Tonight's challenge - help me get my electricity back on!

[simondyntDBeK]

OK here we go.

About an hour ago I replaced a plug socket in the loft (just swapped the socket with another one).

Went to power back on - something tripped - spent an hour trying to work out what was wrong but no luck. The MCB(?) for "plugs" kept sparking and turning off.

Realised that the RCD on the consumer unit wasn't turning all the way off (and therefore I guess, not resetting) - I fiddled and it finally turned back on.

All of the MCBs turned back on and everything seems ok BUT half of my plug sockets aren't working

All of upstairs and half of downstairs sockets are not working but all the MCBs are turned on. Wierdly - the socket in the loft works fine!!

In the absence of finding an electrician to come out on a Friday night - can anyone offer any suggestions??

Look forward to your ideas!

Simon

 

[davy_owen_88]

Did you put in any nails/screws that could have pierced a concealed cable?

What exactlytripped initially - RCD, MCB or both?

 

[ricicle]

How many wires were at the loft socket?

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Hi chaps,

Pretty sure no wires have been affected - I believe the MCB tripped first.

There were just three wires to the plug socket (N, E and L).

Simon

 

[ricicle]

How many circuits (MCBs) are there for sockets in the house?

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Hi ricicle,

On the consumer unit there are two MCBs marked 'plugs'.

SImon

 

[ColJack]

turn all the breakers off and then back on again..

some types trip but might not move the lever all the way down..

also, some breakers can trip internally if for example the lever was wedged on.. ( or locked into the on position such as for fire alarms etc. )

try operating the breaker levers a few times to make sure..

if not..

what is your location.. if it's anywhere near me i'd come and take a look for the price of a pizza... ( £15 ) ...

 

[ricicle]

It is a possibility that you have created a fault in the loft socket (maybe by screwing through the live cable) and it might have blown clear but it has damaged the breaker in some way.The breaker appears on physically but is not actually on electrically.
Or the fault is still there and the breaker is not reseting (although it should flick back to the off position inn this case)

Can you re-check your wiring at the loft socket?

 

[Tim 77]

what is your location.. if it's anywhere near me i'd come and take a look for the price of a pizza... ( £15 ) ...

lol, I'll work for food or beer too!!

Are you in Nottingham by any chance Simon?!

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Hi folks,

I've turned them all off and and again and flicked the 'dodgy' 'plugs' MCB but no joy

I'm a bit relcutant to do anything else tonight in case I balls it completely and spend the night without light (not to mention tv or internet!!!) I can cope with the extension cable running into the kitchen!

I assume there's no safety risk as it is??

I'll have a go at re-doing the wiring tomorrow and see where I get.

I'm in Newcastle under Lyme BTW!

 

[ricicle]

Keep us informed and stay safe

 

[Tim 77]

Hi folks,


I'm a bit relcutant to do anything else tonight in case I balls it completely and spend the night without light (not to mention tv or internet!!!)



I'm in Newcastle under Lyme BTW!

Sorry, that's too far for me on a Friday night unless I was on my way to the in-laws up in Wales!!

At least you have Tv and lights, hope you get it sorted.

 

[davy_owen_88]

You mentioned that all upstairs and half of downstairs sockets are not working and that there are 2 socket circuits. Are they split upstairs/downstairs or some other weird configuration? Which circuit were you working on? Where is the feed for the loft socket coming from? Are the socket circuits rings or radials?

 

[simondyntDBeK]

Hi davy_owen_88,

I'm not entirely sure how the circuits are split - one would have thought it would have been upstairs and downstairs but perhaps not (the house is 12 years old if that helps).

Again, I thought the loft socket was on the upstairs ring but perhaps it's linked to the immersion???

Simon

 

[ColJack]

you may have fried the neurtal link from the rcd somehow..

what breakers are on the rcd side of the board?

it may be you have 3 socket circuits... upstairs and 2 downstairs, one of them not on the RCD..

did you turn all the power off while doing the work on the socket?

you could also have fried the rcd itself..

do the other sockets go off if you turn the rcd off..?