Blown Fuse

Usjes

Hi,

None of my plugs upstairs are working this morning in my new accomodation so I had a look at the fuse box. Its not like the ones I am used to as it appears to be mostly circuit-breakers rather than old-style fuses. See the photo linked below. I have a number of questions:
1. Are these all circuit breakers (except the round white fuse on the far right) ?
2. Are circuit breakers always re-settable or can they blow like fuses?
3. Is there a universal convention for the 'ON' position for a cct breaker (eg. up always = ON)
4. What is the little red window on the 4th and 5th cct breakers from the left for ? Is this an indication of their current state ? Should it be green when they are reset?

Thanks,

Usjes

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4QJxcxANtL2NGsxWmxLREZjQ1U

ART6

Usjes wrote: »

Hi,

None of my plugs upstairs are working this morning in my new accomodation so I had a look at the fuse box. Its not like the ones I am used to as it appears to be mostly circuit-breakers rather than old-style fuses. See the photo linked below. I have a number of questions:
1. Are these all circuit breakers (except the round white fuse on the far right) ?
2. Are circuit breakers always re-settable or can they blow like fuses?
3. Is there a universal convention for the 'ON' position for a cct breaker (eg. up always = ON)
4. What is the little red window on the 4th and 5th cct breakers from the left for ? Is this an indication of their current state ? Should it be green when they are reset?

Thanks,

Usjes

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4QJxcxANtL2NGsxWmxLREZjQ1U

What you seem to be describing are miniature circuit breakers (MCB). Their "on" position is with the switch upwards. It is not unusual for them to trip -- a blowing light bulb is sufficient to do that, and all you need to do is push the switch upwards again. They don't "blow" like a fuse.

The little red window you refer to sounds like the front of a residual current device (RCD). These trip if there is an earth fault, and they are normally in the 13 amp circuits. Therefore it sounds like you have a faulty appliance somewhere, so the first thing to do is disconnect anything that's plugged in and then try resetting the MCB and/or RCD. If both reset OK then try plugging in the various appliances until the trips occur again. Then you know which appliance is the problem.

If the trips still won't reset then there is a wiring problem somewhere, and you need a qualified electrician.

desoc32

Hi, just looking at that picture and wondering why the fuse from the main switched fuse (the very first module) is missing or did you do this? That should kill the fuseboard. The rcd looks ok but the very the last mcb (20a) furthest right may or not be be tripped as sometimes ABB breakers need to be reset by switching them downwards and then upwards again to reset.
When everything is on all switches should be up.

Fries-With-That

Usjes wrote: »

Hi,

None of my plugs upstairs are working this morning in my new accomodation so I had a look at the fuse box. Its not like the ones I am used to as it appears to be mostly circuit-breakers rather than old-style fuses. See the photo linked below. I have a number of questions:
1. Are these all circuit breakers (except the round white fuse on the far right) ?
2. Are circuit breakers always re-settable or can they blow like fuses?
3. Is there a universal convention for the 'ON' position for a cct breaker (eg. up always = ON)
4. What is the little red window on the 4th and 5th cct breakers from the left for ? Is this an indication of their current state ? Should it be green when they are reset?

Thanks,

Usjes

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4QJxcxANtL2NGsxWmxLREZjQ1U

Hi Usjes,

If I was in your position and found that none of the upstairs sockets were working I would call my landlord.

You indicate that you have just moved into the accommodation were these sockets working at any time since you moved in. If not call your landlord.

On a personal level I can understand you wanting to understand the workings of your fuse board to prevent unnecessary calling of your landlord.If as I ask above and the sockets have never worked call your landlord.

When your landlord or his electrician arrives to fix the electrical problem in your new home it might not be a bad idea to ask him about the missing fuse (far right of picture) and the obvious heat damage on the mini fuse box on the left of the picture.

In my opinion the wiring looks shoddy.

Regards,

Fries.

meercat

maybe mods will move this to the electrical forum for you

is there another fuseboard somewhere?
the board on the left appears to be for storage heaters only(possibly have an electric shower and another circuit though)
the board on the right looks like the main switch fuse

this setup looks dangerous,as there maybe power to the rcbo(shower)even though the switch fuse (far left) is turned off and fuse removed from the storage heating board

is this a flat or apartment setup
there are no light(10amp )tripswitches or rcd for socket circuits here
my guess is that there is another board somewhere
if you do find it,all switches should be in the up position

meercat

Fries-With-That wrote: »

When your landlord or his electrician arrives to fix the electrical problem in your new home it might not be a bad idea to ask him about the missing fuse (far right of picture) and the obvious heat damage on the mini fuse box on the left of the picture.

In my opinion the wiring looks shoddy.

agree with that
the fuse is probably removed to prevent power to storage heating
i just wonder is the brown/blue wires feeding the 40a rcbo and 20a mcb


shoddy and unsafe if it is

Usjes

Thanks for all the replies, I did a bit more searching and found another fusebox under the stairs with an MCB that had tripped so I just reset it and I have power again.

As for the missing fuse on the far left of the original photo, that entire board may now be redundant. The house was renovated a couple of years before I moved in and it has gas heated radiators everywhere with no sign of a storage heater. So if the labels below the MCBs on the lefthand box are accurate I would have to assume that they are no longer in use.

meercat

Great
I would just check the 2 tripswitches on the right of your pic though
One appears to be a shower
The other I'm not sure
I would suspect these have power

Another slight concern is the fuseboard under the stairs
Current regulations don't allow this position
Although your board may predate these regs

ART6

Usjes wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, I did a bit more searching and found another fusebox under the stairs with an MCB that had tripped so I just reset it and I have power again.

As for the missing fuse on the far left of the original photo, that entire board may now be redundant. The house was renovated a couple of years before I moved in and it has gas heated radiators everywhere with no sign of a storage heater. So if the labels below the MCBs on the lefthand box are accurate I would have to assume that they are no longer in use.

That fuse seems to have been replaced by a separate fuse and MCB in a box on the right, labelled mains power, with what looks like a live and neutral looped (badly) over to the main board. Looks like something done by an amateur! Possibly the MCB board under the stairs is looped off this main board, although I can't for the life of me think why anyone would do that. However, I would assume that the board in your pic is live unless proved otherwise, as the mains connection has to come in somewhere, and I doubt that it was moved to under the stairs. That would not normally be possible.