What's happened?

[SimpleSimon]

Fitted a Consumer unit last week all was fine until kast night. Guy called me up saying lights in kitchen n living room flickers n went out. He says MCBs didn't trip but when he trips switch manually power to lights stay on.
Havnt been round yet but I'm thinking reverse polarity? Except wouldn't that have showed up in my Ze testing?

 

[IQ Electrical]

Get round there and have a look, it's amazing how the description offered by a customer gets distorted over the telephone!

Crossed polarity on the supply would have shown on your Ze test, Circuit crossed polarity would have shown on an R1+R2 test and Zs test.

Let us know the outcome!

 

[SimpleSimon]

Funny that. That's two Sparkys in a row who's said that about acustomer. Hmm well Im glad it's not reverse polarity phew.

 

[jpmiff]

did you find a problem?

 

[SimpleSimon]

Could a blown bulb create a surge that put the other lights out? Can't remember what bulbs he's got but pretty sure they're normal ES?

 

[ezzzekiel]

possibly a simple loose connection

 

[SimpleSimon]

My thoughts are now turning to that. Could be that simple. Cheers guys! Keep you posted.

 

[telectrix]

could be a dodgy MCB?

 

[SimpleSimon]

Unlikely as it's two MCBs that would be faulty. But I'll keep it in mind.

 

[ian.settle1]

Could a blown bulb create a surge that put the other lights out? Can't remember what bulbs he's got but pretty sure they're normal ES?

ES don't you mean BC or are you not located in the UK

 

[not clever]

ES don't you mean BC or are you not located in the UK

ES = Eddison Screw
SES = Small Eddison Screw
BC = Bayonet Cap

All available in the uk

Hows the db set out, are the lights on one rcd by themselves?

He says MCBs didn't trip but when he trips switch manually power to lights stay on.

Does he mean the mcb just resets ok or the lights are actualy comming on now?

Two options for me
A) as above, RCD tripped & customer hasnt reset it.
B) you didn't tighten the mcb's to the busbar (and this would be my first check).

 

[SimpleSimon]

Each light is on a separate split board RCD. And yes ES I meant Edison Screw. Spoke to the customer,turns out he didn't isolate both at once just each one separate. So after calling him (unable to get to his) and advising to turn both off than on separately to determine that they can be isolated.......it turns out they can. It seems the radial supplying lights on the right isde of his house (both upstairs and down) has no lights working in any room.

So now my first initial feeling is loose connection.

 

[SimpleSimon]

Each light is on a separate split board RCD. And yes ES I meant Edison Screw. Spoke to the customer,turns out he didn't isolate both at once just each one separate. So after calling him (unable to get to his) and advising to turn both off than on separately to determine that they can be isolated.......it turns out they can. It seems the radial supplying lights on the right isde of his house (both upstairs and down) has no lights working in any room.

So now my first initial feeling is loose connection.

 

[IQ Electrical]

Spoke to the customer,turns out he didn't isolate both at once just each one separate. So after calling him (unable to get to his) and advising to turn both off than on separately to determine that they can be isolated.......it turns out they can.

That's what I meant by the story getting distorted by the customer, happens quite often!

With any luck, it'll be a failed mcb, sounds much better than a loose connection to the customer! (assuming you confess!)

 

[telectrix]

had a couple of probs with wylex boards, busbar going under clamp not over. taught me to make sure terminal is fully open