A few questions about Wylex Fusebox & blown fuse

[L717]

Hi, just wondering if I could get some advice.

We recently had one of our fuses blow in our Wylex fusebox when I tried to switch on the light fitting in my bedroom. The light fitting was installed about 6 months ago by a professional electrician. Having originally attempted to buy one of the newer fuses with the trip switch on the front, I realised it would not fit into the current base. For now, I have rewired the fuse and the circuit is working again. I have four questions:

1. Is it normal for all four bulbs in a light fitting to blow at once, perhaps due to a surge, or is this something to be concerned about? There is not a history of the fuse blowing particularly easily, although it has gone a few times over the past 10 years or so. I have not yet had the chance to replace the bulbs, but will do shortly.

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• L717
• 6 May 2009
• 1

2. I have since realised that the bases in the fusebox ares switchable. If the fuse goes again, I would like to replace it with the more modern trip switch fuse as one of the screws in the fuse has become damaged by the melting wire. I know that really the whole unit should be replaced at some point, and it will be, but for the moment a quick fix would be ideal. Is fitting a new base fairly easy? I'm not too experienced with this sort of thing, although I have wired sockets and basic light fittings and tend to pick these things up quite quickly. I'm thinking it will be safe to open up if I flip the main switch on the right. Is that correct?

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• L717
• 6 May 2009
• 1

3. It does not look like one to me, but is the more modern box on the left an RCD? (thus meaning a new unit is not necessary) Or is this the tripbox for the garage's power?

4. Any idea on what the white household switch is for, next to the fusebox?

Really appreciate any help! Thanks

 

[sparkyspike]

You're correct that you need to get a base as well as the breaker for your fusebox. Remember that when you take the cover off the fusebox, there could still be live exposed copper where the cables enter the main switch even when it's switched off. I think it's just one screw to remove the base. You don't need to touch any wiring.

You have no RCD protection at the garage board, but you do have RCD protection somewhere as there is a sticker saying so. You should have RCD protection for outdoor sockets etc. Ideally, to comply with latest regs, you need to have RCD protection on every circuit, so this may be something to look into.

That switch looks like a doorbell transformer switch.

 

[Ricky46]

This could be what you are looking for

Click link below

http://www.thefusecompany.com/fuse.php?cPath=58&products_id=413

 

[JohnD]

you don't need to take off the CU cover to change a fuse to an MCB on a Wylex Standard. Just remove the fuse cover. It will not fit back on when you have MCBs fitted as the are longer - for some reason Wylex never offered a deeper fuse cover.

You must turn off the main switch of the CU as the Line busbar will be exposed when you remove the plastic fuse base. You have to change the plastic base whenever you fit a different fuse or MCB, as the slots are matched to the prongs, and they deliberately vary to prevent you being able to fit the wrong one in. Fuse bases are colour matched, though very old ones were all brown. A matching base is provided with every new MCB.

Undo the one screw on the plastic fuse base, using an insulated screwdriver (as there is a chance the screw might touch the busbar while you are fumbling - this is even more important when you fit the new one.

The busbar should be dead when the main switch is off, but take care anyway.

Incidentally, if you ever want to replace more than one fuseway, take out and replace only one at a time - this prevents much busbar being exposed, and reduced the chance that you will put one in the wrong space.

On older Wylex standard CUs, the live terminal screws on the main switch are exposed when you remove the CU cover. Wylex used to send out translucent plastic covers you can add, free, on request. I don't know if they still do.

The highest rating MCB on fuse on a Wylex Standard is 30A or 32A, unless they have an extra-big fuseway which will look different, usually provided for an electric cooker.

p.s. the label suggests to me that you have one or more RCD protected sockets, perhaps in the garage or garden shed. this is a socket which includes its own RCD and only protects whatever is plugged into that one socket. Sometimes the labels remain after the socket has gone wrong and been removed . If you have got such a socket, press the test button once a month to make sure it still works. If not regularly tested, they tend to jam.

p.p.s You have spotlights, these are particularly prone to blowing fuses or tripping MCBs when they burn out. If they all fail together this is unusual. their life will be reduced if there is a poor connection and they flicker. If they are low-voltage on a transformer they might act oddly.

 

[Adam_151]

John, I'm pretty sure that if MCBs are fitted, then the fuse cover must be cut to accomodate them, I don't believe it is acceptable to just omit the cover, as when a semi enclosed fuse operates, hot particles can be ejected from the small hole at the bottom of teh fuse base

 

[JohnD]

you are right. The fuse cover can have a "hatch" cut in the front for the MCBs to poke through. I have not seen a mixed fuses/MCBs installation, only one or the other. On a previous occasion I fabricated a plastic dust cover by cutting a sandwich box to fit, this prevented coats hanging in the meter cupboard from brushing against the MCBs.

I suppose he could replace all the fuses with MCBs, there are loads about on the second-hand market.

This is notifiable work really, but I suspect that in approximaterly 100% of cases it is not notified.

p.s That Wylex CU looks like a later Metalclad one, and the main switch will (should) have a grey plastic cover screwed over it even after the CU cover has been taken off, so there will (should) be no exposed parts accessible when the switch is off. However to change the fuses bases you don't need to open the main cover, so I'd recommend you don't. You never know how clumsily the tails might have been stripped.

 

[securespark]

John, if I can correct you a little...

The B range of Wylex MCB's are still available new, so no need to buy second hand.

Wylex standard boards can accept fuses/ circuit breakers in excess of 32A, providing the main switch is rated to 100A.

 

[plugwash]

or if you don't want the hassle of changing the base you can buy a GE minitrip which replaces a wylex rewirable carrier without the need to change base.

 

[JohnD]

The B range of Wylex MCB's are still available new, so no need to buy second hand.

I was hoping to clear my garage shelf

 

[L717]

Cheers for all the replies, you’ve been very helpful and I have a much better idea of what I’m doing now.

Still got a few questions if you don’t mind bearing with me:

@Sparkspike: It must be for the garage then, as we have no other outdoor sockets. Is there a box on the wall that looks like an RCD, or just a sticker? Only I’m not sure where the test button is

@Ricky46: That’s exactly what I was looking for. I’d rather buy and re-fit the MCB from B&Q though as I don’t want to wait for it to arrive. Thanks for the suggestion though.

@JohnD: Thanks for all your advice, much appreciated, although unfortunately I wont be buying your second hand ones mate .

What is the fuse cover, is that the brown plastic frontage over each of the fuses? By the looks of it, we already have one MCB on the far left (downstairs lights), but the first fuse on its right does not have a part cut out to accommodate the MCB. So what part do you think is going to interfere?

The spotlights never flicker, they do take a split second to come on though, unlike our other spotlights, and produce a small buzzing noise. So is all four bulbs going at once something to be concerned about? I’m thinking I will replace the bulbs and see if it happens again, does that seem wise or should I get it checked out?

 

[Adam_151]

WRT the fuse cover...

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Images/Products/size_3/WY606.JPG

This is a newer version than yours, but the design is larly unchanged, the fuse cover is the plastic cover hold by a single screw covering all the fuses