Light stays on and 'waves' without power

[Patrick McCann]

Hi

I had a guy out to replace my bathroom cord a few weeks ago.

Before he came, my cord turned my light and fan on. The fan has a second switch and outlet in my utility room. Everything worked perfectly.

Now, when I turn on my fan in the utility room, it turns on the fan in both rooms as it always did, but now it turns on my bathroom light too. Pulling the cord has no effect. Also, when I turn my light off, on most but not all occasions, the light which is round, emits a very dim wave like light for a prolonged time.

The only piece of equipment that he touched was the cord fitting. Any ideas for a fix?

Thanks in advance.

Patrick

 

[Manator]

Hi Patrick and welcome to the forum. I would suggest that you get the electrician back and fix your problem. I am, as are all forum members, not in full knowledge of your particular installation so could not assume anything other than it does not work how it should.

If your electrician is a member of an organisation like the NICEIC,Elesca,Stroma or any other scheme provider under Part P of the buildings regulations they have a duty of care to react to complaints and rectify any faults.

It would appear that your electrician did something wrong, but it would be foolish of myself to say he does not know what he is doing, as I do not know him or his qualifications, and, we all from time to time make mistakes.

Get him back to sort it out, it should not cost you anything.

 

[Andy™]

could be a genuine mistake been made when it was changed. get them back to fix it

 

[Murdoch]

Did he not do any functional testing?

 

[Blue Duck]

One thing that caught me out once was that in older coucil properties where the toilet was separate from the bathroom the bathroom / toilet lights / fan were wired to Double Pole pull cord switch.

Did I have a DP pull cord that would fit a conduit box... No. Are they like rocking horse poo... yes.

In this instance I used a shower switch an a suface box but it was awkward and fiddly to do, not what you need when the walls are black with mould and the bathroom hany been cleaned for 30 years.

since then I have had countless jobs along the lines of an 'electrician' replaced the switch and now the toilet light comes on at the same time.

this may not be the situation here but demonstrates the 5 P's.

PROPER PLANNING PREVENTS PISSPOOR PERFORMANCE.

:coffee

 

[kerching]

I fully concur with the musings of the Blue Duck

two,rooms with a common fan which is controlled by a light in each room

 

[Patrick McCann]

Thanks for the replies so far, folks.

He may not be registered. I found him on gumtree.

He is coming back to give it another go but I don't know how good or bad he will be.

In his defence, I forgot to tell him about the fact that it controlled a fan in a utility room so his pull cord test, for all intents  and purposes, was enough.

One last thing. Blue Duck mentioned the switch on the fitting which got me thinking.

The pull cord mechanism that he was replacing had a little non illuminating red light on it. The one that I bought to replace it, did not. And he did mention that the internal working on it were wrong. 

 

[Andy™]

sounds a lot like ducky may be correct and your 'electrician' hasnt noticed that its wired different from a normal switch for a reason

 

[Murdoch]

Thanks for the replies so far, folks.

He may not be registered. I found him on gumtree.

He is coming back to give it another go but I don't know how good or bad he will be.

In his defence, I forgot to tell him about the fact that it controlled a fan in a utility room so his pull cord test, for all intents  and purposes, was enough.

One last thing. Blue Duck mentioned the switch on the fitting which got me thinking.

The pull cord mechanism that he was replacing had a little non illuminating red light on it. The one that I bought to replace it, did not. And he did mention that the internal working on it were wrong. 

Good feedback. I am sure when you explain / show the issue it will be sorted in a matter of minutes.

 

[ProDave]

He may not be registered. I found him on gumtree.

The pull cord mechanism that he was replacing had a little non illuminating red light on it. The one that I bought to replace it, did not. And he did mention that the internal working on it were wrong. 

You don't need to be registered with anyone to do a like for like replacement.

Do you have the old switch still? if so post a picture of it.

 

[Evans Electric]

Sounds like a genuine mistake to me ............. most of us would assume a basic connection with light /fan  but not connected with another room .

 

[Patrick McCann]

@ProDave, I don't have the old fitting. It was binned at the time of the replacement. These are pic of old and new though. The one with red lamp cover was the old one. 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bathroom+fan+light+cord&client=ms-android-orange-gb&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiu57ql7aXMAhWCIMAKHf4LD1YQ_AUICCgC&biw=360&bih=559&dpr=3#tbm=isch&q=bathroom+fan+light+pull&imgrc=rzlot9chvqCvDM%3A

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=bathroom+light+lamp&client=ms-android-orange-gb&biw=360&bih=264&prmd=sivn&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiYrevK8qXMAhVlF8AKHQFcBG8Q_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=bathroom+cord+fitting+&imgrc=qq3hEnPtFzkuaM%3A

 

[ProDave]

The one with the red light is a shower switch and will be 2 pole. I think this pretty much confirms Blue Duck's theory in post ID 5 that it needs a 2 pole switch.

 

[Andy™]

Sounds like a genuine mistake to me ............. most of us would assume a basic connection with light /fan  but not connected with another room .

yes, but as soon as its taken down it should be obvious that its been wired different and most likely for a reason

 

[ProDave]

yes, but as soon as its taken down it should be obvious that its been wired different and most likely for a reason

At which point a decent spark would have to tell the customer he needs to go and get the right part before he can do the job.

 

[Andy™]

exactly. its not a common way of wiring them and i doubt many keep DP light switches so would be either leave and come back with DP switch, or fit normal SP switch on the light if need be, then come back with DP switch at a later date

 

[Blue Duck]

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/MK3151.html

 

[kerching]

I must confess that i did the same the first time i encountered one, just finished my apprenticeship so I knew EVERYTHING...until,the office got the phone call,the following day!