The box that holds the main cutout (60A) is very sticky with that brown gunge that seems to appear in warm weather. My spark said (a few years ago) that it's nothing to worry about as it's put inside the service head/fuse for safety reasons and occasionally leaks slightly. Problem is that it's got onto the wife's nice new white trousers and I'm in the doghouse. Any suggestions for a safe way to give it a clean? I've wiped it with a dry kitchen towel, but that just spread it more.
Sticky main fuse holder
- Thread starter Vicario
- Start date
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Leaking tar (bitumen ) from your mains cut out is a sign that there is a loose connection or high resistance joint inside causing excess heat to make the bitumen liquify. Call your local electricity suppliers emergency number and tell them there is bitumen leaking from your service head and they should send someone round to look at it and assess whether it needs to be changed it to a more modern type without the bitumen free of charge.
Nick
Nick
Give your DNO a call on : EDF Energy (South East): 0800 783 88 66
They will normally replace the cutout for you.
You can then clean any remaining bitumen off the cable with an old rag and some white spirit or similar
They will normally replace the cutout for you.
You can then clean any remaining bitumen off the cable with an old rag and some white spirit or similar
Thanks for the advice. We're off on holiday next week weekend - is it OK to leave until we get back, as there will be practically no load on the system. Or do I really report it as an emergency? To be honest, it's been like this for quite a while and there's no sign of heating at the cutout. It's often worse in warm weather, I've noticed.
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I would just leave it till you get back then as it has been like it for quite a whie a few extra days/weeks wont hurt i imagine.
Just ring them when you get back .
Nick
Just ring them when you get back .
Nick
K
kai
A photo will be very useful - it will tell us a lot about the intake position! 
Why was your wifes trousers hanging from your fuse?something you want to share?
Could you not have made up something better than the truth ?we'd never have known.
It was just the way it used to be done years ago.
The bitumen was to seal and insulate the cable ends back in the day when modern plastic insulation was not readily available.
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G
Goldberg
Eucalyptus oil. You'll be amazed at what it does to bitumen.
Could you also post a photo of your hot-panted wife, stretching to reach something in the pantry? That way we can advise you of any other hazards that you might not have noticed.
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