Off-peak circuit not working - what next?

[monkey5]

Could you try the off peak fuse in the 24hour supply to see if it's a dud?

 

[Murdoch]

Where customers have E7 for storage heaters and hot water, I normally replace the immersion switch for one with a neon, so that the customer can tell if the E7 is actually working

 

[Fleeting]

Could you try the off peak fuse in the 24hour supply to see if it's a dud?

Is an idea but possibly not a good one. If the fuse has ruptured it has for a reason and if this reason is a fault which is still there they may end up with no power at all.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

- I'm in Birmingham if anyone reading this happens to be local!

Places like.. Birmingham... Manchester.... London... etc...
are all actually quite big.. with numerous postcode areas...

Maybe if you update the first 3 digits/characters, of you post code...
It could help others to consider if they are =local or not.??

 

[UNG]

Could you try the off peak fuse in the 24hour supply to see if it's a dud?

Is an idea but possibly not a good one. If the fuse has ruptured it has for a reason and if this reason is a fault which is still there they may end up with no power at all.

Looks like you didn't read the post you quoted, if you put a possibly failed fuse from the off peak in the 24 hour supply all it will prove is it is actually blown all the more reason then to check the off peak before replacing the fuse

 

[JodieS]

Places like.. Birmingham... Manchester.... London... etc...
are all actually quite big.. with numerous postcode areas...

Maybe if you update the first 3 digits/characters, of you post code...
It could help others to consider if they are =local or not.??

Fair point! I'm in south Birmingham, B13.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Fair point! I'm in south Birmingham, B13.

I am Midlands, (but NOT Birmingham), based..
B13 would be a pain-in-the-rear for me!

But the B60 range of post codes are just about sort of economically do-able ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_postcode_area

Sorry I can't help.. I'm more of a "DY" postcode area sort of worker!!

Hope you can get it sorted quickly!

 

[Phoenix]

Its a shame Deke ins't still around.... would you belive, it'll be three years in a few months?!

 

[JodieS]

Hi folks, an update for anyone interested!

My electrician has been out twice - one in the daytime and once during off-peak hours He confirmed that the meter is supplying the isolator switch correctly and that there is power/continuity within the switch itself. The fuse is fine. But no electricity is reaching my CU. Everything is connected correctly at both ends, so it seems that the problem is with the cable running through the walls between the isolator switch and my flat. Either it's become damaged, or somehow swapped with another cable by a mystery person - both very unlikely, but we're out of ideas!

Next step is to get the management company for the flats to send someone out to inspect/replace this cable as it passes through the fabric of the building. Fingers crossed that sorts it.

 

[Fleeting]

I don't suppose he did a continuity test on the cable from the switch fuse.

 

[Murdoch]

Is the meter output on the E7 confirmed?

 

[JodieS]

I don't suppose he did a continuity test on the cable from the switch fuse.

I'll ask him - not sure!

 

[JodieS]

Is the meter output on the E7 confirmed?

Yes - meter is working fine.

 

[ProDave]

Ask the building manager if ANY work has been done recently (since the E7 stopped working) And i really do mean ANY absolutely any work done.

If someone had severed a hidden E7 cable during the daytime when it was not energised there would have been no big bang, so it does sound possible that is what has happened.

I would be asking the electrician to test the end to end continuity of all cores individually of that cable from the fuse switch to your off peak CU, for instance of one core is intact and the other is open circuit then that would suggest the cable has been damaged somewhere.

 

[UNG]

Hi folks, an update for anyone interested!

My electrician has been out twice - one in the daytime and once during off-peak hours He confirmed that the meter is supplying the isolator switch correctly and that there is power/continuity within the switch itself. The fuse is fine. But no electricity is reaching my CU. Everything is connected correctly at both ends, so it seems that the problem is with the cable running through the walls between the isolator switch and my flat. Either it's become damaged, or somehow swapped with another cable by a mystery person - both very unlikely, but we're out of ideas!

Next step is to get the management company for the flats to send someone out to inspect/replace this cable as it passes through the fabric of the building. Fingers crossed that sorts it.

While I can understand the electrician not continuing to locate the fault / cable issue having verified no electricity is getting to the flat in the off peak period I'm wondering what checks and tests he did during the daytime visit to confirm and verify the cabling and continuity to the flat off peak CU and why he is out of ideas on what the actual problem is.
This sounds like the electrician you got in is short on experience and ability as the conclusion seems to fall short and leaves the job a bit open ended and could get embarrassing with the management company if it turns out to be a simple fault that has not been identified

 

[JodieS]

Ask the building manager if ANY work has been done recently (since the E7 stopped working) And i really do mean ANY absolutely any work done.

If someone had severed a hidden E7 cable during the daytime when it was not energised there would have been no big bang, so it does sound possible that is what has happened.

I would be asking the electrician to test the end to end continuity of all cores individually of that cable from the fuse switch to your off peak CU, for instance of one core is intact and the other is open circuit then that would suggest the cable has been damaged somewhere.

That sounds like a plan - will do.

Silly question, but how do you test continuity when the two ends of the cable are so far away from each other? The fuse switch is on the ground floor and my CU is on the first floor - would need a really long wire to go along a corridor then double back up the stairs (if that's how it works!)

 

[JodieS]

While I can understand the electrician not continuing to locate the fault / cable issue having verified no electricity is getting to the flat in the off peak period I'm wondering what checks and tests he did during the daytime visit to confirm and verify the cabling and continuity to the flat off peak CU and why he is out of ideas on what the actual problem is.
This sounds like the electrician you got in is short on experience and ability as the conclusion seems to fall short and leaves the job a bit open ended and could get embarrassing with the management company if it turns out to be a simple fault that has not been identified

I've texted him to ask if he did a continuity test on the cable... will report back.

For argument's sake, let's say he did and it's intact - what else could the problem be?

 

[UNG]

I've texted him to ask if he did a continuity test on the cable... will report back.

For argument's sake, let's say he did and it's intact - what else could the problem be?

So the problem could be a loose connection that fails under load, a fuse or switch that shows continuity but when put under load does not pass electricity as expected,
Choice of test equipment and knowing how to use it when fault finding can be an influencing factor when locating and identifying faults on electrical installations

 

[Mike P]

That sounds like a plan - will do.

Silly question, but how do you test continuity when the two ends of the cable are so far away from each other? The fuse switch is on the ground floor and my CU is on the first floor - would need a really long wire to go along a corridor then double back up the stairs (if that's how it works!)

A very long test lead, We use them for testing Gas and water bonding cables. He could also disconnect supply from off peak short out one end and test continuity. He just needs to check its the correct supply lead or “bang"

 

[Fleeting]

If he tries a wander a wander lead from ground to first find another electrician.