What The Hell!

[bash841]

Can anyone get me out of a fix please.

Customer has called me out to look at their house. They say appliances are switching themselves off all over the house. Have checked the MCBs, behind the S/O's for connections, even making sure the plugs are wired up ok.

The MCB's are not tripping out, just thier own kit turning off! I'm looking like a right muppet, scrathing my head not knowing the answer.

In the words of the famous scouse band "HELP!"

 

[GrannySmiff]

loose connection somewhere?, the appliances that turn of are they all on the same circuit?.

 

[telectrix]

poltergeist???

 

[Marvo]

If you can give more details it would help. How often does it happen, how long does the appliance stay off, when did the problem start, have they had any work done recently, which appliances, is it the same time each day etc etc.

This kinda problem is easy to find if you can catch it when it's happening.

 

[Sparky Ninja]

Is anything isolating at all? Or are they just flicking on and off? It could be a loose neutral or line in any of the positions in the circuit. Is this a ring final or radial?

I've spent many an afternoon sitting in with little old ladies, watching loose women and drinking tea waiting for their appliances to pop off an RCD etc..

If you cannot determine any physical defects with the circuit itself, you may have to play the waiting game..

 

[telectrix]

continuity tests might be the first place to start. if it's a radial, only needs 1 poor connectin. is the CU MCBs. ? have had a few where the busbar has been fitted badly to MCB, whereby the busbar is behind the terminal. esp on wylex.

 

[malcolmsanford]

They haven't got everything wired up to an economy 7 meter, so that when the telly comes on at 11pm they get re runs of Jeremy Kyle coming on?

Sorry apart from what the other guys said who have that lovely beast known as the "intermitant fault" ..........it's just a case of fall back on your testing experience and keep plugging away.

 

[jumpin jax]

what voltage is the house at? is the voltage dropping under the threshold for the items to stay on?

 

[Upset123]

I had a electrician from hell.

He was from, Cheshire CW9

What a pair of scammers!!!

He also claimed that he can do tiling work as well. Not only his electrical work is shoddy, his tiling skills are questionable. Tiles keeping popping from my bathroom.

Keep clear of these lowdown scum.

Upset123

 

[malcolmsanford]

Names edited Malcolm.