuck

Problem solved! The clips were actually fine, but noticed that a tiny bit of white plastic had broken off both lights which prevented the clips from clipping. I just wrapped a bit of tape around each connector so that it would wedge in and both are working fine now.

Thanks for the help!