Where are my individual fuses? (Pic included)

[kissinger]

I be need to turn off the electrical outlets in a room I’m decorating in the house we’ve just moved into. Gone down to where I thought the individual fuses were and this (pictured) is what I’ve found. I can’t see the individual fuses anywhere nor do any of these boxes open up (readily at least). Is there a particular way to open these up?

 

[winston1]

They are in that cream box at the top with a switch and 'FUSES" written on it. The switch will
(possibly) remove all power to the house.

There is one screw at the top which you can remove after switching off and remove the cover revealing the individual fuses.

There is another cream box to the left half out of the picture. This may be a CU with a front flap which folds down revealing MCBs. But you did ask about fuses!

 

[Sureitsoff?]

Is this a wind up? There is a big box on the wall with fuses written on it!!!!

 

[kissinger]

Is this a wind up? There is a big box on the wall with fuses written on it!!!!

Ha! No, just a stupid question. I’ve never had electrical wiring this old in my house before.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Personally I always prefer to remove fuses, killing power with all switches as well.
Some people trust breakers only but I don’t.
Odd things happen over the years

 

[JohnD]

I think the upper box is a submain, possibly for an outbuilding. The earthwire to it is severely undersized.

I don't see a Main Switch and the box on the left doesn't look like a CU to me.

Stand back and take a wider pic please.

You also have a lead gas pipe, which needs to be replaced as it will melt in a fire.

 

[flameport]

The MEM fusebox top right is likely to contain asbestos.
The electrical equipment is too close to the gas pipes and meter.
It's not advisable to store flammable items next to the electricity supply.

 

[chivers67]

Looks like the fuses are re-wireable type too judging by the Fuse wire on top of the Gas meter

 

[Colin Brenton]

For the right hand side box, switch off the switch on the right-hand end of it (have a torch with you, the lights will go out!) then unscrew the metal bolt and then pull the top part of the lid towards you, and it should fold downwards. Fuse holders should be underneath.

On the left hand box, the front flap should lift at the bottom, folding upwards to reveal some circuit breakers.

 

[securespark]

Personally I always prefer to remove fuses, killing power with all switches as well.
Some people trust breakers only but I don’t.
Odd things happen over the years

Sparks should lock off a board on a TT supply. Live only isolation is not sufficient.

 

[ericmark]

It seems likely this

is your fuse box/consumer unit. It has instructions on it for using a RCD/ELCB or similar, but picture not good enough to read all it says. Does refer to pressing button with T on it.

As to

I think the upper box is a submain, possibly for an outbuilding. The earthwire to it is severely undersized.

I would also expect it feeds an add on, be it out building or shower, or cooker, if which it supplies has it's own earth rod then earth wire not so important, but it rings alarm bells, and I would say get an EICR (electrical installation condition report) done, or at least get an electrician to give it a quick once over as likely in the future you will want to make changes, and if nothing else you need to know if for example you want to add a socket, can you do this without renewing the distribution unit first.

 

[plugwash]

I be need to turn off the electrical outlets in a room I’m decorating in the house we’ve just moved into. Gone down to where I thought the individual fuses were and this (pictured) is what I’ve found.

Your incoming supply comes in through the service head and meter to the "henly blocks" centre right. From there it splits to go to a very old MEM fusebox at the top right of your picture and a modern consumer unit on the bottom left of your picture.

I suspect that the old MEM fusebox powers most of the house, while the modern consumer unit powers some recent additions..

I agree with the comments about the gas and electric stuff being rather close together, though it looks like it may have been that way for a long time

 

[SUNRAY]

The way I assume this is:
They cream box top right is a 4 way fuse box and the original installation. I don't see a seal on the cutout fuse so assume it was removed to allow the original tails to be cut for Henleys to be added.
It looks to me there is only one black cable in the bottom of the white box bottom left so assume it's for a single load such as shed/shower etc.

Of course, at this distance none of this can be considered to be accurate.

 

[stem]

On the left hand box, the front flap should lift at the bottom, folding upwards to reveal some circuit breakers.

Quite right. The catch underneath needs pulling down first.