ring main/circuit problem

[billboy]

Hi I hope somebody can help, last night my tv went off, checked the consumer unit no trip, checked and everything on a particular circuit wouldnt work, identified the mcb to which all this was linked ( proteus concumer unit mcb b16 ) turned evrything off thats on this circiut nothing still no power, its as if everything on this circuit has no power, nothing tripped however, thought logically it may be a faulty mcb, fitted a new one this morning and still nothing, any help or advice would be most helpful, mant thanks, Bill.

 

[ricicle]

I take it there is power to the rest of the board that the MCB is located in (ie no RCD trip ?)

Without testing you will not know if it is the Line or neutral that is missing.
As it is a 16A device it is more than likely a radial circuit so one break in either the L or N will disconnect power downstream from the fault.
If you say none of the sockets on the circuit work then you will need to look at the first socket (try one nearest the consumer unit).

To test efficiently will require a two pronged tester or multimeter. This will require competance to know what you are looking for.

To start with I would isolate all power and check connections at every socket.

 

[billboy]

Hi Ricicle, thanks for the reply, to give an update, ive checked the sockets nearest as you suggested, was thinking along those lines anyway, remembering series circuits in the school lab, but all seem fine, no loose wiring etc. Checked with an electric srcewdriver and I have live at the mcb and switch works as is supposed to, but on the nearest socket on what i think is the first on the run i have nothing on the live, have pulled out every cupboard that i can actually get to and can find no other connection box but that doesnt mean that thereisnt one. I live in the top flat in a victorian house and the wiring is a little crazy, a mixtrure of old and new I guess. I have checked all other sockets nearest to the consumer unit just in case even if i think theyre on a different circuit all seem fine and have live going in and out. Only thing I can now think of somewhere between first socket and C unit there is a loose or corroded wire in an old juction box or a break in the wire somewhere , ( what could cause that) probably under the floorboards or something bloody ridiculous to get to Have thought about running a length of the appropriate wire from the C unit mcb direct to the first socket, (removing the original wiring first of course) thinking if this seems to work all along the run ok that it might be easier to put in new wiring than trying to find a problem in the old .

Once again any help and advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[riveralt]

If its a rented flat - contact the landlord.

If its your flat then given what you have told us I would personally recommend you call out a spark before you start experimenting with cables from the CU to the 'first socket'.

Either that or you start by buying a better tester that will at least allow continuity and insulation resistance at 500vdc.
Then with all the circuits at the consumer unit dead, ideally via an isolation switch between the meter and your CU, test for continuity between the cable at the CU and the one at the what you feel is the first socket.

But I would still recommend you get a spark in - this could be more than a DIY job especially if you are sure all the sockets are correctly wired.

 

[ericmark]

I would agree with riveralt if there are bad connections you want to find them. Although a loop impedance meter will not find all faults it will when used by some one who knows what readings to expect find some faults.
So it's not just the fact that the electrician will have the meters but also he will be able to judge from the results if there are any more lurking faults.

As I say never 100% but from what you say I would consider it not to be a DIY job.

 

[Luckyphil]

I had a problem with a Number of Circuits on a Customers House , It was a Proteus Board and a lot of the MCB`s were working intermittently , all Cirucits tested out ok , The MCB`s appeared to be in the ON Position but no "juice" was going through them , The "Latching" on them seemed to have gone kaput

Customer wanted me to get some new MCB`s , But we ended up going down the Route of a new Board with spare ways

Lucky

 

[billboy]

Hi guys, thanks for all your replys, think this has gone past what I can do, although I am convinced there is something wrong between C unit and first socket.

Anybody recommend a good Electrician in the Herne Bay area in Kent?

When I mentioned placing an appropriate length of wire from the unit to first socket I simply thought it would be a way of bypassing the assumed fault to check if I am correct. I would of course remove the existing wiring from the Mcb first, if this worked ok was going to then connect wiring properly behind cupboard etc, thinking that it might be simpler to replace the wiring rather than trying to find a fault lurking under the floorboards or wherever.

Thanks to all.