MCB Tripping

[CortinaV8]

I bet its for an old immersion heater.

 

[ColJack]

looks to be 4 or 6mm..

do you have a shed that you havent been in in the last month that has power?
a pond or garden lighting?
electric heating?

 

[Adam09]

Hi, thanks for the replies.

I have now made of list of what is wired to each MCB and RCD.
Alarm, Porch Light, Upstairs Lights, Downstairs sockets etc.

This is the only one I still can’t figure out. The combi boiler was recently installed before we moved into the house, and used to be some sort of water tank/heater up in the loft at one point as for there are capped off water pipes in the loft in one location, so maybe this is where the cable goes? Although there is no sign of cables, I will move stuff around in the loft sometime soon so I can lift some boards up and have a look.

Cheers
-Adam

 

[Gaz the Sparky]

I think that cable could be to the cooker there is defernatly something wrong with the cooker switch. If there is a fishy smell while you are using there cooker then there is more than likely a loose connection at the back of the switch which is getting hot and melting the plastic

Turn the whole consumer unit off and tack the cooker switch off and check behind it. If it has been burning then replace the switch with a new one and trim back any damaged cable. DO NOT USE THE COOKER until YOU HAVE CHECKED THE SWITCH you could cause a fire

while you have got the switch off you can compare the size of cable with the unidentified cable.

let us know how you get on and what you find

G>T>S

 

[bongos]

I think that cable could be to the cooker there is defernatly something wrong with the cooker switch.

What cooker switch?

Think the Op would have noticed a if his cooker hadn't been working for the last month or maybe he eats alot of take aways...

 

[securespark]

If you haven't found out yet what it is, then it must be either a disused circuit, or one used so rarely, you have not missed it.

So, leave it off until you discover by trial and error what it is for!

You can't lose anything by doing this.

 

[uselessFCUK]

I think that cable could be to the cooker there is defernatly something wrong with the cooker switch.

What cooker switch?

Do keep up, Bongos ... see post 8... it's like going to the doctors with numerous ailments... the quack only ever listens to the first one!

.

 

[Gaz the Sparky]

Also, quick question, we had the kitchen refitted last year, and had the cooker wired in and the ring main extended. Recently there has being a very 'fishy' smell in the cupboard that has the main cooker switch in. I have searched the forums, and see that this is often caused by melting plastic, sockets and wires. Should I check all connections behind socket plates etc?

there bongos

I think that the OP should sort this out first then it possibly might sort his other problem
G.T.S

 

[ColJack]

given that the breaker has remained off, and that presumably he hasn't missed the fact that his cooker no longer works, then it's a fairly safe bet that the cooker is not the missing circuit..

you can get "fuse finders" but they tend to work the other way.. you plug them in and it puts a "tone" up the wire which a "wand" can pick up to identify which fuse controls a given socket..

 

[DCC]

Gaz has it right, everyone is focussing on the mystery MCB which as rightly pointed out the OP should leave switched off and forget about but seem to have ignored the 'fishy smell and warm cooker switch' which although probably not related is definitely not a good thing.

To the original poster: Yes you should check out that cooker switch pronto (or have it checked out). Since you dont know for sure what circuit connects to what turn everything off, whip off the switch plate and have a look whats going on behind - it's quite possible you have a loose connection behind there or somesuch. Definitely dont ignore it.

 

[Adam09]

Whilst I had the cover off the consumer unit, I was able to list down everything which was wired to each MCB/RCD apart from 2. The one this thread was made for, and another MCB but I have a feeling it was the old lighting in the garage, as there was a new lighting circuit put in when converted into a room, so I have left these 2 MCB’s off.

It would still be interesting to see what is wired to that one MCB though, I guess it would be a lot easier if I could lift up the floorboards in some of the bedrooms without damaging the floor... but I will just leave it off! Everythings still on, and is on their own MCB anyhow! So it has to be unused although it never used to trip when it’s ‘always’ been ON in the past... weird!


Cheers
-Adam