Moved into a new house this week and tonight the lights in one room have decided to play silly buggers. They are mains voltage GU10’s. When you flick the switch all the bulbs flash very dimly but don’t come on. It happens with the switches at either end of the room. I’m new to this type of light (always had the 12v type before) so am a bit stumped.

As there is no transformer I guess the only common part to all bulbs is the switches really. If one switch is knackered could it effect the circuit even if you use the other switch? I guess it could but I’m very clueless.

Here are a couple of videos, in which you can hear me flick the switch and you should be able to see the dim flash.

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/34675823/bulbs1.MOV

https://dl.dropbox.com/u/34675823/bulbs2.MOV

Id look at the wiring

My downlighters were what prompted me to do a full rewire

Previous owner had extended the circuit in the roof by twisting a length of what look like black and decker drill cord onto the bare ends of the old cabling then taped round them.. It was the tip of the iceberg as far as bodging went.

I’ve never seen that before, yes switches can be supplied faulty or fail, they are mechanical after all.
It does look like it’s only momentarily making, and the switch is very very loud?

Ive seen similar twice but only once with GU10’s ( GU10’s being mains voltage as opposed the MR16s being 12v)

The MR16 issue was LED’s being used with a normal Halogen transformer.

The GU10s turned out to be a faulty switch – Luckily, this was quite an easy thing to test.

Hope you’re is nothing more than a faulty switch ! – But – bear in mind what Trail-rat said …just in case.

Chris

Cheers guys. Swapped one the switches and all’s well now!