changing a fuse in a fuse box

[andreaccc]

hi i have a hager fuse box - last night my lights went off in the kitchen and hall and when i checkked the fuse box there are little white knobby things with the writing above for 'lights' and 'shower' ect . my bf says to swich back on the fuse which is off but these little white things are straight - there is not off as they dont off - i have a pic of what its like just there is one marked 'master' which you can off and on

someone must know how to work theses the house is quite new and fuse box is newish

im also worried in case i switch off the electrics at the mains - what will happen to my alarm ?? this is my dads old house and there are no instructions for anything
just worried it might mess up the alarm as well
sorry to be a pain

 

[EFLImpudence]

You will have to open one of the 'lights' fuses (like the one on the left is open)

and remove the fuse and replace with a new one.

There is no way to tell which light circuit it is - trial and error.


You need a BS1361, 5 amp cartridge fuse.

 

[DaftPunk]

It's a little unclear from your description what you currently have. Does it look like either of these devices?

Untitled

• DaftPunk
• 29 Dec 2012
• 1

Untitled

• DaftPunk
• 29 Dec 2012
• 1

 

[andreaccc]

yes this is the one like mine - i have two flat white 'switches' that say lights - i think you pull them out but i think you have to switch off the mains before you do that -

im trying to upload the picture for this

 

[EFLImpudence]

fuse box

• andreaccc
• 29 Dec 2012
• 1

hager fuse box

 

[EFLImpudence]

You don't need to switch off.

Pull the fuse down as far as it will go.

 

[andreaccc]

ok thanks i think you just pull it out and ill get one of the bs 5 amp fuses ilike the person above says

 

[andreaccc]

trying to upload pic but ive one on my profile the white fuse holders are the same as what daft punk has sent of the second pic not the first

 

[JohnD]

this is your picture

fuse box

• andreaccc
• 29 Dec 2012
• 1

hager fuse box

click on it to enlarge

to do it, you copy [net]197889/54243_81367610.jpg[/net] from your album
or see //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=129539

I am not familiar with that brand of "fuse box" but usually you must turn the main switch off before opening or closing a fuseholder, or there may be quite a nasty flash. Many modern units have MCBs which can be switched up and down even if the main switch is on, and those will be what your BF is used to.

Unless you have a spare fuse cartridge of the right rating, you will have to buy a new one in the morning (get a few spares too). It is NOT the same size fuse as in a plug, but an electrical, DIY or hardware shop will probably have them. Take the old one with you as a sample. It might be 6A not 5Amp. Get the same size and colour or it will not fit. It will probably be one of these http://www.bs1361.com/
A shop assistant who does not know better might try to sell you a fuse for a 3-pin plug, but that is not the right one.

In a new house it is rather penny-pinching to fit fuses rather than MCBs, it probably made about £10 difference in the cost of building the house. You could get an electrician to change them but it will cost several times as much now.

The alarm will probably have a rechargeable stand-by battery inside that will last for about 8 hours. It is more likely fed from the Socket circuit rather than the lighting one,

To find out which fuse has gone, if you have several marked "lights"
turn off the main switch
pull one of the fuseholders down
turn the main switch back on
see if any additional lights have gone off.

when you find a fuse that makes no difference whether it is in or out, that will be the blown one. You may be able to get a fuse tester at the electrical shop. Buy a marker pen anyway and label the fuseholders "upstairs lights" "downstairs lights" "outside lights" or whatever you discover them to be.

 

[andreaccc]

ha still alive this morning - i didnt attempt to remove any of the fuses as i found a website which states 'DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE ANY OF THE FUSES WITH THE MAINS SWTICHED ON' so you DO have to switch off.
however still need to buy that fuse at the momnet i have a couple of lamps and - sorry to the person who said i should not switch off - unless they were my ex husband in disguse - yes he wanted me dead !!!!

so thanks for the last person who posted 'to switch off'

the info on the alarm is good too thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

'DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE ANY OF THE FUSES WITH THE MAINS SWTICHED ON'

'MAY CONTAIN NUTS'. Elf and safe tea.

Do you think Hager make fuse boxes where the fuse will be live when open?

 

[JohnD]

does the fuseholder incorporate a switch (there's posh)?

or are you just relying on the arcing not being too severe?

 

[andreaccc]

there is no way of switching off the fuse holder and they dont automatically turn themselves off like in some fuse boxes - BUt according to the on line manual - just found it on line - its saying dont attempt to remove them with the main switch is on - there are a couple of buttons marked on an off for the mains they have black button in the middle - the others are just like the one in the pic

i think you pull them out

tried to post the instructions leaf on here but its on a pdf file and it wont upload

i dont want to touch them with the mains on though

 

[JohnD]

It has always been normal to remove and replace fuseholders with the power off. I don't know where EFL is coming from on this.

 

[andreaccc]

yes john - i dont know where impodence is coming from either but he does seem to have some really good advise on the other posts - maybe he misunderstood the question but im not going to attempt without switcheing off the mains