Tell us about your faults!

[kung]

Hi ALL
Just thought id put this one up for all those faults we find.
heres one to kick it off !
Domestic RCD tripped and wouldnt reset cause was a blown low energy light bulb.
There you go now for yours !

 

[Tonkatoy27]

Cor, what a mess. Fire brigade reckon it was the 1.5mm flex about 6 inches from the 16amp plug. OK so it bent a bit tight on exit from the plug but considering the machine was off and hardly pulling any current I think it very unlikley the cable just combusted. 16amp plug was fitted under an original 20amp switch on a 20amp MCB. 2.5mm radial. Steel conduit to above ceiling level. Must be at least £100,000 of damage. Countless lathes, pillor drills, bandsaws etc let alone the £60,000 extraction system for mdf dust we wired up about 5 years ago. I'm just thankfull the place had a PIR last year by another company!

 

[LukeBuckaz]

Called out to heating not working. An ancient programmer was diagnosed by the plumber so he supplied a new one which I duly fitted. When re-energising the heating circuit I found the new timer display flashing. I tested between L-E, L-N, N-E. Found there was 100v between L-N. Removed the switched fused spur to find the same problem. Asked the tenant how long this had been going on and he explained he had only just moved in and the heating had never worked since. All of the accessories in the kitchen were brushed steel except what looked like a 20A DP switch. The old geezers son told me they had and electrician in to change the socket fronts but he had left this particular switch as it was a 6 way switch ??? I loosened off the front to find it was an old immersion heater switch which they had tapped off the outgoing to feed the heating. So when switched on this switch was feeding the heating AND immersion. Upon dismantling the switch I found they had not terminated the outgoing neutral properly. I ceased using this switch for the immersion and changed the switch for a switched fused spur and used it solely for the heating circuit.

any way as it turns out the heating was bodged and now needs turning into a proper S-plan which i will be doing over the next week.

 

[Tonkatoy27]

Am looking at upgrading the electrics to a new split board but just wondering what the best way to go about it would be? I am currently taking a testing and inspection course so that i can sign off my own work but would like any advice if possible.



By 'sign off your own work' I presume you mean conform with the requirements of Part P. Just so you don't drop a clanger, having a T & I qualification doesn't let you do this, paying for, registering and passing an assessment with the like of NICEIC, ELECSA or NAPPIT does.

RCBO's are ideal, but are trickier to fit in older boards and are much more expensive.

 

[Kamikaze]

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a proper blond moment but today I was trying to track down a trace heating fault. Cut the wire on a flange, then tested both ways. Went to the next flange in the direction of the fault. Cut the wire and tested both ways only to find the fault had completely disappeared. How can this be? Crawled back over the pipes to the last test point. Tested both ways again only to find the fault is still there. After some head scratching told to the pipe lagger it just doesn’t make any sense. To which he replied, “Does it matter that the other cut you have made is on a differed pipe?" Just have to explain to the gaffer on Tuesday that I will need not just a new length of trace heating cable but an extra jointing kit. He won't be too bothered unlike the individual that's going to get a roasting for damaging the cable. There will be our cost, the cost of the laggers for taking the stuff off and then putting it back on again later. Aooch, that’s gonna hurt in the wallet!

 

[DNS]

Any suggestions.. I was recently asked why the lights every now and again in their living room dim slightly then go back to normal several times and lights elsewhere in the property. Without seeing it for myself. I suggested a couple of maybes. Firstly check with the adjoining neighbour, see if they are getting the same problem. They are one the same supply phase. It may be that your getting slight fluctuations in voltage supply. Secondly there may be a loose connection somewhere in the lighting circuit. OR after all this rain they might have some water ingress somewhere, into a light fitting. I'm open to any other suggestions before I start checking next week.

 

[snowhead]

Loose neutral in CU on lighting.

 

[DNS]

Loose neutral in CU on lighting.

Thanks

 

[Richard Burns]

Check if anything else may be coming on (kettle, immersion, shower) when they flicker as this could indicate a more serious loose connection (possibly in the tails), but again maybe just the supply is not quite up to it.
A loose connection early on in the lighting circuit if it is loop in/out wired (check which lights don't flicker).
Damaged switch sparking slightly if it is falling apart inside.

 

[cogsey133]

my worst fault was the fault that never was! While working for the MOD my mate and i got a call to go to a naval officers quarters to check out his cooker. Upon knocking on his door we were met by him and his wife who informed us their cooker was faulty. My mate and i stripped everything down tested and could not find a fault. Upon re-assembling the cooker we checked the temps with out thermal probe and everything checked out ok. Somewhat perplexed by this i asked the couple what made them think there was a fault on the cooker only to be told by them there must be a fault because their apple pie was not cooked right in the middle.........and the husband is in charge of a multi million pound warship! Needless to say my mate and i left before the air turned blue!

 

[DNS]

Check if anything else may be coming on (kettle, immersion, shower) when they flicker as this could indicate a more serious loose connection (possibly in the tails), but again maybe just the supply is not quite up to it.
A loose connection early on in the lighting circuit if it is loop in/out wired (check which lights don't flicker).
Damaged switch sparking slightly if it is falling apart inside.

Thank you

 

[Strima]

Today in the local Brewers Fayre kids play area. A floor mounted socket outlet looking a little worse for wear, cover plate missing and the faceplate seperating from the guts. Fortunately they'd put some anti-kid plates on and taped over it with a do not use sticker... It did raise an eyebrow...

 

[plugsandsparks]

Like the footer :earmuffs:

 

[Strima]

In a kids area of all places. Mentality of some people really astounds me.

 

[jase]

not a fault as such, but didnt know where else to post , saw this on a new build when i was installing some outdoor lighting, place is 6months old, just made me chuckle.

 

[Strima]

not a fault as such, but didnt know where else to post , saw this on a new build when i was installing some outdoor lighting, place is 6months old, just made me chuckle.

View attachment 12232

Nothing like keeping it tidy...