Hi everyone
Forgive me if I don't explain this correctly but I am not experienced with electrics and will be getting an electrician round but this is confusing me .
I have halogen spotlights in my landing and stairway ceiling and they've been there for years. However I have had the lot stripped and plastered and want to upgrade to LED spots.
Not sure whether they are on a transformer or 240v and have had a electrician to do some other work and asked him if I could find out without any other way as I've been up in loft and there's loads of insulation on top of all the wiring and cannot find a transformer myself ( not saying there isn't 1 somewhere though ).
As he cannot get round at the moment he said to buy a volt pen from Screwfix with a high capacity from 100 plus and see how it goes. If it lights up / buzzers its confirming its 240v and not 12v ( I think ).
Anyway I have 4 spots in landing ceiling and 2 on stairs but only bulbs in the stairs at moment and switched the lights on and tried and got nothing from the 2 on the stairs and only 2 on the landing buzzed. Then for some reason I took all the bulbs out and every 1 of the 6 lamp holders lite up and buzzed so that tells me it's mains 240v running through .
But why would I get nothing when the halogen bulb is in but it registers when they are out ?
Tried this several times just to make sure . Seem strange to me but as I say I am not an expert by any means .
Thanks
Forgive me if I don't explain this correctly but I am not experienced with electrics and will be getting an electrician round but this is confusing me .
I have halogen spotlights in my landing and stairway ceiling and they've been there for years. However I have had the lot stripped and plastered and want to upgrade to LED spots.
Not sure whether they are on a transformer or 240v and have had a electrician to do some other work and asked him if I could find out without any other way as I've been up in loft and there's loads of insulation on top of all the wiring and cannot find a transformer myself ( not saying there isn't 1 somewhere though ).
As he cannot get round at the moment he said to buy a volt pen from Screwfix with a high capacity from 100 plus and see how it goes. If it lights up / buzzers its confirming its 240v and not 12v ( I think ).
Anyway I have 4 spots in landing ceiling and 2 on stairs but only bulbs in the stairs at moment and switched the lights on and tried and got nothing from the 2 on the stairs and only 2 on the landing buzzed. Then for some reason I took all the bulbs out and every 1 of the 6 lamp holders lite up and buzzed so that tells me it's mains 240v running through .
But why would I get nothing when the halogen bulb is in but it registers when they are out ?
Tried this several times just to make sure . Seem strange to me but as I say I am not an expert by any means .
Thanks