New Consumer Unit Problem

[id0mrg]

Hello all,
My daughter has had the kitchen of her flat redone. The installer suggested that, as part of the project, she should have her existing wired fuse consumer unit replaced with a modern MCB/RCD unit. This was installed by a qualified electrician just before Christmas but there have been problems with loss of power apparently related to a hall light that has switching at either end. Switching it on causes the loss of power. Removing the bulb allows the consumer unit to be reset and power restored.
My queries are: should this problem have been revealed by testing by the electrician following installation of the new consumer unit? are there any tests that I can reasonably do to to determine the cause of the problem before calling a qualified electrician (I am having difficulty getting the installing electrician to return).
Many thanks for any advice.

 

[JohnD]

If he was properly qualified, he should have tested it and left a record of the test results with his installation certificate.

I suspect that one or more of these was not the case.

 

[baldelectrician]

Get the electrician back - you may have a shared neutral on the lights for the landing light

This will need sorting

 

[ban-all-sheds]

What "electrician"?

 

[JohnD]

you may have a shared neutral on the lights for the landing light

I was thinking that, but he says it's a flat.

 

[ricicle]

you may have a shared neutral on the lights for the landing light

I was thinking that, but he says it's a flat.

And would only apply if there are two lighting circuits, one on RCD and one not or they were on seperate RCBOs. Or the Neutral for the hall light is ran back seperately and connected in the wrong N bar. There are quite a few possibilties which only someone competant will be able to find.

 

[bernardgreen]

you may have a shared neutral on the lights for the landing light

I was thinking that, but he says it's a flat.

Found one of these a few years ago after the " electrician " couldn't fix it.

Two way switching. Two lamps, one each end of a long hall way

Switch A had lighting live to COM the lamp there took its neutral from the lighting. Strappers in triple and earth to switch B with switched live back to choc block at switch A and on up to lamp A. From switch B there was a switched live taken up to lamp B. Neutral for lamp B was taken from the porch light which was on an 13 amp plug in a socket.

Probably not relevant in this case but one more example of a new CU being fitted to wiring that had not been properly tested.

 

[martinxxxxxx]

1
This was installed by a qualified electrician just before Christmas .....
2
My queries are: should this problem have been revealed by testing by the electrician following installation of the new consumer unit? ....
3
(I am having difficulty getting the installing electrician to return).
Many thanks for any advice.

1 How do you know he is qualified. Care to name and shame?

2 Should have been tested prior to installing new consumer unit.

3 What difficulties are you having, I can't see why he would not return? It is in his interests to sort this out.

Martin

You will need someone who understand why your fault is happening to fix it. There are too many permatations to be guided through by forum answers (IMO)



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[id0mrg]

Thanks to all for your observations. Since you all seem to think that checks should have been made before installation of the consumer unit and I have not paid the installer for this work yet, I should be able to get this fixed either by the original electrician or a different one (and deduct cost from my bill).

 

[Taylortwocities]

An electrician, changing a consumer unit for reward must be a member of one of the "Part P" schemes.

His work will be guaranteed by the scheme of which he is a member. If you have problems with him then contact his scheme provider and raise a complaint. They will make sure he sorts it out or will provide another spark to resolve.

Now, if he isn't a member of a scheme then he will not be able to self certify and notify his work to the Local Authority.

Pay him nothing until its sorted, but give him the opportunity to resolve.

PS Is he listed here? www.competentperson.co.uk

 

[flameport]

Removing the bulb allows the consumer unit to be reset and power restored.

Have you tried a different lamp (bulb) in this fitting?

Rather silly to call people back if it turns out to be a lamp which has shorted internally.

 

[AndyPRK]

Do you have two light circuits ?

i.e two 'switches' in the CU labelled 'lights'