URGENT HELP PLEASE- lights on one floor wont work, others ok Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[big gus]

Guys, any help much appreciated.

Old Victorian building set over three floors, a dozen bedrooms. Ground floor and 2nd floor absolutely fine.... all of a sudden the four bedrooms lights on 1st floor aren't working. (shaver lights in each ensuite WORK and so do lamps and small lights fixed on wall over bed.)

It's just the MAIN ceiling lights that are out in all five 1st floor bedrooms (and two in hallway directly outside.)

Anyway - found the boards.... there are two....neither of them had tripped....

Took the fronts off and there are 8 switches on each board.... each labelled...'ground floor lights'....'1st floor rear'....etc etc..... so I made sure I located the one saying '1st floor bedrooms'..... the fuse wire was ok on that one but - strangely - it had been broken on one next to it.... anyway, I carefully replaced the wire on the faulty one with the new (correct size) wire... I still thought it strage that none of the switches had tripped???

Anyway, turned switched it all on again ran upstairs and STILL none of the main bedroom lights work. And, yes, I have tried changing the bulbs

IT'S DRIVING ME MAD!!!! Can anybody PLEASE tell me what on earth is wrong???

Kind regards,
Gus

[sparx]

Hi, not sure which switches you refer to as not tripped?
Since you have rewireable fuses boards must be old, main switch on board is either an isolator which can't trip or possibly an RCD which only trip on earth faults, so again may not trip.
Most likely problem (assuming the fuse is actually ok, easy to break when tightening screw) is a loose wire in first light on circuit.
Imagine you are running the circuit cable in from fuse board to lights and see which way it would run, this may give a clue as to which one is first.
Do any other lights work on that fuse, if not suspect fuse, if some do look at last working one and first non-working one for loose wire.
Try swapping fuses with another lighting fuse as quick check on fuse.
all else fails you will need some professional help from leckie with test gear and knowledge to use it,
TAKE CARE if checking for loose wires to isolate supply first,
regards Sparx

[moger4]

get yourself a non contact tester , safety first , im thinking it sounds like you have two fuses for every cct , this sounds like you have fused neutrals which suggests this is in urgent need of a rewire !

[moggy1968]

don't assume the MCBs or fuses are labelled correctly.
It may be you have lost A wire to one of your lights (either the live or neutral) which means every light from that point on won't work.
I am slightly confused though by your post as you say you have replaced the fuse wire but you are suprised the switches haven't tripped. do you have mixed boards or do you mean something else?