Made a mistake and wired mains plug to lighting rig!!!

[Corrado]

Due to an incorrectly labelled fuse box the other day I wired in a plug socket in what was a spare wire, capped off into a junction box...

It turns out that this wire was from the lighting rig and not the plug circuit and we were just using a high powered tool and it stopped working, went and had a look at the socket and all looked okay, then I looked at the fusebox and the plastic around the fuse housing looks like it has melted a bit and I could smell burning.

Strangely enough,I checked the fuse, (30amp!!!- too high for a lighting ring, too - hence not blowing) and it was fine, - so any idea what I could have done and what are my options now?!???

 

[plugwash]

was this 30A wire in a 5A carrier? if so i suspect the carrier was overloaded. I suspect a bad contact (either between carrier and CU or between CU and cabling) may have contributed too.

just how high power was this tool?

short term i would stop using that fuseway and carrier, if theres a spare way and a carrier for it move the circuit there. if not then i'd shove a FCU on one of the rings and stick a 5A fuse in it.

long term the CU should be replaced and a proper inspection/test done of the installation.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Plugwash's Q about the tool is vital - there's a big difference between the fuseholder being damaged because of a local contact overheating problem, and the entire circuit cable being f***ed...

If it was just one tool on a 13A plug, then it's unlikely that you've damaged the cable though.

 

[Corrado]

It was indeed one tool (ground breaker) on a plug into the newly wired plug board. So, fingers crossed, I haven't fried all of the wiring!!