Upstairs Lights Suddenly Stopped Working

Ben1989

Hi all,

A few months ago our upstairs lights suddenly stopped working overnight. We left the bathroom light on as we always do and woke up to the circuit tripped and (i think) with a RCCB tripped. 

Flicked them back on and all was good. Two days later it happened again. No obvious 'cause' (eg. no cutting out from flicking a switch). Just the circuit this time.

I've also had it where I went to flick the circuit on and it automatically tripped before I could take my finger off.

Now, when i turn the circuit on no lights come on at all. 

We've been managing fine as upstairs we have lamps in bedrooms and the landing light is connected to the downstairs circuit. But getting dark early now so need to look. All light switches seem to firmly connected. Anybody have any ideas?

We have an electrician due to come but it's over a month before he can come. Would be nice to try suggestions to save the wait and a few bob.

donemedosh

could be a loose wire on one of the switches. Trouble is every one would have to be checked. Anything connected to the upstairs lighting circuit such as a fan or smoke detector as one of these could be the problem. But on a safety issue if you do not know about electrics leave it alone.

Alanp

It’s not something as simple as a blown bulb is it..?

Ben1989

Unfortunately not Alan. They all come on when the circuit is switched on

Yes I’ve the light switches but I haven’t checked the bathroom switch. The only one I haven’t checked

Section62

Ben1989 said:

...the circuit tripped and (i think) with a RCCB tripped. 

Can you confirm that it is only the RCCB (now more commonly called RCD) which is tripping, and not the MCB (for the lighting circuit only)?

If you aren't sure, can you post a picture of your consumer unit and point out which of the trips is tripping?

An RCD (only) tripping would suggest most likely typical causes of either cable damage (e.g. rodent problems) or damp getting where it shouldn't.

A loose connection wouldn't normally be expected to trip an RCD unless it is so bad a wire is now loose and able to touch either 'earthed' metalwork or another terminal/conductor.

Unless you know what you are doing it is a job best left to an electrician, but there are a few basic checks to make to see whether this might be an urgent fault which needs looking at sooner rather than later.

canaldumidi

In your position I'd be phoning a few more sparkies.

47Revisited

The circuit won't come on because a fault still exists. Rodent short circuit in loft, bathroom light/switch/fan problem, faulty circuit breaker..

fenwick458

Ben1989 said:

A few months ago our upstairs lights suddenly stopped working overnight. We left the bathroom light on as we always do and woke up to the circuit tripped and (i think) with a RCCB tripped. 

It's important to state exactly what is tripping.  MCB for the lighting circuit, or RCD?

Ben1989

So firstly the MCB and the RCD tripped. Since I switched everything back on the RCD has not tripped at all since, just the MCB has been tripping. The latest is I switched the MCB back on and the lights do not come on at all whereas previously they did but the MCB remains on and does not trip. However I don't leave it on long enough to check as I switch it off as I imagine it's unsafe to leave it on with the lights not coming on

GDB2222

Most likely is that there’s been a short in the circuit and the wires have now burned out so there’s no longer a circuit at all. 

You might find that by visual inspection, but it might be easier to use one of these
https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ac-non-contact-voltage-detector-pen-1000v-ac/3222g


I agree that leaving it switched off is sensible until it gets fixed.

Section62

Ben1989 said:

So firstly the MCB and the RCD tripped. Since I switched everything back on the RCD has not tripped at all since, just the MCB has been tripping. The latest is I switched the MCB back on and the lights do not come on at all whereas previously they did but the MCB remains on and does not trip. However I don't leave it on long enough to check as I switch it off as I imagine it's unsafe to leave it on with the lights not coming on

Do you have any low voltage (i.e. with a transformer) lighting, extractor fans, or shaver sockets on the same circuit?

Are there any electrical items (e.g. TV amplifiers) plugged in in the loft?