Bulb shattered now no lights in the house work

[UselessDIYer]

Hi all - some advise if possible on this one:

Flicked the light switch to on in the hallway and one of the candle bulbs shattered and all of the power went off - quickly flicked the switch to off!

Looking under the stairs the main trip switch was 'off'.

Removed the remaining candle parts in the light unit and added a new bulb.

Back under the stairs and I flicked the trip switch to on.

Power goes back on.

However none of the lights in the house now work (either up or down stairs) only the main circuit is fine.

All trip switches are 'on' and fuse wire is present in the 4 fuses I have.

Any ideas?

many thanks

Charlotte

 

[londonboy]

Are you 100% sure that ALL the switches are on?

(I almost had to drive 50miles to turn a switch on the other day that my customer forgot about )

 

[UselessDIYer]

All of the ones i can see are on!!

My thought was that there must be a fuse somewhere for the lights - but if this was the case should the fuse not have blown before the light bulb?

Thanks for the prompt post

 

[Taylortwocities]

No, the high current that blew the lamp would then have taken out the fuse - probably more or less at the same time.

Your main trip switch. What is written on it?

Can you post a pic of your fuseboard. Have a look in the Forum index if you aren't sure how to do it,,

 

[Spark123]

Also, if you remove the fuses from the fuse board can you test them with a continuity tester/multimeter?
Don't forget ot switch off the main switch before pulling the fuses.

 

[UselessDIYer]

Hi,

See below (hopefully) for an image of the main trip switch.

I've got nothing to test with I'm afraid - all of the fuses do have wire through them?

 

[Spark123]

Sometimes the smaller fuse wire breaks but it isn't obvious, checking with a tester will confirm the fuse wire is intact.

 

[UselessDIYer]

And here is the rest of the bits there:

 

[UselessDIYer]

Hi Spark123

Whereabouts are the smaller wires located?

thanks

 

[londonboy]

In the white carriers

 

[UselessDIYer]

Hi LondonBoy

Sorry - I'm lost now

What are the White Carriers?

 

[Spark123]

I spy a serious problem with the first fuse (red one!)
I recommend you phone an electrician.

 

[UselessDIYer]

It's always been black and burnt.

I know that's bad but ever since I bought the house it has always been like this!!

Even when I had a new combi boiler fitted about 6 months ago the guy mentioned it, but as it's always been like this (with wire through it) I've left as is.

That particular fuse has 30 amp wire in it - would this be for the lights?

 

[londonboy]

I didnt spot that

The reds will be 30amp (for cookers and sockets)
The whites are 5amp (for lighting)

 

[Spark123]

No - it won't be for the lights, but it appears to have been subject to an overload, probably from a shower or cooker and a loose connection.
Hopefully it has been disconnected as if something like that is left it is a fire risk.
The two fuse holders with the white dots on to the left of that fuse are 5A and probably your lights.
There is also another consumer unit to the left hidden behind the vacuum hose.