Wylex fuse board

[JohnD]

they aren't the same. The pin spacing is different. Blue and red bases won't accept each others fuse holders.

The colour tells you, and the electrician, what the rating of the circuit is supposed to be.

 

[Echo the husky]

They have different pin sizes and spacings.

Edit: too slow!

 

[Spark123]

The pins are not as wide on the blue ones so you can't accidentally put a red 30A fuse in a 15A blue base.

 

[jc69817]

Oh right.
Thanks for the help guys. Most of the kids have left home now so should be ok as is. I think it was the heater that pushed it over the edge.

Thanks again guys

 

[jc69817]

Hi again guys. Just been back down for a look. As you can see there is a 15A fuse in a 30A base. This is marked on the lid as the sockets. Looking at the cables going I'd say the 3rd set goes to the 4th fuse and vice Versa. Would you agree ?
This

 

[deadshort]

The 15a appears to be heating ?

DS

 

[jc69817]

The heating is no longer connected. The 15A fuse is in the red 30A base

 

[JohnW2]

The heating is no longer connected. The 15A fuse is in the red 30A base

Ah, in that case it was probably intended to have a 30A fuse, which would make more sense. As has been said, you need to get an electrician to investigate that sockets circuit and, if it proves to be 'up to it', change that fuse to a 30A one.

P.S. Is that a hacksaw blade on top of the CU? If so, and although it appears to be currently 'pointing away' from them, I would suggest that you get it away from all those cables

Kind Regards, John

 

[jc69817]

Yeah it is a blade I'll ring and tell them to move it. Never gave it a thought while I was there.
Spark is coming for a look next week.
Thanks again guys.

 

[jg321]

I can't have been the only one to notice the fuse holder on top of the board. I'd guess it's a 30A one, could you confirm JC.

I'd bet that at some point in the past the 30A ring circuit fuse has blown, and someone has used the redundant 15A heating fuse as a quick fix. Only place for the blown 30A is the top, as we've already established it can't fit into the 15A holder.

I know what I'd do, and I suspect others will know this too, but I'll leave it up to someone else to decide if it's sensible advice.

Edit: added else to someone in my last sentence.

 

[JohnW2]

I know what I'd do, and I suspect others will know this too, but I'll leave it up to someone else to decide if it's sensible advice.

You're very probably correct in what you suggest, but I don't think the 'advice' you're talking about would be correct advice.

It is just possible that there was some good reason why the 30A fuse was changed to a 15A one (maybe, for example, a ring was turned into a radial circuit because of some fault). I therefore think the the only correct advice has to be what I have just written - that an electrician should check and confirm that the circuit is suitable for a 30A fuse before changing it. If one simply changed the fuse without such a check, all would seem totally OK (in fact, 'better', since fuses would be less likely to blow), but there could theoretically be 'an accident (fire) waiting to happen'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[jc69817]

No pal. That's the spare 15A I advised them to get just in case it goes again.
Hopefully the spark next week will establish if it's a ring and if it is I'll get them a 30A fuse to put in it.

 

[jc69817]

Yes John I agree and told them the same. I think it probably should be a 30A but leave it at 15A till it's been checked then it's no big deal to get a 30A off eBay to fit in the red base.

 

[jg321]

Ah makes sense, good plan! I suppose my thinking was that the base would have probably been changed too if it was purposely changed to a 15A, but my incorrect guess at the one on top changes things a little.

As you say, 15A is unlikely to blow given the low loads now that there aren't as many people there, at least until the electrician comes.

Thanks,

Jon

 

[JohnW2]

No pal. That's the spare 15A I advised them to get just in case it goes again. Hopefully the spark next week will establish if it's a ring and if it is I'll get them a 30A fuse to put in it.

Sensible. However, there presumably was once a red 30A fuse for that sockets circuit, so I wonder where it's gone?

Kind Regards, John