Lighting in part of the house down

[HavingTroublePleaseHelpTha]

Hello, firstly I appreciate any help and I'm sorry for asking what is probably an annoying question

A ceiling light bulb blew in my bedroom when I switched it on, it was an old fashioned pearl bulb, no problem happens sometimes, put in a new bulb, didn't work

I checked my fuse box and a switch was down, switched it up, still doesn't work but the switch has stayed up

The switch that was down was for the lighting in the extension part of the house, I checked those lights and none of them work

From what I've described, is there any way to guess what the issue is? 

I can't really afford an electrician atm, this is such a bad time for something to have happened

If it's not obvious what the issue is from what I've described, how would I go about trying to find the fault myself?

It would be a relief if I could diagnose the problem myself, either to try and fix assuming it's something simple like replacing the bulb holder or light fitting which I could watch tutorials for; or if not and I do have to save or borrow to get an electrician I will know it's money that had to be spent

Thanks guys 

 

[Doc Hudson]

Welcome to the forum. Are you sure ALL of the fuse-box switches are UP (ON)? Sometimes an MCB ( the switch fuses in the fuse-box ) may have a dirty contact that does not fully remake the circuit when  you switch it back up after it has tripped 'off . Manually switch it OFF & ON two or three times in-case it is just a dodgy MCB contact.  How old is the house wiring? if it is getting on a bit and you have had no routine inspection done in the past 10 years, then there may be a wiring fault that would probably need a qualified competent person to trace and rectify.

Doc H.

 

[HavingTroublePleaseHelpTha]

Welcome to the forum. Are you sure ALL of the fuse-box switches are UP (ON)? Sometimes an MCB ( the switch fuses in the fuse-box ) may have a dirty contact that does not fully remake the circuit when  you switch it back up after it has tripped 'off . Manually switch it OFF & ON two or three times in-case it is just a dodgy MCB contact.  How old is the house wiring? if it is getting on a bit and you have had no routine inspection done in the past 10 years, then there may be a wiring fault that would probably need a qualified competent person to trace and rectify.

Doc H.

The extension is a good 20+ years old and no there hasn't been any type of inspection I'm sorry to say

I tried turning it on and off a few times also leaving it off for 10 mins and turning back on but to no avail

Sorry if this is stupid but since the light bulb blew, is the likely suspect not the ceiling light fitting? or could it be just as likely anywhere around the circuit 

 

[HavingTroublePleaseHelpTha]

I took a picture of the bulb holder if that's of any relevance, I notice it has a hole that looks like it shouldn't be there, could that be the issue?

 

[Evans Electric]

Yes the right hand pin has blown to bits  so no connection to your lamp .  You need a new lampholder . 

 

[HavingTroublePleaseHelpTha]

Yes the right hand pin has blown to bits  so no connection to your lamp .  You need a new lampholder . 

Would that cause the whole circuit to break and other lights not to work too? 

 

[Badger]

My suspicion could be the fault may have damaged the mcb you would need the meters to test any outgoing power on the mcb to see if power is going outwards as if that lampholders has blown the trip it could have made the mcb faul at source only a test meter will find this 

 

[Murdoch]

If you are going to meddle with the circuit, please be very aware that a fault in the neutral could be the issue .....

 

[HavingTroublePleaseHelpTha]

Thanks for the advice guys 

I totally forgot until I drove past his van today that a neighbour down the street is an electrician, I've talked to him a couple times in the past 10 years, that's friendly enough to ask a favour right?  I know his name at least

I will knock on his door when he is home and ask him to take a look, hopefully will do me a favour at a little cheaper and cash in hand

Would you guys find that rude for a neighbour to knock and ask and offer cash in hand trying to get a little off the normal rate?

 

[Murdoch]

I will knock on his door when he is home and ask him to take a look, hopefully will do me a favour at a little cheaper and cash in hand

Would you guys find that rude for a neighbour to knock and ask and offer cash in hand trying to get a little off the normal rate?

He may not be offended but HMRC do watch us quite closely.....

 

[kerching]

You've not met my neighbours!

they would be charged twice solicitors/doctors/architects/estate agents rates which is already twice the normal rate the only thing they contribute freely  is carbon dioxide

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Thanks for the advice guys 

I totally forgot until I drove past his van today that a neighbour down the street is an electrician, I've talked to him a couple times in the past 10 years, that's friendly enough to ask a favour right?  I know his name at least

I will knock on his door when he is home and ask him to take a look, hopefully will do me a favour at a little cheaper and cash in hand

Would you guys find that rude for a neighbour to knock and ask and offer cash in hand trying to get a little off the normal rate?

Well if this neighbour is just a sole trader like many of us on here, who are not making a fortune, just working hard like most other workers..

To earn a living to support our families and pay our bills each month...

And they have to pay full price for their food, housing and clothing with no reductions for cash....

How do you think they can cover not earning sufficient for their living costs purely for your benefit?

My rates are pretty much standard for everyone irrespective of payment method... (Cash/Cheque/Bank Transfer/Card)..

because that is how I have buy my Food, Fuel, Clothes, tools etc..

The only place reductions apply is for bulk-purchases, (i.e. bigger jobs or more jobs from the same customer).

Small one-off purchases are at standard rate.

Just as Sainsbury's & Tesco's don't reduce the price of my cornflakes if I do cash..

But may be proportionally less if a larger box, or buy-one, Get-one-Free type promotions.

However if the neighbour is an employee of a larger company, who will be getting his monthly salary anyway..

Or the boss of a larger business with a team of staff earning money for him..

Then a bit of work for free is less of a financial burden..

He may be ok to help, But don't be offended if they can't do a "cheap Job" as they may be struggling to pay their bills as well each month...

So it's often better not to set a standard for doing cheap friends & neighbours jobs...

Otherwise everyone starts asking for favours and you end up working for nothing.. But still having all your bills & the Taxman to pay.

Electricians are working with an invisible substance that can kill you or start fires it treated wrong..  And often have to rectify quite major DIY bodge-ups..

Your problem may be a simple fix, or it may need a bit more complex investigations if its the result of other long-term historic patch-ups to the circuit.

This is when it can become tricky if it starts out as a £10 + a pint-of-beer favour....

I have known the surge in current due to a bulb blowing in one light fitting cause a termination at another light fitting on the circuit to melt, causing loss of power.

And/or it can then also get messy removing light fittings to test the wiring only to find a bodged up mess of twisted tape-joint wires and missing earth continuity behind the light fitting  etc.. etc..

:coffee  

 

[HavingTroublePleaseHelpTha]

Great success!

I knocked, asked for help, he came round and tested the fuse(?) in the box and it had no power, there were slots in it not being used so he swapped something around and now everything is working!

He said the box is so old that I wouldn't be able to get replacements so it's lucky there are slots free

I offered to pay him but he kept saying no it's fine it's only 5 minutes

I will write him a thank you card and put some money in it when I can

It's such a relief I had worries of having to pay someone being here for hours tracing things and taking things apart to find the issue 

Thanks for the replies guys

 

[ProDave]

Thanks for letting us know.

Do you really mean Fuse?  Or do you mean circuit breaker (a think that looks a bit like a switch)

Either way it's possible it had failed and you were lucky there was a spare suitable one that he could swap it tol

 

[HavingTroublePleaseHelpTha]

Thanks for letting us know.

Do you really mean Fuse?  Or do you mean circuit breaker (a think that looks a bit like a switch)

Either way it's possible it had failed and you were lucky there was a spare suitable one that he could swap it tol

If was the switch so yes circuit breaker sorry

 

[ProDave]

What make is it? you can still get most old stuff though it can be expensive.

 

[Geoff1946]

Great success!

I knocked, asked for help, he came round and tested the fuse(?) in the box and it had no power, there were slots in it not being used so he swapped something around and now everything is working!

He said the box is so old that I wouldn't be able to get replacements so it's lucky there are slots free

I offered to pay him but he kept saying no it's fine it's only 5 minutes

I will write him a thank you card and put some money in it when I can

It's such a relief I had worries of having to pay someone being here for hours tracing things and taking things apart to find the issue 

Thanks for the replies guys

I tend to think of a nice bottle of red is appropriate in such circumstances. 

 

[Evans Electric]

Nice to get the end of a query ...some are left in mid air.  Glad its sorted.