MCB PROBLEM?

[CITIZEN PETE]

MY AUNTS LIGHTING CIRCUIT MCB KEEPS OPERATING - IN FACT YOU CANNOT SWITCH IT BACK ON - YOU GET A BLUE FLASH AND IT STAYS OFF- WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS COULD THIS BE A FAULT WITH THE MCB ITSELF AND NOT THE CIRCUIT- HOW DO I CHECK THIS -I AM ABLE TO USE A MEGA-THANKS FOR ANY HELP-I KNOW THAT BULBS SOMETIMES TRIGGER THE MCB BUT IN THIS CASE IT WONT COME BACK ON

 

[delmel]

Sounds like a dead short to me. Has this happened after carrying out any work or changing lights ?

 

[JohnD]

 

[CITIZEN PETE]

SHE HAD A NEW ALARM FITTED ABOUT A WEEK AGO USING EXISTING WIRING -SHE GOT UP ONE MORNING AND THE LIGHTS WILL NOT WORK-THE OLD ALARM WAS WIRED INTO THE LIGHTING CIRCUIT AND THE NEW ONE IS NOW WIRED INTO THE RING MAIN

 

[delmel]

Bingo

I would check the wiring at the point where the connections were changed. If all ok, then was drilling invoved near the circuit that is at fault.

 

[CITIZEN PETE]

THE ALARM GUY CAME BACK WENT ROUND THE HOUSE SWITCHING LIGHTS ON AND OFF , THEN HAD A LOOK IN THE CONSUMER UNIT AND THE LIGHTS CAME ON , SOUNDS LIKE HE HAS KNICKED A WIRE WHEN CHANGING THE ALARM OVER TO GET A DEAD SHORT - ANYWAY ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL-HE DID SAY HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS - THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER-YOURS PETE

 

[slippyr4]

Firstly, get the message and TURN OFF CAPS LOCK

THE ALARM GUY CAME BACK WENT ROUND THE HOUSE SWITCHING LIGHTS ON AND OFF , THEN HAD A LOOK IN THE CONSUMER UNIT AND THE LIGHTS CAME ON , SOUNDS LIKE HE HAS KNICKED A WIRE WHEN CHANGING THE ALARM OVER TO GET A DEAD SHORT - ANYWAY ALLS WELL THAT ENDS WELL-HE DID SAY HE DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS - THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO ANSWER-YOURS PETE

Did the alarm guy have spurs and a stetson?

A dead short fault that has just "gone away", rather than being found and fixed, is POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS.

You need to get an ELECTRICIAN, not a COWBOY, or a MONKEY, to come and find and fix the problem.