Lighting issue

[Swifty67]

I have a fault somewhere on a lighting circuit, when I switch on the lights they try to come on then go off, this can happen in various locations. However if I switch my bathroom light on then they all come back on. I have had an electrician look at it and we are baffled, we thought it may be the breaker on its way out but its not because we tried the circuit on different breakers. My electrician thinks though that the bathroom light is the last light on the circuit after looking at the wiring. One thing he did do which seemed to cure the issue was to wire a piece of cable from the breaker to the light in my lounge, so it was basically dangling from my light back to the board and was visible, this seemed to make things work, however getting a cable to the board from my lounge is going to be a pain. I was wanting to try and find the issue and fix it without too much disruption. If anyone has any thoughts I would really appreciate it. 

 

[Geoff1946]

It sounds to me that there are two things at play. A fault, possibly a broken wire or connection, plus something mis-wired.

I would be tracing and testing each conductor starting from the consumer unit and then concentrating on where the power to the first light is being, "lost", when it's switched on but unlit.

 

[Murdoch]

Did your electrician do 

R1 + R2 

and

 Rn + R2 

tests?

 That’s where I would start

 

[ProDave]

I would be doing R1, R2 and Rn individually with a long wander lead to make more sense of it,.  Sad to say it is probably a case of you need a better electrician more experienced in fault finding.

 

[kerching]

As above BUt did this "fault" suddenly happen or has some work been done"?....even to the extent of drilling a hole in a wall or hanging a picture

 

[ProDave]

As above BUt did this "fault" suddenly happen or has some work been done"?....even to the extent of drilling a hole in a wall or hanging a picture

Yes, if you have done ANYTHING make your electricians life easier and tell him.

The example I quote is when I was investigating a similar fault and had already asked the "any work done" question and been told no.  Eventually I traced the fault to a cable above the kitchen ceiling which was a flat roofed extension.  Only then, did the customer say "oh we had it re roofed last week"

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Sounds like you need a better electrician if they are baffled by a domestic lighting fault....?

Thinking a breaker is on the way out and swapping circuits onto different breakers..

and using bits of dangling live wire to create "fix" are all signs of significant inexperience IMHO..

As Murdoch said...

You need someone to get back to basics and dead-test the circuit between all accessory points back to the consumer unit.

    :coffee

 

[kerching]

Carrying on from the above

if your electrician is baffled by a domestic lighting fault then, in my opinion, he only thinks he is an electrician

 

[Sharpend]

Carrying on from the above

if your electrician is baffled by a domestic lighting fault then, in my opinion, he only thinks he is an electrician

Maybe the guy woke one morning after having a light bulb moment and thought I’m an electrician 

 

[kerching]

Maybe the guy woke one morning after having a light bulb moment and thought I’m an electrician 

Ah yes, "lightbulb moment"

i see what you did there

yes

very good

just saying

anyway to the purists should it not be a light'lamp' moment?

not that I give a rats arrrrrsh, I call then bulbs

 

[binky]

first guess, bathroom light is wired incorrectly. 

 

[kerching]

first guess, bathroom light is wired incorrectly. 

Can't be as it's 'just happened'. And Spark is 'baffled'

Just saying

 

[Sharpend]

Can't be as it's 'just happened'. And Spark is 'baffled'

Just saying

Of course, Mange Tou, the op changed the bathroom light, fault started, electrician called, op forgot to tell electrician of light swap. Electrician baffled and op comes to tinternet for answer to great mystery. 
Bonjour! 

 

[kerching]

Zut alors. Ce n'est pas dificile