Lights in my house keep tripping - advice please

[Cath McK]

After seen the photo of your CU...

AND your comment that multiple checks of your problem have been made..

I cannot believe no-one has mentioned how out-of-date...

and lacking electric shock protection your installation is..?

Unless of course you have not had any competent electrician who is aware of current regs from say..  the past 10 to 20 years?

:C

I’ve been told by all electricians that yes it’s an old board but wiring inside is fine. Is the fact it’s blowing fuse not shock protection and proof it’s doing it’s job? Also wiring inside light fittings and sockets fine too. 

 

[Murdoch]

In a dwelling any rewiring of the lighting circuits will require additional protection. 

not just rewiring. Adding a light or switch would mean adding rcd protection

 

[Cath McK]

I have written to the company who carried out the fault finding (5 hours) and asked for a detailed list of what checks were actually done as all they sent me was an invoice. Can you tell me what should be done in fault finding? And if it has shown nothing what would your next step be? How would you find and sort this? Thanks

 

[Cath McK]

Think you need to insist on an insulation resistance test to each cable in the box and continuity to establish what is going on with each core. 

Should that have been done as part of the fault-finding? And do you mean to the junction box or fuse box? Thanks

Think you need to insist on an insulation resistance test to each cable in the box and continuity to establish what is going on with each core. 

Should that have been done as part of the fault-finding? And do you mean to the junction box or fuse box? Thanks

Think you need to insist on an insulation resistance test to each cable in the box and continuity to establish what is going on with each core. 

Should that have been done as part of the fault-finding? And do you mean to the junction box or fuse box? Thanks

 

[Sharpend]

An insulation test is a means to establishing the integrity of the cables, a poor reading is interpreted as; a breakdown of the insulation, poor termination, damp ingress, etc to name a few.

A continuity test determines whether a core is continuous from one end to the other. 
 

using both tests will narrow down where the fault lies. Then it can be remedied. 
 

this is basic fault finding and any decent spark should be utilising these methods to determine why and where this type of fault occurs. 

 

[Cath McK]

Should that have been done as part of the fault-finding? And do you mean to the junction box or fuse box? Thanks

Should that have been done as part of the fault-finding? And do you mean to the junction box or fuse box? Thanks

Should that have been done as part of the fault-finding? And do you mean to the junction box or fuse box? Thanks

Ooops, thought screen had frozen and hadn’t posted

 

[Cath McK]

An insulation test is a means to establishing the integrity of the cables, a poor reading is interpreted as; a breakdown of the insulation, poor termination, damp ingress, etc to name a few.

A continuity test determines whether a core is continuous from one end to the other. 
 

using both tests will narrow down where the fault lies. Then it can be remedied. 
 

this is basic fault finding and any decent spark should be utilising these methods to determine why and where this type of fault occurs. 

I can’t believe none of them have found the cause though they’ve all done fault finding - days worth really, and every company insists on doing a whole new set of fault finding before they do anything else I’m thinking best just to accept not having lights and get on with life without them. Who can afford the time and money and messing about this has brought

 

[binky]

I can’t believe none of them have found the cause though they’ve all done fault finding - days worth really, and every company insists on doing a whole new set of fault finding before they do anything else I’m thinking best just to accept not having lights and get on with life without them. Who can afford the time and money and messing about this has brought

At worst they should have been able to isolate the part of the wiring system that is causing an issue in that time and got the rest of the circuit working.

 

[Murdoch]

On the basis you haven’t paid their Bill yet, maybe ask them for details of what was done and the test results?

 

[UNG]

Is this where the Domestic Faultfinder is needed rather than the Domestic Installer

This is an embarrassment to the electrical trade IMO when a very simple fault can't be found by a number of so called "electricians"

 

[ProDave]

Is this where the Domestic Faultfinder is needed rather than the Domestic Installer

This is an embarrassment to the electrical trade IMO when a very simple fault can't be found by a number of so called "electricians"

Yes like ones trained in the last 10 years, never done anything but new installs since, then wonder what that funny red and black cable is all about.

 

[Murdoch]

One thing about this style of wiring is that once the box of connections is located , fault finding is so easy ....

all you need is a logical brain, a permanent marker, some paper and a pen and your test kit 

 

[Cath McK]

On the basis you haven’t paid their Bill yet, maybe ask them for details of what was done and the test results?

Yes the fault finding has all been paid () I sent today asking for detailed list of what fault finding was carried out and results, as all I’d received was invoice for ‘fault finding’. This is coming from a company with glowing reviews and prof website, this was also the ones who told me junction box was dangerous ‘never seen anything like it in 20 years’ they were 2 hours late and were here for less than 10 mins saying they’d quote me for 2 men x 8 hours shift - I’m disgusted really. 

 

[Cath McK]

One thing about this style of wiring is that once the box of connections is located , fault finding is so easy ....

all you need is a logical brain, a permanent marker, some paper and a pen and your test kit 

Been told now I need a company with a ‘megger’ that will identify where the fault is rather than having to damage my newly plastered walls. Honestly, can you believe this carry on? I’m trying to get my head around why this is so hard to fix? 
 

I have a semi logical brain, a permanent marker, some paper and a pen...now where can I get my hands on a test kit?

 

[Sharpend]

Yes the fault finding has all been paid () I sent today asking for detailed list of what fault finding was carried out and results, as all I’d received was invoice for ‘fault finding’. This is coming from a company with glowing reviews and prof website, this was also the ones who told me junction box was dangerous ‘never seen anything like it in 20 years’ they were 2 hours late and were here for less than 10 mins saying they’d quote me for 2 men x 8 hours shift - I’m disgusted really. 

that is sickening to read, sadly though this is the way many things are going as it’s not about quality of service as it is how much money can I take, ‘society’ is getting greedier and greedier for money and it is the innocent such as yourself that suffers. 
I wish I knew how to get you some redress for this behaviour but sadly even the registration bodies are not interested. 

Been told now I need a company with a ‘megger’ that will identify where the fault is rather than having to damage my newly plastered walls. Honestly, can you believe this carry on? I’m trying to get my head around why this is so hard to fix? 

The tragedy is it isn’t, you just need an electrician not a fly by night. 

 

[Andy™]

Yes the fault finding has all been paid () I sent today asking for detailed list of what fault finding was carried out and results, as all I’d received was invoice for ‘fault finding’. This is coming from a company with glowing reviews and prof website, this was also the ones who told me junction box was dangerous ‘never seen anything like it in 20 years’ they were 2 hours late and were here for less than 10 mins saying they’d quote me for 2 men x 8 hours shift - I’m disgusted really. 

2 men 8 hours to find a fault...

pretty much any fault in a house can have a good idea what the fault is, where is likely to be, and often either fixed, temp repair or isolated within an hour, 2 hours max. yes, some are a lot more awkward, especially with wiring like yours, but still, its not really all that hard. id expect the same would apply for most electricians

 

[Sharpend]

@ProDave might know of any redress, aren’t the rules a little tighter up there? 

 

[Murdoch]

Been told now I need a company with a ‘megger’ that will identify where the fault is rather than having to damage my newly plastered walls. Honestly, can you believe this carry on? I’m trying to get my head around why this is so hard to fix? 

you should forget all the muppets you've spoken to and had in your home so far

Ask your friends and neighbours for recommendations for a local spark

AND if anyone who says that they don't have a "megger" or proper test kit - tell them to go away, because this is one of the most important bits of kit we need and use

 

[Cath McK]

Been told now I need a company with a ‘megger’ that will identify where the fault is rather than having to damage my newly plastered walls. Honestly, can you believe this carry on? I’m trying to get my head around why this is so hard to fix? 
 

I have a semi logical brain, a permanent marker, some paper and a pen...now where can I get my hands on a test kit?

Is it possible that a fault really is so hard to find? Spoke to previous owner of flat who said only electrical problem she had was the guy fitting electric shower (it used to have a switch on fuse board) but is disconnected now, apparently he’d had problems and left a hole in ceiling where wires went through and told her not to cover it up. Company who refurbished this flat covered it up. I’ve mentioned this to the electricians but they’ve all said no that wouldn’t cause the lights to fuse but the thud when the lights go out sounds as if it comes from above bathroom ceiling. Is that possible or am I overthinking/distraught?

 

[Murdoch]

Is it possible that a fault really is so hard to find? Spoke to previous owner of flat who said only electrical problem she had was the guy fitting electric shower (it used to have a switch on fuse board) but is disconnected now, apparently he’d had problems and left a hole in ceiling where wires went through and told her not to cover it up. Company who refurbished this flat covered it up. I’ve mentioned this to the electricians but they’ve all said no that wouldn’t cause the lights to fuse but the thud when the lights go out sounds as if it comes from above bathroom ceiling. Is that possible or am I overthinking/distraught?

Just make sure you tell the next spark what you've heard, seen and experienced. Intermittent faults can be tough to locate

A good few years ago I was asked to investigate nuisance tripping of an RCD - because the house was surrounded by woodland I asked if they ever had mice and if they have noticed any electrical "gremlins" - a resounding no to both. 1.5 days later I found in the loft void above the ground floor bathroom a gnawed through copper core of a cable. 

When I told them what I'd found and where - she said - oh yes , we always have mice up their and he said - yes the bathroom light has been playing up. 

If they had told me this when I arrived their bill would almost certainly have been much smaller.