Constantly Popping Fuses

[betty02]

So, first off, only asking for advice, if the advice is get in a spark I will. If there is anything I can try, I also will as well. This has a bit of a background story to it as well.

We have 3 bedrooms, main, large spare and box room if you will.

In the main bedroom we have 3 double wall sockets, one on the chimney breast for TV, one eitehr side of the bed. We moved in about 7 months ago and after a month or so got some bedside lamps etc, the TV socket has been fine for the TV and Sky box, on the other halfs side it has had her lamp and phone charger plugged in fine. My side has my phone charger and had my lamp in, now my lamp was literally popping after a few minutes, thought they were **** lamps so got some new ones and the same, got a working lamp from downstairs and the same. Pops the bulb and the fuse. If I plugged in my Mac charger for example it has been fine?

In the box room we have 1 double wall socket, this has only ever had an extension lead in and been fine so far!

In the large box room (3 double sockets, 1 either side of bed and 1 on wall) we haven't touched it but we re-decorated over the weekend, got 2 brand new lamps, plugged them in and one side went pop within 10-15 seconds other lasted a few mins. So changed fuses, did the same, got 2 new sockets and wired them in and the same. Spoke to a mate he said change the lamp amp from 3amp to 5amp see what happens. So I did, the lamp lasted about an hour before going pop but it still went. TV has been on for days and no issues? Took the new lamps downstairs, new bulbs and fuses again and stayed on fine? Gone through a fair few bulbs and fuses this weekend lol.

I know it will probably be hard to diagnose over the net but any straight off the cuff thoughts as to what could be causing it? If I get a socket tester will it actually tell me what the issue is? Or guide me in any way? I really don't want all my wires being pulled out of newly decorated rooms, but everything in the house works, the mrs's side hasn't popped anything, the chargers work and the TV works so hopefully nothing too sinister?

Any advice will be hugely appreicated. I apologise it's so long winded but trying to give as much info as possible!

Simon

 

[bernardgreen]

Pops the bulb and the fuse

When you say the bulb "pops" do you mena the bulb no longer works even when plugged into a different socket ?

And what do you mean by " fuse" ? Is it a wire fuse ( where you put new wire in ) or is it an MCB or an RCD ( has a test button on it ) ?.

 

[betty02]

Sorry! Tried to provide as much info and failed!

So new lamps, plugged them in, would hear the bulb crackle and go out, would go get a new bulb and it wouldn't work. Open up the plug on the lamp for example and change the 3amp fuse for another and screw it all back in, then plug it in and repeat. Tried both 3amp and 5amp fuse, the 5amp one actually lasted longer but went in the end. I've put no new wiring in or anything, moved in 7 months ago and just never got around to spare room. I change both the sockets yesterday thinking it maybe them and put 2 new sockets on but did it before and after the actual socket change.

Hope that helps a little more?

 

[bernardgreen]

What sort of lamps. LEDs ? Crackling sound suggests either there is a loose connection in lamp holder though would not cause a fuse to blow, Damage to bulb might cause the fuse to blow.

I assume these lamps are good quality lamps and are intended for use on 230 volt AC supply.

 

[betty02]

Lamps are from TK Maxx, not the cheapest, (£30 each) I bougth some LED Vintage/Edison style bulbs same as below -

When I took the plug off from the lamps they had no earth wire but googling this is quite common on some lamps? Happens on both sockets in the room bar the one for the TV :/

Such a strange one!

 

[ericmark]

Theory even the largest bulb 100W draws less than ½ amp, so it would seem some thing wrong with bulb, also bulbs traditionally have a built in fuse, a standard BA22d socket is normally rated 2A, and idea was if when the old tungsten bulb failed it causes ionisation (the bright flash when they blow) it would not rupture the supply fuse, unfortunately when we swapped from fuse to MCB the 6A MCB would often still trip.

There is not difference today, the bulb should have an internal fuse, so that should rupture before the 3A fuse in the plug, so bulbs must be cheap rubbish even if your being charged a fortune for them.

As to why, I would expect a bad connection which is in real terms switching the lamp off/on and if they use a capacitor as a voltage dropped then likely it is causing the capacitor to go short circuit, unlikely to find it with a cheap tester, would likely need an impedance meter which are expensive to show there is a fault.

I would be checking socket next to the one with a problem, as you have already changed that, and see if any loose wires. I would also look for another supplier for bulbs.

See what others say, as I can only guess.

 

[betty02]

@ericmark Just jumped back here to say thanks! As soon as you mentuoned cheap bulbs I realised the same thing that is common from all the scokets that do pop is the bulb! These were edision style LED bulbs from Home Bargains and that was the only thing common. Reason I didn't think of it before was because the lamp on the mrs' side has that bulb in too from the same pack but is fine, so maybe just got lucky. However got some LED Ikea ones laying about the house, dropped the fuses back to the oringally 3 amp ones in the plugs and put in these bulbs, had it on solid for hours and hours and no issues what so ever! So cheap bulbs was the answer, them popping fuses just shows how sh!t and cheap they really are I guess!!

So just wanted to say thanks for pushing me in the right direction it's really appreicated, also thanks to @bernardgreen for your inital help!

Been nothing but great advice here so far! Really appreciate it.

Simon

 

[winston1]

Well I hope you are going to return those "cheap" bulbs for a refund and tell the shop what crap they are.

 

[ericmark]

Most of my LED bulbs are from Home Bargains or Lidi and not had a single LED bulb fail. I have had an expensive LED tube from Screwfix fail but no 230 volt LED bulb. You were unlucky.

I did buy some expensive CFL 8W Philips and they did not last very long at all, so seems more about luck than cost.