Can you smell fish?

electromonkey · Dec 21, 2011

Seasons greetings one and all.

Could anyone tell me what the fishy smell is that comes from termination points on some circuits I have encountered. Every now and again I come across this and it is almost always on a shower circuit. My guess is that the cable is being heated up and warming it's insulation which in turn reacts by secreting something like oil that stinks of fish. Am I even close with this theory? If it is the case, is it also an indication the the resistance within the cable may be breaking down?

Cheers

Monkey

Paul.M · Dec 21, 2011

It's not in west Yorkshire is it? Had this problem last year.

Shower fault, no power. Tested fine, changed the 3036 fuse wire, everything works and left.

Next evening a phone call "my fuse box stinks of fish!"

Back round as fast as the bat mobile could get me there. I didn't tighten up the 3036 finger guard and started melting! My mistake, went around the next day and fitted a stand alone rcd for the shower FOC.

As for the smell of fish in Yorkshire, her name was Lisa from Dewsbury but that's another story

.

mattmoo1974 · Dec 21, 2011

She dont sweat much for a fat lass!!

GLENNSPARK · Dec 21, 2011

paul.m said:
It's not in west Yorkshire is it? Had this problem last year.

Shower fault, no power. Tested fine, changed the 3036 fuse wire, everything works and left.

Next evening a phone call "my fuse box stinks of fish!"

Back round as fast as the bat mobile could get me there. I didn't tighten up the 3036 finger guard and started melting! My mistake, went around the next day and fitted a stand alone rcd for the shower FOC.

As for the smell of fish in Yorkshire, her name was Lisa from Dewsbury but that's another story .

well i live in dewsbury at the mo`paul.....she aint unique..i can tell you..lol.....

Marvo · Dec 21, 2011

Please keep this clean, it's in the public viewable forums.

Thanks.

Paul.M · Dec 21, 2011

GLENNSPARK said:
well i live in dewsbury at the mo`paul.....she aint unique..i can tell you..lol.....

Please don't tell me that you married Lisa from Dewsbury! She is like Birch services on the M62, you don't want to but everyone has used its services.

(is that clean enough Marvo? Maybe not

)

sparky1ste · Dec 22, 2011

trapped/squashed cables as well

ackbarthestar · Dec 22, 2011

I somehow knew after the second post this one would more or less dive bomb

IMO,
1/ turn the shower on and let it run for a few minutes
2/ Place back of hand on the isolation switch
3/ If it feels hot then turn it off
4/ Isolate at CCU
5/ Remove isolator plate and tighten terminal screws
6/ If the client suddenly appears without undergarments then you may have to search elsewhere !

Geordie Spark · Dec 22, 2011

paul.m said:
It's not in west Yorkshire is it? Had this problem last year.

Shower fault, no power. Tested fine, changed the 3036 fuse wire, everything works and left.

Next evening a phone call "my fuse box stinks of fish!"

Back round as fast as the bat mobile could get me there. I didn't tighten up the 3036 finger guard and started melting! My mistake, went around the next day and fitted a stand alone rcd for the shower FOC.

As for the smell of fish in Yorkshire, her name was Lisa from Dewsbury but that's another story .

HOWMAN!!!!! ........... That's Wor Lass yer taalkin' aboot !!!!

Ye an' me ...... OOTSIDE NOW !!!!!!!!!! :32:

MarkieSparkie · Dec 22, 2011

electromonkey said:
Seasons greetings one and all.

Could anyone tell me what the fishy smell is that comes from termination points on some circuits I have encountered. Every now and again I come across this and it is almost always on a shower circuit. My guess is that the cable is being heated up and warming it's insulation which in turn reacts by secreting something like oil that stinks of fish. Am I even close with this theory? If it is the case, is it also an indication the the resistance within the cable may be breaking down?

Cheers

Monkey

The smell of fish or urine is usually associated with older electrical accessories made from urea formaldehyde or electrical insulation materials made of phenol formaldehyde resin (e.g. Bakelite, Paxolin and Tufnol) that start to breakdown when they have been exposed to heat.

electromonkey · Dec 22, 2011

Well, I can confirm that she did have a fishy smelling box and it was particularly smelly around the area where you need to flick that thing for it to spring in to life, what's it called? Oh yeah, I remember, the mains isolator!

The mains tails weren't terminated tight enough and were arcing melting the pvc around the tails and part of the CU. I was told it's been like it for weeks! Why don't people see the dangers of when something isn't right with an electrical installation and act upon these indications?