Scottish Power Main "the Bullet" Fuse Blown But Nothing Else, What Could Cause This?

[knightweb]

I'll find out today if it's 3 phase or not. Thanks for the possible explanation.

I had a full electrical safety check done definitely when the property was first rented 3 years ago and it passed, at the same time the wired smoke alarm was fitted. I'm don't think it's been done since but I'll ask the property manager. Thanks for the insurance tip, I'll phone them today and see what's covered.

Also the fuse was 60 amp and definitely no nails as my sparky would have noticed that and I've since checked the old box. The flat is kept in good working order and has never had any electrical issues before. I use a property management company who keep me legally correct.

 

[knightweb]

Well it was 3 phase and loss of neutral, actual bare wires in downstairs flat. Engineer switched us to a different phase and replaced some parts downstairs. Blew more than just the smoke alarm too :-(.

All fixed now thankfully.

Does anyone know if it's possible to protect against such high voltage surge? I know for sockets we can get surge protectors but is there anything I can put before my fuse box?

 

[Andy™]

have a look at the part of the regs that covers surge prtection...

EDIT: just noticed your not a sparky...

yes, you can get surge protection to go before / inside a CU. ask your sparky about it, although its not done that often so not many people know a great deal about it

 

[NozSpark]

Well if you've had a loss of service neutral that has caused damage to some of your equipment and resultant temporary re-homing of a tennant then surely your electricity supplier should compensate you!

..and yes you can get "whole house" anti surge protective devices" (I think )

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

IF the property has several flats then it is likely that a 3 phase supply is present. the work in the basement could have disturbed the supply connections and resulted in a loss of nuetral as the cause of the events suggested.

Well i apologise for questioning you. The op saying only the smoke had blown led me to think it could not be that  :Salute  . 

 

[sparkytim]

Thanks slip,  just had a similar fault some years ago, 40 years+  in the game you pick up a few things along the way

 

[SLIPSHOD & SLAPDASH]

I got a job a few years back because i diagnosed this fault over the phone. An office and about 200, 600 x 600mm  lights all blown, about 40 PC's and all the other stuff. The fault was in their own main switchfuse, couldn't blame anyone except themselves for never having had any maintenance done in the 20 years they had been there.

 

[sparkytim]

My first example was a Saturday evening call out to a new night club in town. ALL the Disco equipment fryed.

Located burnt out Nuetral in the supply switch fuse,

soon sorted it but it was a quiter night in Town.

 

[knightweb]

My sparky fitted a 17th edition consumer unit, this site talks about fitting an SPD to such a unit, from the description I'm assuming I'd be a type 2?

www.electricalreview.co.uk/features/8134-an-overview-of-surge-protection-devices

The only place I can see one for sale is here...

www.electricalcounter.co.uk/products/consumer+units/bg+circuit+protection/surge+protection+devices/spd+type+2,+module+tncs/1197553602

Would this do the job?

 

[NozSpark]

In all honesty I'd doubt that a SPD would see a rise from 230V to 400V as a surge,, so I'd question whether they'd be of any use in this scenario

 

[mole2006]

If your after some get your spark to check with Hager, I'm sure they do them.