Kitchen sockets not working anymore

[Colin47]

Hi,

I was wondering if someone may be able to assist please. Recently all the kitchen wall sockets have stopped working so no power in the sockets except the oven but the oven has its own dedicated circuit breaker in fuse box. The kitchen sockets also has its own circuit breaker but it hasn't tripped. Would someone know why something like this may happen? All the circuit breakers in the fusebox are type A RCBOs and to date we haven't had any issues with any sockets in the house. The house itself is only 20 years old. I haven't used any new appliance in the kitchen recently either.

Thanks.

Colin

 

[James]

Try turning off the circuit breaker to the kitchen sockets.
UNPLUG (not just turn off) all things plugged into kitchen sockets including if at all possible the fridge and freezer
Turn breaker back on and then try plugging in a known working appliance, like a table lamp from another room.

 

[Colin47]

Thanks for the reply. So I did the above test and it appears 3 of the 8 wall socket outlets are not working. I brought one of those socket testers and those 3 sockets not working, the socket tester showed no lights but for the other 5 sockets the lights were on (two of 3 lights) and sockets were ok. Would anyone know why this may have happened suddently and how this can be rectified? Is it a wiring issue in the socket outlets or fuse box related?

 

[James]

Unfortunately this is most likely to be a wiring issue and quite possibly 2 faults to find.
Mostly but not always the wiring to sockets is done in a ring.
So if the ring gets broken by a damaged cable or a bad joint, it is not noticeable at first.
If the ring gets broken somewhere else as well, the sockets between the 2 breaks will stop working.
Unfortunately this is unlikely to be a simple DIY fix.

 

[mainline]

Thanks for the reply. So I did the above test and it appears 3 of the 8 wall socket outlets are not working. I brought one of those socket testers and those 3 sockets not working, the socket tester showed no lights but for the other 5 sockets the lights were on (two of 3 lights) and sockets were ok. Would anyone know why this may have happened suddently and how this can be rectified? Is it a wiring issue in the socket outlets or fuse box related?

Are the wall sockets that are working next to each other ?.

What size is the Rcbo 16, 20, 32 ?

 

[Colin47]

Are the wall sockets that are working next to each other ?.

What size is the Rcbo 16, 20, 32 ?

The wall sockets next to each other are working fine.

The RCBO is a B32.

 

[mainline]

The wall sockets next to each other are working fine.

The RCBO is a B32.

The best way is to get an electrician in.
The chances are that you have a ring final circuit, if that is the case then it's more than likely to have more than one fault.

It could still be a radial, in which case it maybe just a single fault, either way it needs someone competent to have a look.

 

[Jock from the north]

Hi,

I was wondering if someone may be able to assist please. Recently all the kitchen wall sockets have stopped working so no power in the sockets except the oven but the oven has its own dedicated circuit breaker in fuse box. The kitchen sockets also has its own circuit breaker but it hasn't tripped. Would someone know why something like this may happen? All the circuit breakers in the fusebox are type A RCBOs and to date we haven't had any issues with any sockets in the house. The house itself is only 20 years old. I haven't used any new appliance in the kitchen recently either.

Thanks.

Colin

Sounds like you maybe had an existing break in ring main which you wouldn't notice and now have a further break .only a sparks could check this out.kitchens are notorious for hidden junction boxes .

 

[brianmoooore]

Kitchens get kitchen fitter wiring. Three sockets in series, spurred off from a single point on the RFC, which has finally given up as a result of the periodic overloads.

 

[Jock from the north]

Kitchens get kitchen fitter wiring. Three sockets in series, spurred off from a single point on the RFC, which has finally given up as a result of the periodic overloads.

I gave up a good paying job because I was sick to death of doing eicrs for mainly leasing companies. If there was ever a fault on ring main [or kitchen ring main ]then the kitchen was first place to investigate.
Just as a matter of interest I've found half a dozen popped out live or neutrals on new build grid switches ,if I do my end to end resistance and its open its first place i look
Why are we so opposed to radial circuits .

 

[littlespark]

No one is apposed to radial circuits. And that discussion has been brought up a number of times before…. Doesn’t need to be brought up again.

OP, please keep us informed in what you, or your electrician find.

 

[Colin47]

Thanks for the replies. So basically if I am correct in basic terms this is something that most likely is going to be resolved from the fuse box as opposed to the socket outlets in the kitchen?

 

[littlespark]

Thanks for the replies. So basically if I am correct in basic terms this is something that most likely is going to be resolved from the fuse box as opposed to the socket outlets in the kitchen?

Nope. It could be anywhere in the circuit… at the board, at any of the sockets or at a hidden joint box somewhere.

An electrician with test equipment can methodically dismantle the circuit, test every cable inbetween and maybe get some, if not all sockets operational.


Just reread the thread and you say some are working, but not all?
It could simply be a loose cable somewhere behind a socket…
A fairly new build house would likely have a separate ring for a kitchen…. But if that kitchen has been remodelled… then kitchen fitters seem to be a law unto themselves.

You may find the sockets not working are a branch off the ring…. Possibly unfused, which is a big no no.

 

[Colin47]

Thanks for the replies.

I have now had two electricians look into this. As mentioned earlier 3 of the sockets out of 8 stopped working suddenly. So the first electrician came in, looked at all the wall sockets and nothing wrong with them. The fusebox nothing tripped. He then carried out a test from the fusebox and said there is no continuity of Line/Neutral/CPC conductors for the ring final circuit in kitchen sockets. I don't know what this means but he asked whether I had any works done in the kitchen, I said no, I have lived here for 7 years we have not had any issues prior to this. He said there is a open circuit somewhere in the kitchen with no continuity and its a matter of finding where that wire or wires are located in the walls. He could not find this but having spoken to the previous owner he confirmed he used to have a fused spur and a socket in the kitchen which was taken out 8/9 years ago and the two wires may still be in the wall. The electrician advised section of the wall and kitchen tiles need to be removed so the wires can be terminated correctly and quoted accordingly.

I wasn't convinced with the above as we had no issues with the sockets all these years so a 2nd electrician came checked the sockets and when he looked at the cooker hood socket he asked there must be a isolator switch for this somewhere. There are 4 isolator switches in the kitchen and three were turned off. He turned them back on and all sockets are now working. For some reason someone turned of 3 switches but the issue has been resolved. However during his checks he established the kitchen is radial circuit and not ring. The kitchen circuit breaker is on 32a and he advised downrating this to 20amps. I mentioned about the two wires running vertically up inside the wall where the previous owner removed sockets, he used his voltage tester there was no live wires inside the wall, the wires would be dead wires he said. I mentioned about the open circuit with no continuity, he said if that was really true one or more of your wall sockets would not be working in the house. All the sockets are working in the house. Two grey wires together doesn't mean you have a final ring circuit in the kitchen. He said there is nothing to worry about just downrating kitchen circuit breaker to 20amps due to raidal circuit. Although the main issue has been solved who is right and wrong about the information given about this no continuity of Line/Neutral/CPC conductors for the ring final circuit in kitchen sockets?

 

[mainline]

Thanks for the replies.

I have now had two electricians look into this. As mentioned earlier 3 of the sockets out of 8 stopped working suddenly. So the first electrician came in, looked at all the wall sockets and nothing wrong with them. The fusebox nothing tripped. He then carried out a test from the fusebox and said there is no continuity of Line/Neutral/CPC conductors for the ring final circuit in kitchen sockets. I don't know what this means but he asked whether I had any works done in the kitchen, I said no, I have lived here for 7 years we have not had any issues prior to this. He said there is a open circuit somewhere in the kitchen with no continuity and its a matter of finding where that wire or wires are located in the walls. He could not find this but having spoken to the previous owner he confirmed he used to have a fused spur and a socket in the kitchen which was taken out 8/9 years ago and the two wires may still be in the wall. The electrician advised section of the wall and kitchen tiles need to be removed so the wires can be terminated correctly and quoted accordingly.

I wasn't convinced with the above as we had no issues with the sockets all these years so a 2nd electrician came checked the sockets and when he looked at the cooker hood socket he asked there must be a isolator switch for this somewhere. There are 4 isolator switches in the kitchen and three were turned off. He turned them back on and all sockets are now working. For some reason someone turned of 3 switches but the issue has been resolved. However during his checks he established the kitchen is radial circuit and not ring. The kitchen circuit breaker is on 32a and he advised downrating this to 20amps. I mentioned about the two wires running vertically up inside the wall where the previous owner removed sockets, he used his voltage tester there was no live wires inside the wall, the wires would be dead wires he said. I mentioned about the open circuit with no continuity, he said if that was really true one or more of your wall sockets would not be working in the house. All the sockets are working in the house. Two grey wires together doesn't mean you have a final ring circuit in the kitchen. He said there is nothing to worry about just downrating kitchen circuit breaker to 20amps due to raidal circuit. Although the main issue has been solved who is right and wrong about the information given about this no continuity of Line/Neutral/CPC conductors for the ring final circuit in kitchen sockets?

I can’t fathom out how the first one got it wrong did he actually look in the consumer unit at all ?

The switches you said about that were off have they got a fuse in them?