Necessary to change a fuse box ?

[thefuzzbox]

Hi,
Firstly I must apologise and warn you I am the proverbial village idiot as far as anything to do with DIY goes.

Moved house last year (new one was built around the mid-eighties), all going well until one day all the lights downstairs decided not to work.

Eventually located the fuse box (told you I was a bit dim) out in the garage, saw one of the thingies was hanging out. Turned off the box, pulled it out, and noticed it was a fuse wire type thing. Went off to B&Q, found some fuse wire (with the correct number of amps) fitted it, and everything was fine again.

Seems that it might be related to the lights in our kitchen. We have two lights, each with four halogen type bulbs. Everytime one of these bulbs blows, (maybe every 3 months or so), the fuse blows. Now, although remarkably I seem to be capable of changing the fuse wire, I'd rather not have to do this (bearing in mind I am so thick when it comes to this sort of thing that one day I'm sure I'll manage to blow myself up).

Is there another sort of fuse box I could have which would negate the need to change the fuse wire, i.e. some sort of trip thing where I just press a switch and everything's ok again - and would I be right in thinking this would cost in the region of £300 ?

Be grateful for any advice (although having read back through this message, I appear to be even more clueless than I first envisaged).

Thanks
thefuzzbox

 

[Qedelec]

Yes you can have a modern Consumer Unit fitted but this is not a DIY job.
Contact an electrician.

 

[Steve]

when a lightbulb blows, it draws a significant amount of current for a breif time, enough to blow a fuse in your case. You will find the problem worse with MCBs ("some sort of trip thing where you just press a switch"), as they are a lot more sensitive to sudden overcurrents. However, as you say, they are easier to reset, rather than rewire.

Cost to fit a new consumer unit in the region of £300-400, cost varies hugely according to where you live. Can you post a picture of your existing fuse box - you may be able to get mini MCBs for it, which plug in, instead of fuse carriers like what you have. These cost about £5-8 each - obviously a big saving on a completely new Consumer Unit.