When does taking a fuse out protect you..?

[mikeup]

Old house / wiring / fusebox plus single circuit breaker.

So I decide to change dead double socket in kitchen ( one socket failed followed by its twin months later= no power ( yesterday ) ) NB. once it stopped working the switches on the socket were found to be stuck ( in the "on" position)

So despite being bitten by this fuse box last year ( same thing - I removed fuse which indicated it covered sockets in kitchen - but I discovered it was still live - and leaving myself a note inside to tell me ) I remove "kitchen socket" fuse and proceed as follows.

1/ test whan I assume is inline socket in kitchen and no power. Can't "test " actual socket as.... see above.

2/remove socket to find;- a/ two red wires aimed at but not in or touching live ( rh as seen from viewer ) terminal. I have no explanation as to how two very stiff wires came out of their terminal - the screw in the terminal was in the unscrewed position!!
b/. two black wires firmly in neutral ( ?) lh terminal
c. earth in far lh terminal.

I remove wires and proceed to rewire as original - earth, then black ( N) , then red (L!?)

well..to my surprise as I accidently touch red wires and earth!!!!! BANG - melted wires, melted screwdriver and blackened plastic and trip fuse trips.

whew - no harm done...

So my question is.

Will/should removing a fuse ever protect you from electrical shock?
Does the "live" always remain live ( as this did ) even if fuse removed?

FYI - I will NEVER work on any exposed wires again unless power is off!
Socket now working - rewired as old one " should" have been.

 

[Pete999]

Rule number 1 don't fooock with electrics if you don't know what you are doing, leave it to the professionals.

 

[123]

It will if you remove the correct fuse.

I suggest you brush up on your safe isolation procedure!

 

[Pete999]

It will if you remove the correct fuse.

I suggest you brush up on your safe isolation procedure!

The OP does not have /or seem to have any electrical experience, so I think my statement stands.

 

[elsparko]

as a rule of thumb i never trust the electrician who has been in before me at a job, always assume live until proven dead.

 

[Gavin John Hyde]

FYI - I will NEVER work on any exposed wires again unless power is off!

You shouldn't have been working on live circuits like that to begin with.
Always follow your safe isolation and lock it off if needed, then check at the work location as even though you think you have turned it off you can never be 100% as shown in your case.
I was working on a house a few weeks back and the kitchen and downstairs rings had been joined at some point, so despite isolating the kitchen, it still had power... never rely on turning a breaker off on its own. you only get one life and do not want to become a statistic on the avoidable death figures..

 

[Octopus]

And NEVER assume pulling 1 fuse will isolate a circuit. Seem many houses where each "end" of a ring circuit is in a different fuse or breaker...

 

[telectrix]

OP is located in Leek. some funny things happen there. not far away are the Derbyshire potholes. I used to go down when i was thinner. strange Troglodytes come out at night and sabotage anything from cars an burglar alarms to pelican crossing lights. you know it's them as they always leave a bottle of Buxton spring water.

 

[Pete999]

And NEVER assume pulling 1 fuse will isolate a circuit. Seem many houses where each "end" of a ring circuit is in a different fuse or breaker...

Have you bothered to check the OP's credibility as an Electrician? no quals equates to no knowledge, he shouldn't be tackling electrical work, come on guys get the real picture here, chancer comes to mind. But then again I'm retired so what does my opinion count for? diddly squat from some of the responses I have had.

 

[Octopus]

Have you bothered to check the OP's credibility as an Electrician? no quals equates to no knowledge, he shouldn't be tackling electrical work, come on guys get the real picture here, chancer comes to mind.

Chancer or not, I just wanted to alert the OP to the fact that pulling a single fuse may not isolate a circuit.........

There are many chancers on here!

 

[telectrix]

never taken a fuse out, some nice wenches and a few dogs, perhaps.

 

[Pete999]

never taken a fuse out, some nice wenches and a few dogs, perhaps.

Took my Mrs out and look where that landed me.

 

[telectrix]

howatt, pete. i just got in from 2nd fixing. had to re-jig some wiring as 2 rooms altered from centre pendants to 8 or 12 spots. 12" of itchy-poo in loft. not nice.

 

[Pete999]

howatt, pete. i just got in from 2nd fixing. had to re-jig some wiring as 2 rooms altered from centre pendants to 8 or 12 spots. 12" of itchy-poo in loft. not nice.

Nasty Mate, all OK now, some beer and a cuddle with the dogs, makes it all OK.

 

[telectrix]

might even get a cuddle from Mrs. Tel. once i've had a bath and shed the dusty work clothes.