Vibrating fixtures

[EndlessNites]

Hi,

I had some metal chandelier light fittings installed by an electrician 15 years ago (1 ceiling light in the dining room and 2 wall lights and ceiling light in living room).  For a while now I can feel a vibration from the ceiling light in the dining room when touched lightly, as if there is a charge running through it.  It vibrates whether on or off at the wall switch.  I've checked the fitting and wall switch for loose wires and the earth.

I noticed it in both my living room wall lights last week too but the vibration stops when switched off at the wall.  1 has a stronger vibration than the other, they run off a 2 gang wall switch with the main living room ceiling light which doesn't vibrate (not at a level that I can feel anyway).  I'd taken one of the wall lights down to change, then didnt like the new light so put it back up ..I'm not 100% sure if they were both vibrating before but the 1 I didn't touch vibrates too.  I've also checked this switch for loose wires and earthing.

Today I've plugged in a Innr striplight, put it in an aluminium diffuser and that is also vibrating slightly.  I've noticed it on the metal casing on the back of my TiVo box too.

Is this just normal or is my house wiring dodgy?   I'm starting to replace my lights with smart bulbs so they will be permanently switched on but I'm switching them off at the moment incase something is wrong.

Thanks.

 

[Andy™]

if youre concerned then get someone in to check it. cant do that on the internet

 

[ProDave]

By "vibrating" (which most of us mean to be physically moving rapidly) do you really mean you are getting a tingle or something like a slight electric shock if you touch any metal parts?

Definitely get an electrician to do some tests if you really think you are getting some form of electric shock.

 

[EndlessNites]

I'm definitely going to get it checked out.  I'm not getting any tingling or shocks it just feels like a buzzing on my fingertips if I run them over it slightly and stops if I hold it. I have some metal light switches and sockets etc and they are fine.

 

[Geoff1946]

 Vibration?  As in discernible mechanical movement?  Is it audible?  

Sorry if this appears sceptical, but the only time I've ever seen real vibration in a lighting system was in a church where someone "updating" the installation had put all the live feeds in one conduit and the returns from a switch panel in another.   Several kW lighting load created vibration.

As said, if you are feeling an electrical tingle then have your installation checked urgently! 

If you have a neon tester type electrician's screwdriver see if it glows at all. If it does, have your installation checked even more urgently.

 

[EndlessNites]

Thanks for all the replies, not audible no. I've just tried testing with a mains voltage screwdriver and that was okay, no glow.

 

[Evans Electric]

I'm thinking , like the others , that you're feeling a small current .  Wondering if the lighting  Earth has dropped off somewhere .  Did the neon screwdriver light up then faded out at all ?  

 

[rapparee]

Thanks for all the replies, not audible no. I've just tried testing with a mains voltage screwdriver and that was okay, no glow.

Have you recently changed your light switches from pvc to a new fancy chrome or brass?

The tingling is a slight electrical charge. I'd guess like @Evans Electricthat the earth is not complete. You could have an earth wire connected to the lights and to the switches but it literally goes nowhere. It doesn't go back to earth.

 

[ProDave]

The house I am working on this week had the lighting wired spider fashion.  They seem to have connected the CPC to the light fittings, but all the switch drops, the CPC is just cut off and not terminated at the junction box.  Why would someone do that?

 

[Murdoch]

They seem to have connected the CPC to the light fittings, but all the switch drops, the CPC is just cut off and not terminated at the junction box.  Why would someone do that?

Similar for me. Recently I was doing a series of "fixes" and on the upstairs lighting (cable current colours so post 2003) some of the CPC's were connected, some weren't, some were cut off and all going back to 1950's twin (no earth) cable. 

Odd to say the least, but now the feed is new T&E and they have earth continuity to all the switches and lights and fans

Not sure if its a sign of lazy spark, builder work or DIY or a combination of all 3