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Electricity goes off

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  • 25-02-2013 2:23pm
    #1
    198321
    Closed Accounts Posts: 501 ✭✭✭


    Hi, I am no expert so I hope I can explain what is going on.

    In house we have very old meter which is connected to new electricity box, but electricity goes through it. It is old house recently renovated.

    Old black box is: Meter for single-phase 2 wire systems W9B4 Siemens (ESB 0474)

    Fuse 20A 500V goes in it.

    When the use of electricity is heavy (electric shower on highest temperature level) it kicks our electricity off and we have to change the fuse. If the temperature is lower it is ok.

    We tried if we can use better fuse (25A) but it won't fit in.

    Want to ask if anybody has an idea what is going on, and if it is up to me to hire electrician to fix the meter or replace it for new, more powerful one, or should I contact ESB (we are with Bord Gais home electricity) to replace meter. What would be the cost?

    Thanks for any advice.

    We tried to not have any kitchen appliances that consume lots of electricity on at the same time as shower to avoid that happening, but it is annoying sometimes.

    We are not going to try to do anything more with it ourselves. Only asking if it's normal, and if it should be ESB fixing it or should I pay electrician to do it.

    The box seems to belong to ESB .. the wire from that box goes to another white box that has all switches for different areas in house. That box seems to be fine as when we change the fuse in black (ESB?) box the electricity is back.

    Thanks


Comments

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    #2
    Irish Steve
    Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 6,522 Mod ✭✭✭✭Irish Steve


    A registered electrician can look at it, but I suspect that it will then get referred to ESB, for a meter change, but before they do that, it's possible that the incoming supply cables may have to be upgraded, and that may also have implications for the supply to your house and any neighbouring houses, depending on the capacity of the local supply transformer.

    Thats a VERY old meter, which goes back to the days when there was little more than lights and maybe a radio in a house, so the demand wasn't high. We rented a house in the UK in the 70's that had exactly the same issue, and the local supplier had to come out and change the terminal, fuse holder and fuse and meter to solve the problem.

    If a new consumer unit has been fitted, complete with electric shower, I am surprised that the incoming supply wasn't upgraded at that time.

    Do you know who did the electric install and upgrade, and was it certified? If there are any doubts about that, it will be worth your while and appropriate from a safety aspect to get the entire electrical installation checked out, as it would appear from your comments that some short cuts may have been taken during the previous upgrade. a 20A fuse on the main incoming supply is in no way capable of running a modern house, especially with electric shower, as you are discovering.

    In theory, the consumer has no reason or ability to change the main supplier fuse, it's normally sealed by a registered contractor or ESB, so that may be another issue that has to be resolved.

    Shore, if it was easy, everybody would be doin it.😁



  • Options
    #3
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    agree with irish steve

    think you need a registered electrical contractor to check out your installation first

    a 20amp main fuse is too small

    your distribution board should have a 63amp main fuse

    the esb main fuse should be 80amp(you shouldnt be able to replace this as it should be sealed)

    pics of board and meter should help

    again ,my advise is to get a registered contractor to check the installation


  • Options
    #4
    frankmul
    Registered Users Posts: 378 ✭✭frankmul


    Is the op not talking about the main over current fuse (DZIII) that used to be installed in a separate fuse holder to the main board. Consumer fuse not the ESB main fuse.
    Why was a shower installed with a 20 amp fuse protecting the installation?


  • Options
    #5
    198321
    Closed Accounts Posts: 501 ✭✭✭198321


    there is old ESB meter with 20A fuse causing trouble, from that box wire goes to new box. So I am 100% sure it is main (black) box causing it. When I take out this 20A fuse it's very hot to touch, so seems like it burned and electricity stops going into white box.

    Thanks for all replies, I wrote an email to ESB to advise me if I should contact certified electrician to look at it, or ESB can send somebody and how much it is going to cost. Since I am paying for electricity I think it should be up to them to change meter, but will wait and see what they say. Even if there is something else causing it, I don't think I should keep meter that is older than me.

    Thanks again for your help..

    Sorry I can't explain it better as my knowledge of electricity is worse than basic and I won't touch it anymore :)


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