Light fitting wiring help

[Bonita]

My hallway ceiling light has stopped working checked connections the permanent live still has power but the switched live is showing no power nothing has tripped all other lights work fine it just stopped. Does anyone have any idea why it just stopped and if there is anything I can do. Any advice would be grateful. Does it look like I will have to rip up floor etc?
Thanks

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[ProDave]

Most likely a faulty switch or loose connection behind the switch. Less likely is broken cable somewhere.

 

[Bonita]

There is power going to the light switch I just can’t understand how it just stopped?

 

[poni]

is there power at both sides of the switch

 

[Bonita]

Yes power at both sides of switch no power on the switched live from ceiling if makes sense

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

It could be that the light fitting itself has failed...
Some of these modern LED's / Fittings can be a bit temperamental at times.

Could be broken connection at the next light fitting along the circuit..
Have you changed any other fittings recently?

What are you using to verify a voltage is present..? Some DIY testing devices can be a bit hit and miss!!

Does you tester need two probe connections to give AC voltage indication?
i.e. does it need a reference neutral or earth to measure a Live...

(Also remember if you are reading between two Live conductors {e.g. a switched & permanent live} both at 230v this will show as near Zero volts potential difference... although power is there on both conductors).

Have you verified the switch contacts open/close with a suitable continuity tester?

I would probably start with doing a bit of dead testing of continuity from the consumer unit to this and adjacent light fittings and switches..

 

[ProDave]

Yes power at both sides of switch no power on the switched live from ceiling if makes sense

If that really is true you have switched live out of the switch but it does not reach the light, then there must be a break in the cable.

Time for the question, have you done ANY and yes I mean ANY work recently?

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

My hallway ceiling light has stopped working

What happens if you take the light down, connect a flex and plug to it and plug it in?

 

[monkey5]

Where are you testing to say there is/isnt power and with what are you testing? I'd bypass the switch for starters to rule the switch out.

 

[Bob23]

What happens if you take the light down, connect a flex and plug to it and plug it in?

That’ll probs fix the light not working issue. Guess if the flex is long enough the OP can hang it where they like after

 

[Bonita]

Can anyone help me on where the wires go from ceiling into new light fitting?
One grey cable has red blue yellow with red sleeve and an earth wire
One grey cable has red black and earth wire
One grey cable has red and black wire
I have put photos on here the last picture is of new light fitting it has a brown wire earth wire and a blue wire where do all those wires go?
Any help or advice would be appreciated
Can anyone tell me where these wires go into new light fitting one grey cable has a red blue yellow with red sleeve and an earth wire another grey cable has a red black and earth and the other grey has a red and a black wire I have put pictures the last one is new light

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[Fleeting]

I assume there is an extract fan in the room.

 

[Bonita]

No it’s for a hallway ceiling light

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I assume there is an extract fan in the room.

Or possibly a two-way switched light?

@Bonita The key photo we a missing is the one of the original fitting before you removed the old light..

It would probably be easier to connect the new light if you can re-terminate the existing wiring into a suitable junction box..

Without a suitable test meter there would be a bit of guess-work around which colours have been used for each of the various light functions:-

Permanent Live
Neutral
and Switched Live

 

[Bonita]

I’m so confused just don’t know why there so many wires

 

[ProDave]

I’m so confused just don’t know why there so many wires

Well, if only you had made some notes, taken some photos etc of how it was wired before you disconnected the old light, you would be a lot less confused.

Seriously, the best bet is call an electrician, he will know how to do the tests to determine what is what and have it re connected quickly. The forum can only help so much and any such help will take time and you will be without lights while you try and figure out what would have been so easy if only yo had taken notes how it was wired.

 

[monkey5]

I’m so confused just don’t know why there so many wires

That's not really a lot of wires, but you've made it alot harder not taking a before picture. Were the 2 reds always together in the choc block.
With out seeing it before and a total guess I'd say all the reds together, the yellow is the switched live and the blue want to go with the blacks but a total guess. Both red and black cables should have an earth.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

I’m so confused just don’t know why there so many wires

If this is the case then the safest, quickest and probably most cost efficient solution is to call a local electrician to come and test, identify and reconnect to get everything working.
I would think a standard 1hour call-out charge would be plenty of time to identify and re-fix your light fitting.
(Someone very local to you may be willing to do a half-hour charge if they have minimal travel and/or can call in between jobs / on way home. )

The basic concept of lighting is quite easy...
[1] a permanent live supply from a consumer unit goes to a light switch..
[2] a switched live from the light switch goes to the light fitting...
[3] a neutral wire from the light fitting goes back to the consumer unit..
[4] earth wires are connected from the consumer unit to all accessory points on the circuit..

And to just supply one light all you need is a switched live, neutral and earth. Three wires, which is why you quite rightly are confused why there are so many wires?

But...
things can get a bit more complicated where multiple switches can operate the same light...
and/or other lights on the same circuit have their supplies looped (connected) from either lights or switch that you are trying to replace..

So often there can appear to be far more cables and wires than you need just to work the one light fitting you are trying to replace..

Also.. whilst there are industry recognised colours that should be used to identify the functions of various wires..
It is also common to find previous alteration work has been done without using the correct coloured cable identification...
(I have seen numerous jobs in the past with DIY lighting alterations using totally wrong colours.. )

So although I may have a few assumptions about what each of your cables are doing...
I ALWAYS work on the assumption that everything is wrong/faulty until you have proved otherwise..

And as electricity can start fires, and electrocute people... I would not recommend guessing at which wires go where....
( If you do get it wrong you could damage a switch by creating a direct short circuit across it..
and I do hope you haven't already tried just joining the cables up and switching the power back on?)

So it really does need a bit of testing BEFORE attempting to reconnect and re-energise the circuit..

If you don't have any test gear.. and/or don't know how to use it..
It is very difficult for anyone of us here to offer a quick or simple solution for you.

e.g.
The yellow with red sleeve is possibly a permanent or switched live?
One of your blacks could also be an un-sleeved switched live?
The Blue could be a neutral... Or an un-sleeved switched live?
The Reds.. may/or may not all be permanent lives?

If I was physically there with my test gear it wouldn't be too difficult to identify exactly what is what!!

Even if you do know exactly which wires need to go where..
You will probably need some additional / different terminal connectors as most modern light fittings do NOT come with terminals with capacity suitable to accommodate many common UK wiring methods / practices.

Sorry I cannot just say to you put wires 'A', 'B' & 'C' into terminals 'X', 'Y' & 'Z'. and it will all be good!!!

 

[Mike P]

Is there a second light fitting in the hall? If so, probably Black and blue together, Red and Yellow with red sleeve together and the two earths together. Those three connect to the light.

 

[Bonita]

Can anyone tell me why 1 of the permanent live wires coming from ceiling to go into light fitting have no power? It hasn’t tripped my electricity and all other lights and sockets are working fine any idea what could be causing this I’ve tested wire no power is it something simple? Nothing has tripped in fuse box.
Any help would be great

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