Double pole 100amp breaker

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Hello

I had a problem with the hot water tank, funny i had not water

So i idid a bit of fault finding today and found no power the the element

So i went to the consumer unit and found no power at the MEM AD100 100amp double pole isolater switch so i have swapped it over to a disused 16amp MCB that is protected by a 100amp double pole breaker.

I have hot water now, also i found bits of plastic inside the consumer unit
from that 100amp breaker

Has any one found problems like this before and how rare for a breaker to mess up

Also can you tell me why its set up with this 100amp double pole breaker and just one 16amp MCB, is for load or just the way the unit is set up

Also where can i buy a 100amp Double pole breaker from and i noticed its still going to be live if i change the switch not good, not that i have a problem with that

Can i just leave it the way it is as there are now three 16amp MCB on one bar protected by the 100amp breaker

thank you

Also i have posted a new topic as the even this is about the same system i talked about in the plumming section i think this is more electrical
 
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woah woah hang on

You have two consumer units?

Please post up a photo of the units you worked on and explain where you moved this circuit FROM and TO.

Its normal for an economy 7 circuit and consumer unit to have no power during the day. They are switched on by the meter.

Do you have economy 7? Maybe storage (or otherwise electric) heating?

Its normal to find bits of plastic in the consumer unit if you've had a messy spark who didnt clean out the case after he bashed holes in it.

Was anything burnt or melted?

If you have moved your eco7 element from the eco7 to the permenant supply it will run constantly and give you high bills.
 
ok sorry

Yes i do have two consumer units one for lights sockets etc, the other one is for the storage heaters water tank etc

On the consumer unit i have a breaker for hot water storage tank and a other breaker for the boost for the hot water all is tied into the economy 7 control unit,

if i have got this right, there should be power all the time to the hot water tank and the thermostat will switch it off and on

I have kept all in the same consumer unit

I have only moved the power feed for the hot water tank to a spare 16amp MCB, the other two are boost and upstairs storage heaters
So there are three in total and there is a 100amp breaker on the bar

When i multimeter the 100amp breaker for the hotwater tank there was no power but there was power on the power feed in

Also no power at the 20amp double pole Sink/Bath switch

When i moved the power to the other breaker it works i have hot water now mmmmmmmmmm

Have i done it wrong
 
On the consumer unit i have a breaker for hot water storage tank and a other breaker for the boost for the hot water all is tied into the economy 7 control unit,
The way you describe it, it sounds like there are two breakers in the eco7 CU for the water. This doesnt sound right - one should be in the normal CU and thus be available for use all the time for boost.

if i have got this right, there should be power all the time to the hot water tank and the thermostat will switch it off and on
The tank should heat up on eco7 overnight and just require topup heat during the day if required.

When i multimeter the 100amp breaker for the hotwater tank there was no power but there was power on the power feed in
What exactly are you probing? The mainswitch should be live top and bottom when its switched on. And whats the 100 amp breaker for the hot water tank? :confused:

Have i done it wrong
I'm struggling to tell! Any chance of photos?

An eco7 CU shouldn't be live during the day, unless the heaters have timers in them - or else all the heaters will consume a mix of peak and off peak electric. :confused:
 
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Hi

Ok 100amp Double pole main breaker this has its own feed and in line with that is your 16amp MCB for the hot water storage tank

With the 100 amp breaker on the on postion no power at the bottom of the breaker but power at the top 240v

The other MCB are in the same set up and that where i have used a spare 16amp MCB to feed the hot water tank with the 100amp double pole breaker feeding theme

When i had no power to the tank i turrned the boost on and i had power to the element when that was off i had no power,

I thought the thermostat controlled the on off of the element

The two MCB are wired into the eco7 control unit this giving you two power sorces into the unit

And the boost i think is the one that is the off peak one that gives you a top up

This system is a twin element and the tank does not have two elements
 
The 100 amp switch MUST HAVE POWER going through it - its the mainswitch for the CU, unless someone has been creative with the wiring. If there is no power getting to the bottom terminals, the whole CU would not work, you'd have no heat.

PLEASE put a picture up.

Something doesnt sound right.
 
Hi

Maybe i have lost you

There are three 100amp breakers in the CU and loads of 16amp MCB

Two of the breakers have 1 power feed to it this supply the heaters focal fire boost etc

The 3rd 100amp breaker is the one that feeds the hot water tank 16amp MCB
all these breakers are inside the CU
The is no main isolater switch before for the CU

I will try and get some photos for you
 
higgie21 - please STOP what you are doing. Randomly changing circuits in your consumer unit is not safe, and won't fix the problem either.

The most likely explanation for the lack of hot water is that one of the elements has failed. Alternatively, the heating controller has failed. Either way, the solution is for a competent person to locate the defective item(s) using proper test equipment, and then replace whatever is broken.
Given the questions and descriptions of items you have provided so far, it is clear that you are NOT competent to do any of this work.

Your consumer unit does not have '100amp breakers' - they are isolating switches. If these had failed, the results would be burnt and melted plastic.
The supply to the main hot water heating element will not be on 24/7, it will switch on on overnight and possibly for a few hours during the day.

The consumer unit with two 100A switches will be dual tarrif board, one half being supplied via the unrestricted supply, and the other half from the timed E7 supply. Likely that the unrestricted section is due to there being supplementary heating such as wall mounted convectors, or possibly dual function storage heaters with fans or convector heaters in them.
 
worthless.gif
 
Hi

As i have said there are three 100 amp isolating switches in the CU

I know the board is split into two section and the third isolating switch is for the hot water tank and this switch is not on the duel tarrif only the heaters and boost are on this system

I only change over to confirm that the element was working as it will cost a lot to get a twin emersion element

So i have proved that the element works, so it will changed back to the way it was.

Then i will see if i do get hot water the eco 7 set up is a bit strange set up.

I also thought this forum was to help and advice

How can someone on this forum who hasent seen my work, or seen me as a person and dont know my background call me a uncompetent person.

Yes i will post some photos when i get time, maybe i dont use the right words but i am only looking for some advice not a court of law to judge and point
 
you won't post photos of your own installation, then?
 
How can someone on this forum who hasent seen my work, or seen me as a person and dont know my background call me a uncompetent person.
Because of the way you are asking your questions.


maybe i dont use the right words
That's what shows your lack of knowledge and expertise.

"Incompetent" is just an adjective, like "short", or "bearded", or "male" - it doesn't have any connotations of fault.
 
Hi

Here are the photos of the set up of the CU

The left hand side single MCB is the water heater and is on E7 power

The middle one is 24/7 power and the right one is E7 power

I have proved that the element works fine so it must be the control unit

My mate who is a spark is going to have a look at it from me
 

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