20-01-2008, 15:51
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#1
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Beware - Menopausal.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Unfortunately David Camerons constituency
Age: 52
Services: ? BB, XL Digi TV, basic phone.
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Electrical Help
Needed to replace the bulb holder on a wall light as the fitting was broken & now the lights won't turn off. Fortunately they have their own separate fuse so can be turned off by removing it.
Any ideas as to the problem & a solution please.
TIA
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20-01-2008, 16:06
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#2
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Inactive
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 311
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Re: Electrical Help
I assume that you replaced a connector block that looks something like this?
It sounds like you got some of the wires mixed up... If it's just the light that you've replaced that won't switch off then you've probably just connected the light between the neutral and live instead of neutral and switched. If all of the lights won't switch off then the possibilities are a lot wider. Best to play it safe and call in a sparky!
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20-01-2008, 16:06
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#3
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cf.mega poster
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Mansfield, Notts
Age: 32
Services: Virgin Media Telephone and 60Mb broadband, Sky HD
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Re: Electrical Help
How many wires were there on/behind the fitting? Sounds like you've used a permanent live instead of the switched live from the wall switch(this should be black with a red sleeving/tape around it, not always done though).
To be honest, there is so much risk of personal injury/fire with electrics, I would strongly advise that you get an electrician in.
EDIT: Great minds think alike(r1ch).
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20-01-2008, 23:04
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#4
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Beware - Menopausal.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Unfortunately David Camerons constituency
Age: 52
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Re: Electrical Help
Quote:
Originally Posted by r1ch
I assume that you replaced a connector block that looks something like this?
It sounds like you got some of the wires mixed up... If it's just the light that you've replaced that won't switch off then you've probably just connected the light between the neutral and live instead of neutral and switched. If all of the lights won't switch off then the possibilities are a lot wider. Best to play it safe and call in a sparky! |
Oooh nothing as complicated as that 
Just a 
Which is why I was confused about the switching on & off.
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20-01-2008, 23:31
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#5
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6 months, bad to worse
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Teesside
Posts: 8,298
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Re: Electrical Help
There's nothing in the lamp holder that could cause the light not to turn off, you mention that you pulled the fuse. This seems to say that there on a fused spur, switched or unswitched ? Sounds more like a problem as described by r1ch and Jon T. Have you had any alterations on the circuit ??
Quote:
Originally Posted by r1ch
I assume that you replaced a connector block that looks something like this?
It sounds like you got some of the wires mixed up... If it's just the light that you've replaced that won't switch off then you've probably just connected the light between the neutral and live instead of neutral and switched. If all of the lights won't switch off then the possibilities are a lot wider. Best to play it safe and call in a sparky! |
That is one of the most common problems people have, they forget how it was wired, assume red to red and black to black, great, the light lights, try to turn it off ........... BOOM, dead short seen it all to often.
__________________
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20-01-2008, 23:39
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#6
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Beware - Menopausal.
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Unfortunately David Camerons constituency
Age: 52
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Posts: 6,804
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Re: Electrical Help
All that has changed is one of the lamp fitments because the bayonet fitting broke hence my bewilderment. I will start again tomorrow in daylight & check the connections (maybe they are not properly secure.
Thanks everyone
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20-01-2008, 23:44
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#7
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cf.member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: East London UK
Posts: 91
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Re: Electrical Help
The wall switch could be stuck in the on position. Did you have a short circuit at the lampholder? That would do it when you turn the switch on it will weld the contacts in the "on" position in the wall switch.
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21-01-2008, 00:36
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#8
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Inactive
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Leeds - the dog house
Age: 34
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Re: Electrical Help
Most odd that the light won't turn off - only possible explanation is that you're a really unlucky person and you've two faults that have developed at the same time
Like bop says, the wiring to/from the switch might use red/brown AND blue/black as live. It should be marked with red tape but I've never seen it. Might also have used the earth wire but that would be a very unwise thing to do. So be careful. The wiring up here to the attic uses all manner of types and colours of wiring, and has the creeping green goo issue. Just too many houses that aren't worth the investment.
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21-01-2008, 08:19
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#9
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Beware - Menopausal.
Join Date: Apr 2005
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Age: 52
Services: ? BB, XL Digi TV, basic phone.
Posts: 6,804
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Re: Electrical Help
Quote:
Originally Posted by Octal
The wall switch could be stuck in the on position. Did you have a short circuit at the lampholder? That would do it when you turn the switch on it will weld the contacts in the "on" position in the wall switch.
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That could be the problem  The only wires I ever saw were blue & brown.
Looks like I need a sparks then (changing a lamp holder is one thing dealing with sockets is quite another) 
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