Fuse box popped!

[Guy27]

Hi

I'm not a DIY expert so excuse the laymans terms!

My circuit of lights tripped last night which would normally suggest a bulb has gone. I would normally just flick the trip switch and change the relevant bulb. I went to do that last night and the fuse box made a loud bang and a brief spark emitted. I'm quite nervous of electricity so don't want to try anything advanced but is there an easy resolution!

Thanks

 

[dingbat]

It might still be just a lamp that's blown.

Turn off all the light switches (might be difficult to tell with two-way lighting on the stairs) and see if you can reset the breaker. If you can, then turn on each light in turn and see if you can narrow it down.

Or remove all the lamps and see if you can reset. If not you have a bigger job of fault finding to carry out.

Have you replaced or moved any light fittings or switches recently? (while decorating, for instance) If so, you may have nipped some insulation.

 

[Guy27]

Thanks - I'll give it a try. You are right I do have two way lighting on my stairs but I'll give it a try. I've not moved any light fittings so I hope it is just a bulb issue.

Thanks again.

 

[Steve]

Sounds like the MCB could be faulty. After a bulb has blown it should just reset as normal. Perhaps years of clearing repeating bulb faults has worn it out? Ask an electrician to replace it with a type C if it comes to it. This shouldn't trip when a bulb blows.

 

[Spark123]

If the MCB will not reset it can also mean the fault is still present.

 

[Steve]

If the MCB will not reset it can also mean the fault is still present.

should it spark and go bang though - as described above - i know a blue flash is normal when a switch breaks a current, but this sounded like more than just your regular MCB trip . . .

 

[Spark123]

More of a pop as the mechanism opens.

 

[plugwash]

i think quite a significant flash and noise is normal when resetting a breaker against a short circuit (which could well be inside a bulb)

 

[Spark123]

Not as bad as replacing a rewirable fuse under short circuit, which is one of the reasons why you should always turn the fuse box off by the main switch before inserting/removing fuses.