blown fuses

[PAINTERJHD]

Hi can anyone tell me why the fuse 5A stopped working today,i rewired it and fitted it back into the cu turned on the switch and it went bang,i tried this twice with the same result,so at present have not got lights,sockets ok and i have not touched the electrics. Any ideas please.

 

[JohnD]

Yes, I can.

You have an electrical fault.

I do not think there is anything wrong with the fuse, and it has not stopped working.

You say you have rewirable fuses.

This is usually a sign of a rather old installation. Is your fusebox brown or cream?

The problem might be a gradually occurring one such as perished insulation. Do your cables appear to be glossy grey or white PVC, or are they black rubber? The wire leading down from the ceiling to the lampholder?

It might be due to water in a fitting. This usually comes from an outside lamp, or a light fitting in the ceiling below the bathroom. It can also be caused by a leaky roof dripping onto a fitting.

It might be due to a nail or screw penetrating a cable. This usually occurs after some DIY such as hanging pictures, nailing down floorboards, or fitting a curtain rail.

Very very rarely it can be due to an old lightbulb failing with a dead short. This may occur if the bulb has been knocked. It is however the easiest fault to fix - just take out the bulbs. the faulty bulb may look smokey or black inside the glass.

Does anything other than lighting run off the 5A circuit? A fan, for example?

Have you recently made any electrical alterations?

 

[PAINTERJHD]

H thanks for your reply,the fusebox is brown,the cable is white pvc,there is nothing else but lights on this circuit,i will check all light fittings in the morning when i can see them properly thanks for your help.

 

[Qedelec]

With the power to the circuit disconnected, connect a multimeter, on ohms range, across phase and neutral an look for a short circuit (low ohms reading). Then switch off each light switch in turn, until the short disappears.

 

[PAINTERJHD]

Thank you for your advice but i do not have a meter and probably would not know how to use it ,looks like i need to get an electrician in many thanks

 

[breezer]

just a thought, may be a well dodgy lamp, take them all out change the fuse, see what happens

 

[Qedelec]

Good call!

A man's gotta know his limitations.

 

[PAINTERJHD]

Thanks breezer will remove lamps and put fuse in again if it blows will get an electrician to look at it,if it does not blow i will replace lamps and have it easier than trying to find an electrician to sort it thank you for your help.