Mains trip switches

[MattLG]

Every day I'm finding more and more dodgy DIY in the (rented) house that I've just recently into. I was going to replace the bathroom light switch today so I went to swith off the "Up Lights". I found the trip switch board but it only had one trip switch on it. All the others are blanks.

Brilliant! I thought. The whole house is on a single trip switch. So I flicked it.

Nothing went off.

It seems that this single trip switch is connected to nothing. The only way off switching off the electricity is to switch off the main switch (on the switch board).

So, my question is, is this main switch a trip switch, or just a manual switch? Will it switch itself off in an emergency or am I likely to find our house destroyed in an electrical disaster some day?

Cheers

MattLG

 

[riveralt]

Every day I'm finding more and more dodgy DIY in the (rented) house that I've just recently into. I was going to replace the bathroom light switch today so I went to swith off the "Up Lights". I found the trip switch board but it only had one trip switch on it. All the others are blanks.

Brilliant! I thought. The whole house is on a single trip switch. So I flicked it.

Nothing went off.

It seems that this single trip switch is connected to nothing. The only way off switching off the electricity is to switch off the main switch (on the switch board).

So, my question is, is this main switch a trip switch, or just a manual switch? Will it switch itself off in an emergency or am I likely to find our house destroyed in an electrical disaster some day?

Cheers

MattLG

Given your description which suggests that all your circuits are linked into one main switch a photograph of the Consumer unit(s) - fuse boxes would be helpful.

 

[flameport]

I found the trip switch board but it only had one trip switch on it. All the others are blanks.

If this is the only board, what do these 'blanks' look like? Is it a Hager board?
Perhaps they are pull out compartments for cartridge fuses?

 

[planemad]

Are they pullout lawson fuses?

 

[MattLG]

Here's a photo.

Untitled

• MattLG
• 30 Dec 2010
• 1

The switch on the left does nothing, then there's the three "blanks". The main switch on the right switches the whole house off naturally.

Many thanks

MattLG

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If you pull the blue dotted, brown cartridge out 15 Amps, you may find your in the dark.

 

[flameport]

The middle 2 items are rewirable fuses, they pull out to reveal fuse wire inside.
Also looks like a wooden backed effort which should have been replaced years ago.

 

[riveralt]

Here's a photo.

Untitled

• MattLG
• 30 Dec 2010
• 1

The switch on the left does nothing, then there's the three "blanks". The main switch on the right switches the whole house off naturally.

Many thanks

MattLG

You do not have three blanks - you have a 30Amp circuit (possibly your sockets) and a 15Amp circuit - those are re-wireable fuses. The one on the left is a 30Amp MCB possibly a shower circuit - but this could also be a submain - are you sure there isn't another consumer unit somewhere else.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

But why are you replacing a switch? if your the tenant that is your landlords responsibility.
Do you have an electric shower or cooker, that could be the one on the left and the red dotted cartridge is for your sockets.

 

[MattLG]

Oh right. I don't think I've ever lived in a house with wired fuses like this before.

What about the main switch on the right? Is that just a manual switch?

MattLG

 

[flameport]

The switch on the right is just that - a switch.

Overload and short circuit protection is provided by the fuses - assuming someone hasn't replaced the wire with the wrong size, a nail or some other inappropriate item.

 

[riveralt]

Where is your meter in relation to the Consumer Unit?

 

[MattLG]

The meter is just outside the front door. This switch board is in the dining room which has been converted from a garage by the aforementioned dodgy DIY

MattLG

 

[riveralt]

The meter is just outside the front door. This switch board is in the dining room which has been converted from a garage by the aforementioned dodgy DIY

MattLG

Is this a house or a house split into flats?
Generally speaking the meter should be no more than 3 metres from the Consumer Unit.

Personally speaking, as a landlord myself, the way your electrical circuits have been set up is apalling - you should be asking the landlord to sort them out for you. At the very least the board should be marked with names for each circuit so you are not pulling fuses blindly.

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Hi there

Typical of some landlords understanding of their responsibilities regarding electrical maintenance.

It also looks like the place has been rewired without changing the fuseboard. The wires going to it look new.

It would be safer not to have rewirable fuses there for various reasons.

Martin

PS above the

Limbird Limited
21 The Glenmore Centre,
Waterwells Business Park
Quedgeley,Gloucester.
GL2 2AP

Tel: 01452 883471

Sticker, is the date of last inspection.

What date does it say?

Also there seems to be a hole in the top left hand corner of the plastic front to the fuseboard, has this gone all the way through?