Recent content by JimboMarimbo

Time will tell, but the result is welcome. I'll be replacing light bulbs one by one and keeping a cautious watch over the situation.

AndyPRK you eagle-eyed spotter! On the hallway ceiling rose 01 you saw where the black wire crossed over the un-sleeved bare earth wire and up close I could see it too - you couldn't get a fag paper between them. I grabbed a reel of earthing tape and with tweezers managed to slip some tape...

Thanks for your thoughts re: smoking - this is good detective work: prior to my purchase of the properties the ground floor flat had been let out to numerous tenants back in the days when 'everybody used to smoke'.. The 'no screws and shifted position' is also correct - the plastic rose cover...

I'm immensely grateful to all you guys - I'm going to take some photos of the hallway rose and switch, it being nearest to the fuse box. I should mention there is another similar switch at the other end of the hall Also regarding the rubber-or-pvc post seventies rewire, the exit wiring from the...

Thank you, that is perfectly clear - your patient polite response is much appreciated. I shall take your procedural advice, starting with the ceiling rose above the bulb holder that was 'on' when this whole fuse blowing started. Fuse box 'off', Disconnect the two (four?) wires in the rose...

One extra - I did state in my original post "I removed every light bulb (all LEDs)" - confirming there are NO light bulbs in situ anywhere.

I'm trying to digest all this and reconcile some apparent conflicting views "get a plug in 5A MCB" vs "I absolutely do not suggest the OP should do the above". Anyway I have bought a box of twenty 5A cartridge fuses for starters. And so, the following sounds good... "Split the circuit in half...

Thanks, noted. I find that my stepladder is not going to get me to within safe distance for unscrewing the central rose, the Edwardian ceilings being 3M high. I would assume that the problem will be on the ceiling rather than on the wall switches, and I thank you for (kinda) confirming this as...

Thanks, that's a lot, guys. A property this old with no inter-floor access to the ceiling roses, short of ripping up the first floor floor boards room by room, I will read through your individual posts and ruminate thereon. As for "I think you need a spark" - if you mean 'sparks' rather than a...

Edwardian terrace with central hanging wire and bayonet sockets for light bulbs with one wall mounted rocker switch per room. Last week the only light that was ‘on’ in ground floor lounge went ‘click’ and the fuse had blown. After just replacing the cartridge fuse and with all light switches in...

What is this raised border behind a bathroom vent/grille? The internal plastic grille just lifted off of four screw heads which are barely visible under the grime of ages. There is remaining a raised border which I want to remove, so that I have a flat plaster surface to work on: but what is...

Oh, OK, thanks guys: so one step at a time - change the upstairs light bulb bul then check the ceiling rose screws. Interesting that you say the red and black cable on the landing switch is from the upstairs light - nothing to do with the similar cable downstairs. That makes a lot more sense...

1900s terraced house has a double light switch at the foot of the stairs, for hall light which works ok and (supposedly) first floor landing - which flickers but does not. The trouble centers around someone who has replaced the upstairs double switch with a single on/off type. Looking at the...

Yup, that did it - two taps with a mini hammer and it sprung apart, flexible enough to curl open and release the down pipe.! Many thanks for your fast response.

I'm trying to remove a downpipe from conservatory, but it is angled at top roof edge and also at bottom windowledge end: it is non moveable without removing the two Hunter branded pipe clips which secure the vertical pipe to the pvc wall. Unlike the 'normal' pipe clip I am used to which is...