SOLVED: Bedroom lights not working

​Suddenly all four bedroom ceiling lights went out yesterday while I was working on a kitchen cabinet project. The two closet lights still work. No light on in the fuse panel so I assume no fuse blown. Plus if fuse blown I would assume closet lights would be off too.

There is 12 volts at the switch and when wires shorted together still no lights...so I assume switch good.

Does anyone know specifically where these lights are fed from?

I can can start pulling lights down but would rather have some sequence to follow.

My assumption (again) is I simply have a junction go bad but any other thoughts would be appreciated.

Thought I would give you all something to do on a cold winters night!

Thanks,

Re: Bedroom lights off.

Gary,

The light for a blown fuse will come on only if the circuit is switched on and there is a path back to ground.

Any chance while working on your project that you pushed on wires, maybe pulling them out of a wirenut or pulled the ground return loose from the back of the fusebox?

Re: Bedroom lights off.

Dan,

I did not know the switch had to be on to get the fault light....but I really don't know the position when I looked.

I also moved my Progressive Industries surge protector this time home. I moved it from back cabinet by TV to basement as I should have originally. If I had known how easy it was to pull out the breaker panel.....I might have made a better initial decision. My point here is I have been pushing wires around in the fuse area......so that will be another place to look.

I was was simply replacing two small kitchen drawers for one bigger drawer so no 12 volt close.

Dan I am curious if you left for CO today as planned or holding off for better weather?

Re: Bedroom lights off.

We left Austin this morning and are overnight in Lubbock. Tomorrow night in Raton, NM. Wednesday in Aurora, CO and Thursday in Breckenridge. Weather is pretty good. Roads look like they'll be dry to Raton. I checked I-25 and I-70 a few hours ago and they should be dry and clear on Wednesday. Hopefully they'll stay that way Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

It's cold - 17 tonight and 20 for the next few nights, but we're ok with that. Can't go skiing when it's warm.

Re: Bedroom lights off.

Gary:
If you truly have 12 volts at the light switch, you should be able to forget about the fusebox and wiring. Unfortunately, modern Digital voltmeters draw so little current from the circuit under test (high impedance) that you could measure 12 volts while only having the minute current from the fuse indicator LED. A verification with either an old meter with a needle (analog), or a 12 volt bulb with wires attached as a test light, should give you a true indication.

Again, if you DO have 12 volts at the wall switch then your problem is either in the wiring to the lamps or the lamps ground return wiring to the 12 volt ground buss (usually near the battery). If you have a ground return problem and the switch is on, you would read 12 volts on either side of the light fixture (with a good bulb). If the lamp ground is good you will NOT read 12 volts on the ground side of the lamp.

Re: Bedroom lights off.

Thanks for your input....learned a few things from Dan and Bill. Turns out I had a direct short. But wait there is more!

probably like many when home between trips I have about 5 projects going on. Besides moving the progressive unit to the basement and enlarging a kitchen drawer I decided to put on a new Jack antennae.....and that was the culprit. Not sure which screw it was but I must have screwed right into the wire between the two ceiling lights closest to the off door side.

I had put a Jack unit on my 3055 after the batwing jammed and thought I would get ahead of the curve this time. I can't remember needing the adaptor plate last time but I did this time so I put in lots of new screw holes.

Once I disconnected the wire between the two lights the short went away. These two lights were the next to the last and last lights on the circuit. In both holes the wire went straight up so it must have been laid very close to the roof.

I feel quite blessed to have solved the problem quickly. I got out my fish tape and started at one light hole and just pushed through between the ceiling panel and the insulation right over to the other light hole.....on the first attempt. Pulled in a new wire and had it hooked up and lights on in no time.

Thanks again for for your help!