Some help with wiring please.

[tomsutton529]

Hi Folks,

Before Xmas I made a new light for the dining room, its 7 bulbs coming down from a box, it looked lovely until this morning, none of the bloody bulbs work... One has clearly blown but im at a loss as to why the others wont work with one bulb out..

Before this light was fitted there was just a single bulb going to the ceiling rose, So twin and earth come from the ceiling rose to the lamp holder...... I took the twin and earth to a junction box, Live into one block, neutral into another block, earth into another, each block had three remaining terminals which I ran down to each of the new lamp holders, I then ran another twin an earth from the ceiling rose to another junction and did the same.. Everything is well within the ratings..

Do dimmer switches have a fuse in them??????

I can draw a diagram if needed..

 

[brightspark]

a simple test can be made at each point using a bulb a lampholder and a couple of pieces of flex. touch the ends of the flex on the live and neutral feed along the circuit. if it lights up theres power there if not look further back . as for the dimmer they sometimes are damaged if a bulb blows . just disconnect it and couple the 2 switchwires together and if it -lights up theres -your problem. just be carefull though don't get a shock

 

[tomsutton529]

I had a feeling you would be the first to reply. Im going to get my multi meter out the van later. I was just making sure I hadn't done anything to stupid with the wiring.

What breaks in the dimmer switches? I am trying my very best to avoid a trip to B&Q to get another dimmer switch..

 

[voipio]

It's usually the triac that goes in the dimmer switches when a bulb blows. That said, I probably had about 10 bulbs blow in one fitting over quitea few years before the dimmer took a hit.

The triacs are cheap enough to make it worthwhile replacing them.

 

[tomsutton529]

Put normal switch on and everything is back to normal. B&Q are being a pain about replacing the switch so any recommendations on what dimmers are good.