Electric problem since new fusebox fitted

[rob7475]

Hi,

We had a new fuse box fitted about a month ago.

Since then I have noticed some problems. When the lights are on, if i turn the cooker or a hairdrier etc, the lights dim. Another example - if i am playing on the PS3 and the missus does the ironing, when she turns the iron on, the tv screen goes a bit blurry.

It's as though the electric supply isn't powerful enough. The old fusebox was a 65 amp supply and the new one is 100.

Does anyone have any idea what may be causing the problem.

Thanks in advance.

Rob

 

[Steve]

Is it possible you had these symptoms before, but now you have had a new fusebox fitted you are noticing them? Sometimes such a change can leave people looking for ways it affects their day to day lives and therefore oversensitive to things like this.

Lights dimming is called voltage drop. Not normally a problem. When I turn our shower on the lights dim. At work when a fridge compressor kicks in, the lights dim momentarily. At home when the fridge freezer comes on, the lights dim momentarily. Same with kettle, toaster, hobs, oven, anything with a heater or a fast-start motor will cause a large amount of current and therefore drag the voltage down.

Your PS3 will have a universal power supply (100-250volts), so should be unaffected by volt drop. Your telly may also have a UniPS, but only if it is very new, and an LCD screen. CRT and plasma screens normally are fixed voltage, 220-240, so volt drop may have an adverse effect - these appliances cant simply dim, they may be harmed by undervoltage.

My suggestion would be to check the voltage at the TV socket during the wife's ironing. If it reads below about 210 volts, you might be in trouble. How you check the voltage under load is another thing! Someone will be along with a suggestion soon.

As for lights dimming, this can be overcome by using compact fluorescent lamps, AKA energy savers. These are much less sensitive to voltage fluctuations, and will keep a constant brightness down to about 200 volts (they dont dim when i turn my shower on!)

 

[rob7475]

thanks for the quick reply.

the lights have always dimmed slightly but seem worse since the new fuse box was installed.

the tv is a rear projection and i never noticed the blurred screen below. I also forgot to mention that the sub woofer from the surround sound makes a louder humming noise when iron/hairdrier or cooker is on.

Sounds strange doesn't it.... I'm really not sure what could be causing the problems.

any more ideas would be welcome

 

[electronicsuk]

Loose incoming tails?

 

[ricicle]

I would call back the electrician who fitted your new consumer unit and get him to investigate.He could do a loop impedance test between the L and N - this will tell him if your supply has a high impedance which will display itself as voltage drop under load.
If not then perhaps as others have said it could be a bad connection concerning the incomming tails to the mainswitch or from the mainswitch to the busbar(s)/neutral bar(s) in the CU.