Everything is flickering

[therealjb]

Hope I'm posting this is the right place!

About a year ago - we had a shower installed and the electrician put this on a separate garage consumer unit. Occasionally whilst the shower was in use the lights would flicker in the house. When we asked the electrician about it he said it's normal operation because it's a 10.5kW shower.

About 1 month ago - all of the lights started dimming/flickering whenever an appliance or light was switched on. We've been keeping an eye on it - trying to isolate it down to a certain socket or a certain room - or even just a certain circuit.

The problem is - it's across all circuits in all rooms. The fluorescent tubes in the kitchen won't stay on sometimes, just flicking on and off. All table lamps, ceiling lamps - even the display on the alarm control panel - flicker and dim. Last night I was almost asleep and I heard the TV making a strange noise - sounded like an electric lawnmower and it wasn't coming from the speakers.

Tonight I'm sat in the lounge with a 50" Tv, one table lamp, the sky box and this laptop on. Also the dishwasher is on - and the lamp is dimming every 5 - 10 seconds - for a good 5 seconds... then a few flickers.... and back to normal.

Does this sound like a problem inside the house or with the supply to the house? Because the electrician said it's nothing to do with the shower - it's on a separate 'ring main'? (I don't know much about electrics but it's a little box next to the consumer unit in the garage with a T(est) button and a flick switch).

When I rang the electricity company to explain - they said it will most likely be the electricians fault and I'd have to pay a fee if it was.

 

[Spark123]

It sounds like a loose connection somewhere, as it is effecting all the circuits and more than one consumer unit it will be before them. It could be in the henley blocks, meter, service head or on the supply to your premises.
Maybe best to get an electrician to check the henley blocks and failing that, call the electricity supplier out.
Also, speak to your neighbours (a few doors either way) and ask if they are having similar problems.

 

[Taylortwocities]

If it affects all circuits it sounds like a bad connection somewhere on the supply side of the board.

I would suspect perhaps the busbar at the bottom of the consumer unit, but it is very dangerous in there. Best to get a qualified electrician to look at it first.

It may just be on the electricity company's side but I would bet it's something the first spark has done.

re

When we asked the electrician about it he said it's normal operation because it's a 10.5kW shower.

Total tosh.

You might get a slight dimming if you live way out in the country, but not flickering as you have described.

 

[westie101]

Call the DNO again, tell them you have a flickering supply. DON'T mention the work 12 months ago.

If as you say a separate CU was fitted it is pointing towards a meter or main fuse connection.
Is your supply overhead or underground?

 

[therealjb]

Wasn't expecting such sudden responses!!

Thanks for all the comments - It's underground supply. I think I will call them in the morning then and get them to send someone out.

Is the flickering dangerous? As in capable of setting on fire?

Thanks for your responses guys!

 

[westie101]

Is the flickering dangerous

Check carefully around your meter position for unusual sounds or smells.
If no could well be outside the house.

If yes, switch consumer units off to remove load and phone immediately reporting what you found!

Do not start pulling or waggling any cables

 

[therealjb]

Well - in the garage - when the lights are flickering I can hear a buzzing noise inside the consumer unit.

With everything off (in the consumer unit) except for one of the lighting switches - the lights flicker randomly to no pattern.

If everything is on in the consumer unit - the lights flicker whenever a light or appliance is turned on or off.

It's just so frustrating right now because I have BT Broadband which disconnects every 5 - 10 minutes (un related I hope!! ), Sky HD which randomly displays 'No Satellite Signal' and a Fluval Chi which keeps breaking down - only 3 months old!

I think I'm going to move! Haha.

 

[sparkydude]

It sounds to me like you definitely have a loose connection in your fusebox/consumer unit. Sadly this will also have a bearing on your faulty sky box, BT and fluval as they are all losing power and then seeing it again it is causing problems with them . You need to get your Sparky or a sparky to have a look at it as you have isolated it to your consumer unit.

The DNO only have a responsibility upto the meter .


Do not use any high powered equipment until you get it sorted as its not something you can just leave. By leaving it so long already you may have just been lucky , a loose coection can and will eventually cause a fire if unchecked. I am not trying to scare you , but just giving you a reality check .
Get it checked ASAP

Nick

 

[therealjb]

Ok thanks Nick - Have phoned an electrician who advised me to unplug all but essential appliances and leave them out until the morning when he comes.

He's going to check the incoming and outgoing supply?

He also said something about a switched neutral?

Who knows.

I'll let you know in the morning. Thanks for all your help guys!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If as you say a separate CU was fitted it is pointing towards a meter or main fuse connection.

Or a loose connection in a service connector block, which will not be the responsibility of the supplier and re which they would charge a hefty fee if it turned out to be the case.

Better to get an electrician in first to rule out any installation issues, which fortunately the OP is doing.

 

[therealjb]

Sorry for the late reply.

Turns out under the road outside - where they'd spliced next door's connection in wasn't watertight. They'd been having the same problem but hadn't dared say anything because the lad had wired the attic conversion.

LOL.

All fixed now and the road is all dug up and stuff.

Not ONE flicker tonight so far

 

[RF Lighting]

Thats good news

Thanks for letting us know. It's nice to hear the outcome of these odd faults

 

[DIYPaul001]

I'm having exactly the same problem with my lights.

I have contacted my electricity supplier and they said that it is nothing to worry about as it is when the substation switches over during the evening.

Could this be true?

Paul

 

[westie101]

Could this be true?

In a word NO, try
talking to your neighbours to see if they have the same problem,
is it just the lights or can you use a, say floor lap, to check it is on other circuits
if you are certain it is not an internal problem talk to you DNO who operate the electricity network

 

[ricicle]

I'm having exactly the same problem with my lights.

I have contacted my electricity supplier and they said that it is nothing to worry about as it is when the substation switches over during the evening.

Could this be true?

Paul

Highly unlikely, but does it happen at the same time every night ?
How long does the flickering last ?
Does it become more noticable when you are using heavy current appliances (shower, kettle, tumbledryer etc) ?