Knowing how much you all like pics, I thought these might interest you.
Doing a PIR for a flat prior to council renting.
This is what I found:
The first thought was, accessible live parts, no CU cover so fail.
Then I climbed the ladder (Part M anyone) and found the rest.
Hmm, breakers look ok, but what's that on the left.
Oh dear....
OH DEAR
ARGGGGHHHHHHH (sound of feet running into distance)
It would appear that some wassock added an 8.5kw shower at some point (just over 35A) on a standard 30A fuse. I imagine it was glowing for some time before it decided to melt through the fuse holder, the fuse itself, and presumably the front of the Consumer Unit hence its absence.
Some not so bright spark then bypassed the fuse entirely by wiring the 6mm phase directly to the remaining lower prong of the half melted fuse and forcing it back in.
Fortunately the actual wiring in the flat was undamaged, and tested fine, so I will be sticking in a cheap 4 or 6 way unit to get it to comply.
This is an upstairs flat with no garden, so is unlikely to be used for portable equipment outdoors - would the experts on here recommend I put in an RCD incomer to cover all ways, or just go with a standard isolator? I have heard that councils are rather hung up on RCDs, even when they aren't necessary. Given the fuse board is at the top of the wall in the stairwell, maybe 8 feet off the ground, nuisance tripping of the rcd really WOULD be nuisance, but there are not really enough ways (or space) to justify a split load board.
Gavin
-----
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
Doing a PIR for a flat prior to council renting.
This is what I found:
The first thought was, accessible live parts, no CU cover so fail.
Then I climbed the ladder (Part M anyone) and found the rest.
Hmm, breakers look ok, but what's that on the left.
Oh dear....
OH DEAR
ARGGGGHHHHHHH (sound of feet running into distance)
It would appear that some wassock added an 8.5kw shower at some point (just over 35A) on a standard 30A fuse. I imagine it was glowing for some time before it decided to melt through the fuse holder, the fuse itself, and presumably the front of the Consumer Unit hence its absence.
Some not so bright spark then bypassed the fuse entirely by wiring the 6mm phase directly to the remaining lower prong of the half melted fuse and forcing it back in.
Fortunately the actual wiring in the flat was undamaged, and tested fine, so I will be sticking in a cheap 4 or 6 way unit to get it to comply.
This is an upstairs flat with no garden, so is unlikely to be used for portable equipment outdoors - would the experts on here recommend I put in an RCD incomer to cover all ways, or just go with a standard isolator? I have heard that councils are rather hung up on RCDs, even when they aren't necessary. Given the fuse board is at the top of the wall in the stairwell, maybe 8 feet off the ground, nuisance tripping of the rcd really WOULD be nuisance, but there are not really enough ways (or space) to justify a split load board.
Gavin
-----
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.