Home electrical problem - advice needed

[Spock]

This morning our lighting circuit developed a problem. When you flick the lights on incandescent globes only glow dimly and fluorescent and energy savers don't come on at all. What could be the problem?

Obviously I am going to have to call an electrician but I just wanted to get a bit of an idea first.

Thanks in advance.

[Viper]

mine was due to a few cracks in the roof tiles I didn't know about and water had leaked in and inside the globes ... caused the lights to not come on at full capacity etc.

[Spock]

water had leaked in and inside the globes ... .

In my case none of my lights (which I know are on a separate circuit to the power points) work properly.

btw - we just had pink batts roof insulation installed two weeks ago. Maybe that has something to do with it?

[Desmo]

Yeah,something has been knocked loose.

[Professor Redfern]

I hate to state the obvious because I know you're a smart guy but just in case its not a brown out its it?

[g0zer]

can you drop a phase on 3 wire single phase AC?

what kind of fuse box do you have? contact breakers or old school wire?

if contactors, can you identify the contactor that isolates the lighting circuit and toggle it, give it a hose out with contact cleaner?

[Spock]

I hate to state the obvious because I know you're a smart guy but just in case its not a brown out its it?

I guess you could describe it as a 'brown out'.

[Captain Starfish]

A connector has most likely been knocked loose - probably up there. Somewhere, I'd imagine a wiring joint is getting _very_ hot. Recommend you leave those lights switched off until you can get a sparky out there.

[g0zer]

A connector has most likely been knocked loose - probably up there. Somewhere, I'd imagine a wiring joint is getting _very_ hot. Recommend you leave those lights switched off until you can get a sparky out there.

fire is a concern.. but if he has a short causing voltage drop why isnt his RCD or breakers tripping?

[Fat Pat]

Sounds like a brown out to me too. If you're only on single phase, then check the operation of other devices TV/Fridge. Fridges REALLY hate brown-outs, so if it is that, turn off all devices that use a motor (A/C washing machine etc) and restore when the power comes good. If you're three-phase see what's happening on the other phases, as only one may have gone down low.

Otherwise, if you suspect it's related to the installation of insulation, get a sparky out mate, tell them what's happened and then send the bill to the insulation people. Probably a good idea to inform the insulation people now as to what's happening.

Most house fires are caused by electrical faults like this I gather

[likefry]

I've had the same thing happen to me during a brown out.

A few hours later its all good. Call western power and ask them whats going on?

[Spock]

fire is a concern.. but if he has a short causing voltage drop why isnt his RCD or breakers tripping?

Our house is old (dates back to the 30s) I know the power point circuit was rewired and fitted with an RCD recently but not the lights (which I believe may have been rewired in the 70s or 80s).

[g0zer]

im guessing spock has a multimeter, its easy to check if its a brown out. test voltage of incomming at fuse box with lights breaker open/off (or fuse pulled).

test voltage again with fuse back in.. and now you know which side the problem is on.

[Spock]

Power points work as normal so it can't be a brown out.

[ButtNekid]

this is amazing, I am in Bayswater and I have the exact same problem this morning, half the down lights in the back of the house are not working, those on three separate light switches in the back room. The rest of the house is fine.

I simply shrugged and said ill call a sparky when I get home and will deal with it then.

Maybe they will start to work again cos of this 'brown out'.....

If not any sparkies on here want a coff* after work beer at my place?