ChatterBank0 min ago
Ceiling Light Being Weird - Any Ideas?
27 Answers
A few days ago, I bought a ceiling light from one of the Moroccan shops in The Lanes.
It's like a chandelier style. Bronze coloured metal, with seven chains. on each chain, there is a multi faceted glass shade. So (this is the relevant bit), seven bulbs altogether.
The wiring seemed really simple. My pal and I gave it a go.
When I took off the old light, there was a plastic circular thing. On the plastic circular thing, there was a plastic strip, with electrical connectors. There were several thick wires coming out of the ceiling, screwed into these electrical connectors.
The old ceiling light just had two wires (the Brown Live wire, and the Blue Neutral wire), screwed into the two outside connectors on the plastic strip.
Looked simple. Sooo ...
The new light also has the same two wires. We attached the wires from the new light in the same way. The new Brown wire, where the old Brown wire had come from. And the new Blue wire, where the old Blue wire had come from.
And it worked. But ... (here's the problem) ...
When I switch the light OFF, one of the bulbs keeps glowing (but very dimly).
If I start to unscrew the glowing bulb, it fades, and a couple of the other bulbs start to glow.
Could it be a wiring problem? Have we done something wrong?
The new light is quite heavy (it took both of us to hold it up). To support the weight, we cut a wire coat hanger, bent it around a piece of wood in the hole in the ceiling, and bent the other end into a hook. We hung the new light from this hook. Could this metal coat hanger be part of the problem? We don't think it was touching against any bare wires.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
J x
It's like a chandelier style. Bronze coloured metal, with seven chains. on each chain, there is a multi faceted glass shade. So (this is the relevant bit), seven bulbs altogether.
The wiring seemed really simple. My pal and I gave it a go.
When I took off the old light, there was a plastic circular thing. On the plastic circular thing, there was a plastic strip, with electrical connectors. There were several thick wires coming out of the ceiling, screwed into these electrical connectors.
The old ceiling light just had two wires (the Brown Live wire, and the Blue Neutral wire), screwed into the two outside connectors on the plastic strip.
Looked simple. Sooo ...
The new light also has the same two wires. We attached the wires from the new light in the same way. The new Brown wire, where the old Brown wire had come from. And the new Blue wire, where the old Blue wire had come from.
And it worked. But ... (here's the problem) ...
When I switch the light OFF, one of the bulbs keeps glowing (but very dimly).
If I start to unscrew the glowing bulb, it fades, and a couple of the other bulbs start to glow.
Could it be a wiring problem? Have we done something wrong?
The new light is quite heavy (it took both of us to hold it up). To support the weight, we cut a wire coat hanger, bent it around a piece of wood in the hole in the ceiling, and bent the other end into a hook. We hung the new light from this hook. Could this metal coat hanger be part of the problem? We don't think it was touching against any bare wires.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
J x
Answers
Best Answer
No best answer has yet been selected by joggerjayne. Once a best answer has been selected, it will be shown here.
For more on marking an answer as the "Best Answer", please visit our FAQ.If a light fitting is a Class II appliance then it is double insulated and does not require an earth connection:
https:/ /en.wik ipedia. org/wik i/Appli ance_cl asses#C lass_II
The lights I recently fitted to my daughter's living room were of this sort.
https:/
The lights I recently fitted to my daughter's living room were of this sort.
Quite right Etch. Many electrical chandeliers are indeed "double insulated".
Unfortunately, many aren't.
JJ... look for the "double insulated" symbol anywhere on the fitting.
It's simply a square within another square.
https:/ /www.go ogle.co m/searc h?q=dou ble+ins ulated+ symbol& amp;rlz =1C1CHZ N_enGB9 35GB935 &so urce=ln ms& tbm=isc h&s a=X& ;ved=2a hUKEwiB 3rn_ztD wAhXNOc AKHZgMB U4Q_AUo AnoECAE QBA& ;biw=13 44& bih=726
Unfortunately, many aren't.
JJ... look for the "double insulated" symbol anywhere on the fitting.
It's simply a square within another square.
https:/
-- answer removed --
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