KeirW
Established Member
Hi all..
I feel a bit of a fool after what happened today, any tips appreciated! For reference I'm only a very occasional DIY'er.. usually get someone in to do most jobs but tackle simple stuff myself.
I've been in this house about 2 years, 2 bed end of terrace 1960's build, and there was an old security light outside in the back garden which has never worked, it doesn't have a switch anywhere in the house or outside so I assume it's wired into either the lighting or socket circuit in the house...
I was trying to wire up a Ring Floodlight security camera to the existing wiring today before we go on holiday, but first I had to take off the old light. I switched off all the power to the house at the fuse box, took off the old light and exposed the wires. I wanted to find out what circuit the light was wired into so I turned on each circuit one by one and used a testing screwdriver touching the cables to see when the cable went live so I knew which circuit it was on.
The testing screwdriver didn't light up with any circuit so I was annoyed thinking the wiring was dead and I couldn't install my camera.. I left all the power on and brushed my finger on the live wire, nothing, then just on the off chance my testing screwdriver was broken I touched it to a known working light switch inside the house and the little bulb lit up so it's definitely working.
Thinking maybe it was too bright outside I checked the wires again really looking closely for the little bulb to come on, nothing happened. I was convinced the wiring was dead now... I then started getting the wires ready to put into a connector strip and seal up in a water tight box and call an electrician. I started straightening the ends a bit and must have touched both the live and neutral wires at the same time and got an electric shock. The whole of my upper body clenched and luckily I didn't fall off the ladder or worse..! Not a nice feeling at all!
I've now no idea what happened, clearly I completed the circuit with my body and got shocked, but why didn't the tester light up?
I don't know whether to just turn the power off and wire my Ring camera up and hope it's ok or get a professional in. It should be a very simple job, no more complicated than wiring a plug really but I'm worried there's something wrong with the wiring and don't fancy overloading and frying my £180 Ring Floodlight camera. The wires are relatively old, they are red, black and unsheathed earth and I think they're like that throughout the house.
Pics below of where it is and how I've left it now..
Does anyone have any tips? Apart from don't touch live wires! I figured that one out already
I feel a bit of a fool after what happened today, any tips appreciated! For reference I'm only a very occasional DIY'er.. usually get someone in to do most jobs but tackle simple stuff myself.
I've been in this house about 2 years, 2 bed end of terrace 1960's build, and there was an old security light outside in the back garden which has never worked, it doesn't have a switch anywhere in the house or outside so I assume it's wired into either the lighting or socket circuit in the house...
I was trying to wire up a Ring Floodlight security camera to the existing wiring today before we go on holiday, but first I had to take off the old light. I switched off all the power to the house at the fuse box, took off the old light and exposed the wires. I wanted to find out what circuit the light was wired into so I turned on each circuit one by one and used a testing screwdriver touching the cables to see when the cable went live so I knew which circuit it was on.
The testing screwdriver didn't light up with any circuit so I was annoyed thinking the wiring was dead and I couldn't install my camera.. I left all the power on and brushed my finger on the live wire, nothing, then just on the off chance my testing screwdriver was broken I touched it to a known working light switch inside the house and the little bulb lit up so it's definitely working.
Thinking maybe it was too bright outside I checked the wires again really looking closely for the little bulb to come on, nothing happened. I was convinced the wiring was dead now... I then started getting the wires ready to put into a connector strip and seal up in a water tight box and call an electrician. I started straightening the ends a bit and must have touched both the live and neutral wires at the same time and got an electric shock. The whole of my upper body clenched and luckily I didn't fall off the ladder or worse..! Not a nice feeling at all!
I've now no idea what happened, clearly I completed the circuit with my body and got shocked, but why didn't the tester light up?
I don't know whether to just turn the power off and wire my Ring camera up and hope it's ok or get a professional in. It should be a very simple job, no more complicated than wiring a plug really but I'm worried there's something wrong with the wiring and don't fancy overloading and frying my £180 Ring Floodlight camera. The wires are relatively old, they are red, black and unsheathed earth and I think they're like that throughout the house.
Pics below of where it is and how I've left it now..
Does anyone have any tips? Apart from don't touch live wires! I figured that one out already