No power in downstairs electric sockets

[bcoleman]

Came downstairs and discovered fridge off. Then checked all downstairs plug sockets to discover no power in any of them.

Electrician checked plugs yesterday and changed fuse in fuse box. Downstairs power and fridge then back on.

Home last night fidge and downstairs power gone again.

What do I do next. Help please

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Start leaving things unplugged/switched off to find what faulty item is causing this. It's happening with nobody at home? What do you have that comes on automatically? It's a bit worrying that whatever it is it's creating a large enough fault to blow a fuse. Earth faults that trip RCDs are one thing, but something that gives rise to 100's of amps of fault current is a Bad Thing™.

If you've recently done any work on the electrics, or drilled any holes/inserted screws or nails into any walls, floors or ceilings, then suspect that.

If you can get a plug-in timer (the mechanical sort)

that will give you an idea when the fuse is going, which might help identify the culprit.

What is on the circuit apart from plug-in items?

 

[bcoleman]

I haven't done any diy.

The only plug that was on was the fridge freezer when the power went off.

I have rigged up an extension lead from an upstairs power socket and that worked last night.

Just the downstairs electric plug sockets are on the circuit.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

So the downstairs socket circuit now has absolutely nothing powered from it?

 

[Diyisfun]

So it could be a bad connection at the back of a socket

 

[sparkyspike]

Electrician checked plugs yesterday and changed fuse in fuse box.
What do I do next.

Ring your electrician and explain that he hasn't solved your problem. He'll then be able to give you advice on what to check for (because he knows what he has and hasn't checked).

He may have to come out again and find the fault this time, rather than just changing the fuse.

 

[bcoleman]

There is now nothing on the downstairs socket circuit. There was just the fridge but this is now running on a extension lead from the upstairs circuit with no problems.

The electrician opened up all the sockets and tested them with some sort of gadget but couldn't find anything wrong. He now thinks my recent rodent infestation may have something to do with it and wants to pull up the floorboards - what do you think?

 

[Steve]

I think your electrician is a wise man. However he would be better off doing insulation tests on the circuit. This will tell him the condition of the wiring without any intrusive investigation.

Is your boiler upstairs then? And you have unplugged and isolated everything downstairs? Does it continue to trip?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

And are we sure that this is correct?

Electrician checked plugs yesterday and changed fuse in fuse box.

The intermittent/delayed nature of the problem does not fit with a L-N or L-E fault taking out a 30A fuse, unless you know it can be triggered by treading on a particular floorboard etc.