New LED light tripping switch

karlitob

Hi all

Appreciate any advice.

Have had an open lighting wire hanging from my ceiling for 10 years - I know, I know.

Had a halogen bulb ceiling pendant on for about a month 6 years ago - pendant glass cracked so took the whole fitting back.

Anyway bought this today - when I flicked it on - lights tripped. Reset the trip - all other lights on the ring are fine. But then this tripped it again.

The only difficulty I had installing is that the earth wire from ceiling is thin and stiff so a bit awkward getting it in the block.

All three are cinched tight; there’s ferrules on the live and earth; I sank new screws/plugs but didn’t hit anything.


Any suggestions?


Thanks as always.

https://www.eurosales.ie/sites/admin/plugins/elfinder/files/eurosales/factsheets/ANSGU10SC.pdf

karlitob

Pic

Lenar3556

Unlikely to be anything other than a cable short, potentially within the fitting itself.

If you disconnect just the live conductor from the fitting and switch on the light switch does it trip?

If not connect it again and see does it work before you screw it back up again.

Obviously take precautions against shock.

fiacha

Have you checked the connections on the other end of the cable run ?

karlitob

Lenar3556 wrote: »

Obviously take precautions against shock.

A tag line for life!!!

Will do and revert. Thanks

karlitob

fiacha wrote: »

Have you checked the connections on the other end of the cable run ?

Not very knowledgeable with electrics - but do you mean the switch or the connections in the next luminaire.

karlitob

Lenar3556 wrote: »

Unlikely to be anything other than a cable short, potentially within the fitting itself.

If you disconnect just the live conductor from the fitting and switch on the light switch does it trip?

If not connect it again and see does it work before you screw it back up again.

Obviously take precautions against shock.

Took the live out, flicked the switch - tripped.

What does that mean?

(I do like learning about these things)


Oh and I might be dreaming it but the switch seems stiffer after it first tripped. Probably imagining it.

Chawosfski

karlitob wrote: »

Took the live out, flicked the switch - tripped.

What does that mean?

(I do like learning about these things)


Oh and I might be dreaming it but the switch seems stiffer after it first tripped. Probably imagining it.

They go stiff after they switch a short circuit

What you're describing seems odd, like you've shorted the cable with a screw

Presumably the switch wasn't taped up and wasn't shorting before now

meercat

karlitob wrote: »

Oh and I might be dreaming it but the switch seems stiffer after it first tripped. Probably imagining it.

When the trip switch shorted the contacts on the light switch arced causing this

punisher5112

Loose connection or neutral fault or damaged cable.

meercat

Try disconnecting the light completely and put the wires in connector blocks.
Switch on and see does anything trip
It may be a faulty light fitting as others have said.

Chawosfski

meercat wrote: »

Try disconnecting the light completely and put the wires in connector blocks.
Switch on and see does anything trip
It may be a faulty light fitting as others have said.

He said he disconnected the switched live

meercat

Chawosfski wrote: »

He said he disconnected the switched live

He may have disconnected the live(brown cable )but it’s possibly reversed polarity

Chawosfski

meercat wrote: »

He may have disconnected the live(brown cable )but it’s possibly reversed polarity

Possibility but not highly likely

Lenar3556

karlitob wrote: »

Took the live out, flicked the switch - tripped.

What does that mean?

(I do like learning about these things)


Oh and I might be dreaming it but the switch seems stiffer after it first tripped. Probably imagining it.

Suggests that the live wire going from the switch to the fitting is shorted to either neutral or earth. A damaged cable probably.

karlitob

Chawosfski wrote: »

They go stiff after they switch a short circuit

What you're describing seems odd, like you've shorted the cable with a screw

Presumably the switch wasn't taped up and wasn't shorting before now

Nope. I had the live and neutral in a terminal block and the earth was in a brass block. It was what was left of the last fitting. But as I say - nothing on it for 10 years. Just hanging there. And no shorting at all. There’s a bathroom light, 2 utility lights, 4 kitchen leds, and a 12v 1m led strip, 2 small under cabinet tubes and then light on the ring.

Only the led strip - which I’ve now disconnected - and this fitting are on this switch.

I suppose I can take down the fitting and have a better look at all connections.

karlitob

Chawosfski wrote: »

Possibility but not highly likely

There’s only 3 wires - the live, the neutral and unsheathed (which I presume is the earth). Not sure there’s a switched live. See pic.

karlitob

Lenar3556 wrote: »

Suggests that the live wire going from the switch to the fitting is shorted to either neutral or earth. A damaged cable probably.

Thanks.

Why do you think this wasn’t this a problem with the last light I put in.

meercat

karlitob wrote: »

Only the led strip - which I’ve now disconnected - and this fitting are on this switch.

.

And how was the led strip connected

Lenar3556

karlitob wrote: »

Thanks.

Why do you think this wasn’t this a problem with the last light I put in.

Might be just after happening. Live to earth (that bare conductor which you should place a sleeve over) is the most likely issue - my guess would be it’s touching the brown at or close to the fitting. It’s easy to put a screw up through the cable too.

karlitob

meercat wrote: »

And how was the led strip connected

Mains to 12v transformer to 2.1mm Jack to stripe. Now disconnected at the Jack.

karlitob

Lenar3556 wrote: »

Might be just after happening. Live to earth (that bare conductor which you should place a sleeve over) is the most likely issue - my guess would be it’s touching the brown at or close to the fitting. It’s easy to put a screw up through the cable too.

Thanks for that. What do you think from the pic. They don’t look to be touching.

When I unscrewed the live - and I pulled it right out of the way - it still tripped.

I did sink new holes but there’s no change in the slack on the wire - it’s stiff, there’s not much pull on it but it’s the same as before I went at it.

I really don’t think I went through it. There’s only plasterboard, drilled my holes, in with my plugs and then screws.

If I did hit it, what’s the fix. Would taking out the screw work?

meercat

karlitob wrote: »

Mains to 12v transformer to 2.1mm Jack to stripe. Now disconnected at the Jack.

Disconnect the led completely (put cables in connector blocks)

Reconnect spot light (don’t screw it up)

Switch it on

This will help identify which light is the issue

karlitob

Not sure how useful this is but the fixture does work.

And just checked again - I didn’t hit the wire. No where near it.

karlitob

meercat wrote: »

Disconnect the led completely (put cables in connector blocks)

Reconnect spot light (don’t screw it up)

Switch it on

This will help identify which light is the issue

I won’t screw it up!

(I’m sure it’s a very old electricians joke but I enjoyed it)

karlitob

meercat wrote: »

Disconnect the led completely (put cables in connector blocks)

Reconnect spot light (don’t screw it up)

Switch it on

This will help identify which light is the issue

Did that. Still popped.

Chawosfski

karlitob wrote: »

Did that. Still popped.

Don't like to see those:

No sleeving on the cpc(earth), non rcd protected circuit most likely

Twisting the solids in the other pic

karlitob

Chawosfski wrote: »

Don't like to see those:

No sleeving on the cpc(earth), non rcd protected circuit most likely

Twisting the solids in the other pic

Completely new rewire 10 years ago.

Would I not have an rcd protected circuit?

Chawosfski

karlitob wrote: »

Completely new rewire 10 years ago.

Would I not have an rcd protected circuit?

Not on the lites 10 yrs ago

No sleeving or rcd is not a great combination in general

Twisting solids is a bad habit , they tend to break

karlitob

Chawosfski wrote: »

Not on the lites 10 yrs ago

No sleeving or rcd is not a great combination in general

Twisting solids is a bad habit , they tend to break

Well I had many problems with the electrician. Many!

Are you saying that the absence of a sleeve is causing it to short on the hot?

How do I - or even can I - put an rcd in? Am I right in saying that the rcd is a form of protection in the event of shorting? If so, is it not already shorting and tripping thereby protecting me.

What do you suggest?

Chawosfski

karlitob wrote: »

Well I had many problems with the electrician. Many!

Are you saying that the absence of a sleeve is causing it to short on the hot?

How do I - or even can I - put an rcd in?

What do you suggest?

No it's just bad practice and against regulations

Rcds , sure you can call a Rec and the best option is to fit rcbos
(Recs probably not interested in this type of work ,too much risk of comeback)

If you're concerned call a Rec about the installation