Lights failed seemingly after heavy rain! Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[iansmusical]

Hello,

Could an electrician please advise me regarding the following?

Following the heavy rain recently my sockets RCD tripped but there is no sign of water anywhere above or below floorboards etc (all my electrical equipment is ok and I wasn't flooded at all). I've since reset the RCD but I'm wondering if it's anything to do with an earth spike in the ground that could have become wet after the rain?

Since the sockets RCD tripping my lights have failed (bungalow) however there is 240v coming out of the lighting fuse (6A) but there isn't any power at the junction boxes in the loft! Any ideas please?

Thank you very much.

Regards,

Ian

[BLAKEY1963]

[quote="iansmusical"]Hello,

Could an electrician please advise me regarding the following?

Following the heavy rain recently my sockets RCD tripped but there is no sign of water anywhere above or below floorboards etc (all my electrical equipment is ok and I wasn't flooded at all). I've since reset the RCD but I'm wondering if it's anything to do with an earth spike in the ground that could have become wet after the rain?

Since the sockets RCD tripping my lights have failed (bungalow) however there is 240v coming out of the lighting fuse (6A) but there isn't any power at the junction boxes in the loft! Any ideas please?

Thank you very much.

Regards,

Ian[/quote]

IAN
TO GIVE AN IDEA OF THE LAYOUT SEE DOC S SECTION ON LIGHTING CIRCUIT LAYOUT.
THE RAIN WOULD HAVE JUST PROVIDED BETTER EARTHING CONDITIONS
AROUND THE AREA OF YOUR EARTH ROD , QUITE PROBALY LOWERING
YOUR EARTH LOOP IMPEADANCE, AND PROVIDING A MORE RELIABLE
PATH TO EARTH.
YOU SAY U HAVE NOT GOT POWER AT JUNCTION BOXES IN LOFT ?
BUT POWER FROM CIRCUIT FUSE.
U OBVIOUSLY HAVE DONE A 240 TEST, SO WITH CAUTION , AS EACH
CABLE LOOP FEED GOES FROM THE FUSE INTO EACH CEILING ROSE / JOINT BOX ( IN YOUR CASE ) , HAVE U GOT A SECURE CONNECTION OF
CONDUCTORS AT EACH POINT WITH 240 V AT EACH LOOP.
IF NOT U HAVE A LOOSE CONNECTION OF SOME SORT OF FAULT.
U MIGHT NEED TO GET SOMEONE IN.
BLAKEY1963

[iansmusical]

Hi Blakey1963,

Thanks very much for your reply! I did wonder about the earth rod as it seems that once the rain had stopped I could successfully reset the sockets RCD without it tripping again.

As for the lights, yes there is 240v on the circuit fuse but interestingly it never tripped, the lights just stopped working! There is a single wire from the fuse into the loft and I've checked 3 junction boxes, all good connections but no power at all. It's as if someone has cut the wire before it reaches the first junction box! :-)

I have since temporarily tried the lighting wire on a spare RCD, to prove the 6A fuse is ok, it is but still no lights!

Thanks again for your help.

Regards,

Ian

[BLAKEY1963]

[quote="iansmusical"]Hi Blakey1963,

Thanks very much for your reply! I did wonder about the earth rod as it seems that once the rain had stopped I could successfully reset the sockets RCD without it tripping again.

As for the lights, yes there is 240v on the circuit fuse but interestingly it never tripped, the lights just stopped working! There is a single wire from the fuse into the loft and I've checked 3 junction boxes, all good connections but no power at all. It's as if someone has cut the wire before it reaches the first junction box! :-)

I have since temporarily tried the lighting wire on a spare RCD, to prove the 6A fuse is ok, it is but still no lights!

Thanks again for your help.

Regards,

Ian[/quote]

IAN
TRY GETTING IN A REGISTERED SPARKY TO PERFORM TESTS TO
FIND PROBLEM. REQUIRE TEST EQUIPMENT AND IT SHOULD NOT COST A GREAT DEAL 4 HIM 2 LOOK.
BLAKEY1963