Sparky's advice please!!!

babyangel10

Hi there all you wonderful electricians!

I just need a bit of advice to see whether I've got faulty elecs or spooks!

My lounge and kitchen light fittings both have 3 lights each with 'normal' bulbs and for the past few years (:o ) the bulbs have blown in quite quick succession within a couple of months of being put in. I've tried different brands - expensive and cheap and the same thing happens.

The house is only 8 years old so has a modern fusebox etc, so I'm not sure why or what is causing it to happen. The other downstairs lights are fine.

I have checked the wiring to each fitting and they are both secure and correctly wired.

The only thing I can possibly think of is that some years ago my dim OH knocked a nail into the wall directly above the kitchen light switch and it tripped the elecs, so I'm wondering if that is the prob? It was only a short nail, but long enough to just reach the cabling behind.

Any advice welcomed before I call in the experts! My mother thinks it's her dad trying to contact me from the 'other side'! I wish he'd find an easier and cheaper way TBH - it's costing a fair bit in bulbs!

TIA

PROFESSIONAL_LANDLORD

Not a leccy! but there is only one thing that will cause this =




















CRAP FOREIGN IMPORTED BULBS !

or your gettting 500v from your supplier !:rolleyes:

babyangel10

Thanks for your reply, but like I said, I have used top quality bulbs as well as crap foreign ones (:D) so it must be something else surely?

baldelectrician

The most likely cause is poor lamps.

If it's not that it may be;
Lamp holders or
Loose connection (at consumer unit or in supply)

Try changing the lamps to energy saving ones.

Avoriaz

We have the same problem with bulbs not lasting very long. I think it is more likely to be poor quality bulbs or a poor lamp holder/fitting design that is causing the bulbs to overheat.

A nail through the supply cable should not cause the bulbs to blow but it is potentially dangerous and could cause a fire so you need to get it fixed.

Please note I am not an electrician so treat my comments as the advice of an untrained and unqualified amateur.

LeckieCJ

Hi Tia,

This problem is almost certainly due to the bulbs themselves as others in your house aren't affected. I am assuming you are talking about ordinary bulk standard lightbulbs and that all your downstairs lighting is on the same circuit.

I am guessing that most bulbs are mass-manufactured from the same factories and packaged by different companies accordingly, so there may be no actual difference between brands at all... correct me someone please if I am wrong. Bulbs are temperamental things. :rolleyes:

My parents property had a similar problem when they moved in and they called Southern Electric out to monitor their electrical supply in case they had a intermittent surge in power. Nothing was found. But you may consider this for peace of mind?

Please get your damaged wiring checked out / replaced too as you can't be too careful with electricity... also get the lamp holders checked out to ensure the wires are properly secured in their terminals. Light fitting terminals are very small and it can be difficult to see that the wires are being correctly gripped by their terminal screw. :think:

Other than that, I know a good Medium that could check you out for spooky goings-on.

Regards,

Chris

seletar

I had exactly the same problem with candle lights.I would switch on, normally first thing in the early morning and a bulb would blow.This happened for years
until I fitted the energy efficient lamps instead.Allright, they are heavier and the
light needs getting used to, but no further lamps have blown.

babyangel10

Thanks for all the replies and advice so far - it seems it must definitely be something to do with the bulbs then. Weird cos they are from different shops, but obviously mass produced as another poster said.

Can't imagine both light fittings being faulty as they are from different places too (Ikea and Argos), so new bulbs it is!

Will deffo have to give the low energy ones a whirl I suppose - not a fan of them as a rule cos they seem to take forever to get bright and I always think that if you want instant light then with those type of bulbs you have to switch them on about an hour before you need them which is annoying, but as I'm fed up forever changing the other bleed3rs then I'll try owt.

Right, next stop is to search the net for cheapest price top quality low energy bulbs!

Thanks again

MickMack

You could try taking some of the bulbs from the other rooms in your house and putting them in this room where your having the trouble.

If they blow too then it might be the holders (it unlikely to be the circuit wiring itself i would say) that need replacing.

Just out of curiosity what did "dim OH" do about the nail through the switch wire. He was lucky it didn't make him a little brighter for a few seconds ;-)

babyangel10

:rotfl: If only it did make him brighter! He's such a numpty!

He just pulled it out and patched up the hole where the nail was. It did only just clip the wire, (could tell by the length of the nail) but I might just get it checked out to be safe...or get him to try with a longer nail! hee!hee! :eek:

Good idea about using bulbs from other rooms - why didn't i think of that? :doh:

And I'm supposed to be the intelligent one!

MickMack

Next time he hammers a nail into an electric wire, get him to test the voltage before he pulls it out again.
I would suggest getting it checked out, the fact he tripped the electrics means he went into the wire and so the insulation has gone on at least one of the two wires, this could be a potential fire risk.

Replacing it would be easy for an electrician as he will be able to draw the new wire through the conduit from the switch to the ceiling rose using the old cable (i would think).

As for the other half, by him a pair of rubber shoes and a plastic hammer before you let him nail anything again!!!