Please help with fusebox wiring

[matt1980]

Hi guys, I have been an apprentice electrician for only a few months so know very little, although I am very enthusiastic and wanting to learn, which brings me to here.

A good friend of mine has a few properties which he rents out.
Unfortunately the police have been and raided one of them and found a cannabis factory inside the house, in the spare bedroom.

Now the thing is, the room where this was all going on, was using no electric at all !


Now im wondering if I coulod help him out by getting it all back to normal for him and save him a bit of cash as the room is totally wrecked.

But I dont understand how its been done ?

Ive heard of people totally bypassing electric meters alltogether, but it sounds asif they have bypassed just 1 circuit (obviously the room where they were doing there thing, and where most electric was been used) and left the rest alone, maybe not to cause any suspision ?

If anybody could help me out here it would be much appreciated.

Thank you

 

[Dan the spark]

Saw where I was coming from there kenny
These guys do this all the time, genius little ways so not to arouse suspision on a meter read. Could be a dodgy little joint n the tails behind the meter board, drilled the back of the meter board and tucked it up behind the tail into the meter so not easily spotted, the list is endless lol

 

[GLENNSPARK]

if a terrace house then through the loft and of ov a joint box on the next doors lighting...lol....

 

[matt1980]

Sorry it is a detatched house.

Wow, a few of the comments above have lost me already haha

I was thinking they may have swapped some wires round here and there, obviously theres more to it than that lol

 

[Jimmyb]

i will give you a clue what they will have done, it involed the neutral and earth connection?

 

[Knobhead]

I could put a drawing of a meter fiddle that works but I won’t.

Look at the service head to meter tails. I think you’ll find a tap off

Not that I know anything about this subject.

Pure as the driven snow I am Sire, that’s me Sire, that’s me, that it is true!

 

[matt1980]

Thanks for the above replies guys, as said, im noly a very new apprentice so im sure you guys will spot anything straight away, where as I wouldnt have a clue lol.

Here is a picture of the fusebox as promised :

Can anybody help me out lol ?

Thanks again guys, much appreciated

 

[a1guvner]

would need a picture of the head and meter

 

[matt1980]

Ah bugger, didnt manage to get one of them, ill have to go again tomorrow.

But nothing out of the ordinary with the wiring in the fusebox then ?

Thanks very much

 

[a1guvner]

Looks ok, but would also be handy to have a look at the busbar as well

 

[wallyanker]

Is it my eyes or is there an earth (green sheath cable) in the neutral bar?? Also, blue and black neutrals, would of expected to see brown and red lives, only see red ones...

Neutrals and unsheathed earths mixed too....

 

[wallyanker]

LOL, the more I look, the more I keep seeing.... Looks like a burn mark on the second white fuse cap from the left..

 

[a1guvner]

Think you can see a small brown popping down behind the carriers

 

[matt1980]

LOL, the more I look, the more I keep seeing.... Looks like a burn mark on the second white fuse cap from the left..

That is definately a burn mark mate.

Also why would an earth be in the neutral bar ?

Thanks very much

 

[matt1980]

Think you can see a small brown popping down behind the carriers

What does this suggest please mate lol ?

Just trying to learn

Thanks

 

[needasparks]

As others have said neutrals in the earth bar and an earth in the neutral bar is very odd, and yes the blues in neutral would be strange as i can't see browns in live but the picture is a bit cloudy.

If your sure a circuit has been bypassed especially for the use it has it would be best for the whole circuit to be closely inspected for overloading damage if fuse protection was taken away for this to be done. I know you are trying to save this guy some money but it really would on this one be worth even getting someone from work (sparks) to go over this one as from the picture this one does smell funny. Be on the safe side, afterall if you do get it running someone is going to live there.