Smoke coming from electric meter/fuse box area

[A14n]

Hi just a question, this morning I noticed a 2 gang socket had no power to it, went to check the fuse box/electric meter in the cupboard... and there was a lot of smoke coming out from somewhere? Its not smoking any more. The 2 way gang socket is completely dead. All other outlets seem fine and not affected.

What would be the problem? Is this an expensive job, still waiting to here back from an electrician.

Thanks

 

[Dave OCD]

That will probably be as simple as a loose connection in one of the switches, anyway your electrician will sort it out and restore your peace of mind hopefully. Let us know the outcome tomorrow.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Electrician is coming tomorrow morning now :/. Not had any issues so far since the smoke minus the dead sockets!

I also have a landing light that hasn't worked for years, will get him to look at that also. Its on 2x light switches one upstairs and one at the bottom of the stairs... God knows what's wrong with that?

Switch off for the night mate, not worth the risk. It's hardly going to drop below 15 degrees tonight, cant see your fish freezing, or run a lead from next door if that's possible.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

As everybody has said turn it off, especially if you got children in the house. too great a risk.

Would be nice if the OP returns and updates us. pictures of the offending article in the CU, if that is the cause would be good to see aswell.
Wonder who fitted the CU and age of install? Surprised we don't hear of more problems like this to be honest, given the serious risks and the number of right shoddy and outright dangerous installs out there i am surprised there are not more house fires. as this was the premise on switching to metal clad CU's.... there is an awful lot of plastic ones out there still.

 

[telectrix]

plastic CUs don't cause fires. bad workmanship causes fires.

 

[7029 dave]

Switch off for the night mate, not worth the risk. It's hardly going to drop below 15 degrees tonight, cant see your fish freezing, or run a lead from next door if that's possible.

Absolutely agree he needs cut the electricity now.

 

[telectrix]

and maybe wrap a blanket round the fish tank. it's bye-byes time for fishes anyway.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

plastic CUs don't cause fires. bad workmanship causes fires.

The problem wasn't plastic Cu's as you said it was people doing a poor job and sometimes not tightening terminals correctly. I was taught on my very first job to use a tension screwdriver set to the right setting. My boss for a right one for the little details.
By switching to metal i believe the idea was it would contain any fire better and give people a chance to notice and get out.

 

[D00DY_T00DY]

The problem wasn't plastic Cu's as you said it was people doing a poor job and sometimes not tightening terminals correctly. I was taught on my very first job to use a tension screwdriver set to the right setting. My boss for a right one for the little details.
By switching to metal i believe the idea was it would contain any fire better and give people a chance to notice and get out.

Talking about this point to two joiners this morning "And what if the new metal cases become live like" "think the loose live would be more worrying then the CU being metal rather than plastic "

Scapegoat for the poor workmanship of self proclaimed "electricians"

 

[A14n]

Electrician had just been, our meter and fuse box etc etc is about 56 years old! and highly dangerous. There was an insulated cable in the back of the old fuse box totally melted and charred up. He's getting someone to fit a new system in and fix the light upstairs while he's at it.

Damn that's soo bad.

 

[telectrix]

cheers for the update. the problem was either a poor connection or that particular cable has been overloaded.

 

[Specialist]

If the Fuse box & meter are that old and dangerous, what about the house wiring ? It's quite possibly well past it's use by date.

 

[telectrix]

agree. a rewire may be in order. an EICR would help.

 

[onions1066]

When I started there was no torque drivers I was told.........when your knuckles go white you know it's tight.

 

[A14n]

Guy is coming about 6pm tonight now and staying until it's done. Charging £550... He didn't say about rewiring the whole house.

 

[onions1066]

This is a troll