Do I need a sparky?

[binkylilyput]

So the main light in my living room has stopped working. Tried 2 bulbs, no joy. Maybe the occasional flicker. The wires look a bit dangly (that's my professional term for it).

Is this easily sortable or do I need to call out an electrician? I'd like to have a go myself but I'm a bit afraid of electricity........is this warranted in this case?

Or could a handy man do the job?

[KidKruger]

depends on the problem.

could be the connections loose in the bulb holder OR the ceiling rose, in which case dead easy to fix as long as you can unscrew (to separate) the bulb holder/ceiling rose. Both have two connections for the live and neutral wires, could be these just need re-attaching/tightening up.

you'll need to be able to isolate the lights for that floor by removing / disconnecting appropriate fuse at fusebox (test this has worked by switching ON lights you know are on same circuit - they will go off when you dosconnect the fuse).

if you're able to work up a ladder with arms reaching upwards for a few minutes, have a screwdriver/pliers, a bit of confidence, why not have a bash.

probably instructions on youtube or internet, which may help confidence in understanding what to do before you start.

if it's a loose connection in a cable dissapearing into the ceiling, you may have to access that issue from the floor above (floorboards up) or loft above, whichever appropriate in your case. This is the case for my lounge, but each house is different !

anyway this is layman's advice (I used to be a handyman and have renovated 4 houses) so finally don't do anything you're not pre-informed and confident about !

Good luck and do post an update..

[Chick]

If you don't know what you are doing don't touch. There are seven wires in a ceiling rose can be very confusing.

[peckman]

Suspect wires loose if this is only room affected . Locate fuse board , isolate circuit and tighten all connections you can see- getting any workman trade out will be exoensive

[malumbu]

We did wiring in combined science when I was 12. Springs on a peg board with 12 v battery and lights. Leaned about ring mains, fuses, two way lighting and the like.

Go to Wickes and buy a ?2 tester screwdriver and you can check the circuits with the power on. Trust me I've only had a shock about five times in my life.......

[Seabag]

Only 5 shocks ? 😆

Call an electrician, tell them the situation, ask for a quote.

Or imagine yourself up a ladder that?s not quite tall enough, clueless, without the correct insulated screwdriver and about to get a 240 volt whack up your arm, then imagine where you might land?!

Exactly, leave it to someone who?s trade it is.

[DulwichFox]

Many House Fires are caused by Faulty Wiring.

The main cause is 'Loose Wiring' arcing and causing sparks.

In ceiling rose wiring the 'Live Return' from the light switch is probably a Black Wire.

Which can cause some confusion.

Get a Qualified Electrician to check it out.

cheaper than if your house burns down.

DulwichFox

[Earl Aelfheah]

I would get a sparky, yes.

[binkylilyput]

Thanks everyone!

The whole spectrum between confidence and alarm has been demonstrated for me here!

The answer seems to lie somewhere between great success and certain death

Adulting is well hard

[peckman]

And dont do it with wet hands!

[peckman]

Heres a number for a good sparky .. terry 07590 208231. Nice bloke who wont rip you off

[TheArtfulDogger]

malumbu Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Trust me I've only had a shock about five times in

> my life.......

Explains a lot 🤐

Simple rule of thumb, if you don't have confidence around electricity then don't touch it, call a qualified electrician

[fishbiscuits]

Def an electrician. I wouldn't call a handyman, in fact I would expect most handymen (handy-people?) to refuse to do electrical work.

[diable rouge]

It's not illegal for joe public or a handy person to do some electrical work such as changing a ceiling rose or face plate on an existing light switch/power socket, but if someone is unknowledgeable/unsure/nervous etc about tackling such a simple repair, it's best to get an electrician in for peace of mind...

[DulwichFox]

It is possible that your wiring throughout your home is 'OLD' and insulation broken.

Your Consumer Unit (Fuse Board) may not be safe.

Earth bonding in yor Kitchen and bathroom may of broken down or non existant.

A Qualified Electrician can check these for you.

DulwichFox

[Sue]

Don't assume that just because somebody is an electrician that they will do a good job (I speak from experience).

I'd deffo look for somebody with a lot of recommendations on here from people who aren't all (or mostly) first/only time posters.

You can see their other posts by clicking on their name.

[Blah Blah]

I think there is lots of good advice here from both sides.

If it were me, I would turn the electric off at the fuse box (all of it!). Then I would tighten he screws connecting the wires in the ceiling light. If I still had a problem, then I would call an electrician. I think that is sensible advice on this. Do what you can at no risk, and if that doesn't solve it, call in the experts.

[binkylilyput]

So having given it a wriggle around, it worked for a bit then stopped again. I now see a wire has come out.

I?m thinking my attempt could go as far as turning off the electricity at the mains, then seeing if I can re screw the wire where it came from.

I can see it really is a very simple job for someone who hasn?t watched too many episodes of Casualty!

[malumbu]

If you can wire a plug you can probably fix this - most times a loose wire that needs tightening. Invest in a nice set of screwdrivers (the main thing that can go wrong is damaging the screw where the driver isn't a good fit).

It's also totally legal to fix fittings and replace like with like.

[ianr]

A careful worker will check that what they're working on isn't live even when they think they've disabled the supply. Do get yourself a mains-testing screwdriver and check that you can see it working. Video examples are available. If lower voltages are involved, neon screwdriver mains testers are unlikely to be of use. You'd need a multimeter.

[alice]

My partner mended a faulty light successfully. Unfortunately the bath became live.