Small hole starting to melt through fuse board

martineire

Hi guys, I've noticed a strange smell in the kitchen over the last few weeks like something burning/melting but couldn't put my finger on where exactly it was coming from. The smell was just a slight smell that would come and go and strangely or maybe it's just my imagination after the electric shower was on. Today I've had a breakthrough I've just noticed a small hole starting to burn/melt through the fuse board. I've removed the cover off the fuse board to just have a look at what exactly is goin on and noticed the wire from the trip switch to the main fuse is the culprit, some of the insulation is burned/melted off of it and obviously the wire is touching the plastic cover and melting the fuse board. I've called a spark straight away cause this is a fire hazard.

Any suggestion on the fault

sparcocars

martineire wrote: »

Hi guys, I've noticed a strange smell in the kitchen over the last few weeks like something burning/melting but couldn't put my finger on where exactly it was coming from. The smell was just a slight smell that would come and go and strangely or maybe it's just my imagination after the electric shower was on. Today I've had a breakthrough I've just noticed a small hole starting to burn/melt through the fuse board. I've removed the cover off the fuse board to just have a look at what exactly is goin on and noticed the wire from the trip switch to the main fuse is the culprit, some of the insulation is burned/melted off of it and obviously the wire is touching the plastic cover and melting the fuse board. I've called a spark straight away cause this is a fire hazard.

Any suggestion on the fault

Definately just a loose connection. Good you caught it now before the unthinkable happened.

A registered electrician should be able to fix this for you no problem.

hufpc8w3adnk65

http://www.reci.ie/ConsumerServices/FindanElectrician.aspx


Find someone from that list and give them a call and they'll look after you

martineire

Quick update electrician has just left. He said the wire from trip switch to main fuse was secure but it was actually the fuse itself that was loose and causing it to make and break. The fuse was the older type one that screws in. He said there a bad fuse cause they are hard to get tight and can become loose. So he replaced the fuse and trip switch with the newer version the two in one type (trip switch and fuse in one). He charged me €70 altogether. how does that sound price wise? Also how much are the newer type fuse and trip switches for the part alone? Just trying to get an idea of what he charged me for labour? Sound pretty reasonable either way.

hufpc8w3adnk65

€70 for a call out at this time of the night and a replacement fuse seems good value.

tomdempsey200

it's ok price if he's registered and insured

not cheap but not a ripoff

tomdempsey200

is it just a regular house with a cooker and shower?

nothing out of the ordinary?

2011

That sounds like a good deal to me.
In my opinion your electrician was correct in replacing the isolating switch and the fuse for a combined switch fuse unit.
These are far superior.

Sleeper12

I think that is a good price. You could easily have been charged €100. You should hang on to his number.

tomdempsey200

tpmcompany1 wrote: »

I think that is a good price. You could easily have been charged €100. You should hang on to his number.

100 would be a ripoff

I did loads of them when I was registered -60 to 70 is plenty now for it
with the downturn

Sleeper12

tomdempsey200 wrote: »

100 would be a ripoff

I did loads of them when I was registered -60 to 70 is plenty now for it
with the downturn

I disagree. For someone with insurance & giving a vat receipt I think 60 to 70 is ridiculous.

We charge €75 inc vat plus the cost of the part. I was in Bray this morning and finished up in Balbriggan this evening. It wouldn't pay for less than €75. I pay €8 return just to cross the west link.

adrian92

Price sounds good. But, more importantly - he made sure he left you with a safe installation . Hang on to his number

Bruthal

tpmcompany1 wrote: »

I disagree. For someone with insurance & giving a vat receipt I think 60 to 70 is ridiculous.

We charge €75 inc vat plus the cost of the part. I was in Bray this morning and finished up in Balbriggan this evening. It wouldn't pay for less than €75. I pay €8 return just to cross the west link.

Yea people don't take anything into consideration when they see a price and expect it to be much lower. They must think the person providing the service lives next door to them.

tomdempsey200

tpmcompany1 wrote: »

I disagree. For someone with insurance & giving a vat receipt I think 60 to 70 is ridiculous.

We charge €75 inc vat plus the cost of the part. I was in Bray this morning and finished up in Balbriggan this evening. It wouldn't pay for less than €75. I pay €8 return just to cross the west link.

yes
I hadn't factored in that type of city travel and tolls
different ball game I suppose

martineire

tomdempsey200 wrote: »

is it just a regular house with a cooker and shower?

nothing out of the ordinary?

Yea just a regular 3 bedroom semi-detached. I have 2 electric showers installed tho with a control board beside the fuse board that only allows one to be operated at a time.

Yea the electrician is RECI registered also, so he must be competent, insured etc. Didn't get a invoice tho, cash in hand after hours job for him.

Sleeper12

martineire wrote: »

Yea just a regular 3 bedroom semi-detached. I have 2 electric showers installed tho with a control board beside the fuse board that only allows one to be operated at a time.

Yea the electrician is RECI registered also, so he must be competent, insured etc. Didn't get a invoice tho, cash in hand after hours job for him.

That would explain why it was so cheap. But more important than the price is he did the job properly. Reci registered, insured etc. You can sleep in peace tonight.

Bruthal

tpmcompany1 wrote: »

That would explain why it was so cheap. But more important than the price is he did the job properly. Reci registered, insured etc. You can sleep in peace tonight.

Not in reference to the job done here, but in general.......

Registered and insured is not a guarantee of job done right. Insurance never saved anyone trapped in a burning house.

tomdempsey200

great now though isn't it

all those extra tax dollars hitting the exchequer

since the ban on non-registered electricIan's came in


just as I predicted

Bruthal

The same non registered fellas are still doing the work though, for registered lads.

Tomorrow I'm working on a big industrial panel. But its too dangerous to connect in a twin and earth at home:)