MAre of a day

[Farmelectrics]

It's been along time since I had nightmare of a day like today, family member asks me to change some sockets and light switches to Crome type so avoid these sockets were the face plate is a push on type from bq no don't shoot me down they were £9 each not cheap but a nightmare to fit as the face plate that should just clip on is not easy. But the day got worse no length in single socket box to terminate pushes socket back and wow and behold ji nick a cable or so I think there is now smoke coming from the Wylex consumer my question is why why hasn't this just blown the fuse. Takes cover of Wylex board makes sure everything is tight which it is re fix socket were cable trapped all ok replace fuses and sit around to make sure all ok. No I haven't tested anything my mft is in work .sorry it's long winded why the smoke ???????? Your thoughts please

 

[davesparks]

Dibb all I've done is change some socket faces checked all with plug in tester why the need to carry out ir testing surely most sparks on here don't retest if you change like for like faces

You said in the OP that you nicked a cable refitting a socket, and yet you claim not to know why you should have IR tested the circuit!

 

[Plonker 3]

Dibb all I've done is change some socket faces checked all with plug in tester why the need to carry out ir testing surely most sparks on here don't retest if you change like for like faces

Im sure you know all this. A plug in socket tester isnt any sort of indication apart from to say the socket is live. Also a Zs value and R1+R2 or R2 testing along with a polarity test and RCD test should still be completed even on a like for like swap. I know the BGB doesnt mention anything about it but thats the bare minimum acceptable nit what we have to do.

 

[Farmelectrics]

My question is chaps why the smoke yes I'm aware of the testing procedures required if I'm honest when changing like for like sockets I never do an ir test again and surely most of you don't either you change the socket and plug in your martingale tester

 

[Leesparkykent]

You obviously checked for signs of heat damage, black marks, arching, loose connections, etc but something is definitely a miss.
Need to get that MFT round to carry out Ze, Zs measurements to make sure circuits comply with maximum Zs etc IMO

 

[Plonker 3]

My question is chaps why the smoke yes I'm aware of the testing procedures required if I'm honest when changing like for like sockets I never do an ir test again and surely most of you don't either you change the socket and plug in your martingale tester

So your martindale is capable of detecting a N-E reverse connection and polarity test?

 

[Farmelectrics]

No dibs it isn't and will return to test when I've got my mft. But no one has given me any reasons for the smoke that is the question

 

[Plonker 3]

As #19 is all you can do now.

 

[davesparks]

If you don't know why it was smoking, having been there and seen it happen, judged the colour, smell and volume of the smoke to help work out what the likely source is then how on earth do you expect is to be able to work it out?
What colour was the smoke? What did it smell like? Was it dense or light smoke? Whereabouts on the CU was it coming from?

 

[Farmelectrics]

I'm going to go back tomorrow when I get mft and do some testing. The smoke was coming from the consumer there was no signs of arching no scorch marks and everything was tight in consumer and this is what has got be baffled but will return tomorrow and carry out some testing for my own piece of mind hence the nightmare day thanks for your replays chaps been a long day

 

[davesparks]

Coming from where on the consumer unit? From the fuses, from the top of the lid, through the gap between the CU and the wall, from the bottom, left, right??????
Was the smoke white, blue, black, dense, light, smell of oil, paper, tar, fish, tcp????

 

[PEG]

No dibs it isn't and will return to test when I've got my mft. But no one has given me any reasons for the smoke that is the question

...a resistance,sufficient to produce heat,causing incandescence to material/materials unknown,but insufficient enough to cause operation of any OCPD.

...There,any answer at last :yes:

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Perhaps you created a fault that blew itself open-circuit before the fuse wire gave out, but got it hot enough, momentarily, to burn off the dust etc. It might now be evident through the wire being discoloured in the middle of the carrier.

 

[Marvo]

...a resistance,sufficient to produce heat,causing incandescence to material/materials unknown,but insufficient enough to cause operation of any OCPD.

...There,any answer at last :yes:

If it's not poor terminations and there's definitely the right fuse wire and not tin foil in the fuse holder then I'd go with Peg's answer as being likely. Could be high earth impedance has turned the fuse into a panel heater. Do the tests and let us know.

 

[UKMeterman]

There has been a national recall of fuse wire some steel wire was used instead of tinned copper. Might be an idea to check the wire...

 

[Farmelectrics]

well after a bad nights sleep lol returned with tester all circuts completly tested and test ok readings all comply with 3036 values
once agin thanks for the advice was a little bit worried if im honest i have recomended a consumer board upgrade. now heres my shot at it and taking into account threads 26 and 27 i think i have trapped a neutral down to earth and its caused a short but not enough to blow fuse strange thing could see no sign of burning or scorching in consumer but maybe the fuse wire was glowing and there was dust possibly hence the smoke ok theres my head above the parapit shoot me!