Smoke coming from electric meter/fuse box area

[Rpa07]

There's nought queer as folk!

There are people out there that pay good money for old vintage CU's switches etc... there was an autistic bloke at a carboot once with a box full of them. turns out he religiously collects old kit. He pays silly money for some of it too. Thought nothing of paying £50 for a battered old rare switch unit! not seen him since. Have also seen people put them on walls once painted to original finish as decorative items on bare walls. all part of some rustic look!

 

[freddo]

I love old switchgear and have loads here! I wonder if my boss will part with the glass fronted fuseboard in his office.

 

[Specialist]

There's nought queer as folk!

Nothing wrong with vintage kit

 

[Octopus]

Nothing wrong with vintage kit

Leave Tel out of this please!

 

[Specialist]

Strange, I was thinking of tel & Pete as I wrote it

I'm sure they'll get their own back

 

[davesparks]

A google told me that BI and Callendars merged in 1945 !! Would that make this fellas board before that ?


This is the oldest one of this type I have seen before. Got invited to quote for a swap but they decided against it in the end.
View attachment 36829 View attachment 36828 View attachment 36827

Looking at the labels I would guess at it being after the merger.

That's the first time I've seen that kind of arrangement where the electricity board kit and the consumers kit match. In the old books I've got I've read about a situation where electricity boards would supply and fit a main switch etc, and I guess your pics is what they're referring to

 

[Des 56]

In Newport, these were standard throughout the Borough
When fitting a new consumer unit,the cut out and isolator were left intact,the fuse board removed and the new tails were precariously and magically somehow bent and twisted to make the connection back into the isolator,not a pretty sight

Thousands of them were and still are, as far as I know, still in service

 

[Andy78]

Looking at the labels I would guess at it being after the merger.

That's the first time I've seen that kind of arrangement where the electricity board kit and the consumers kit match. In the old books I've got I've read about a situation where electricity boards would supply and fit a main switch etc, and I guess your pics is what they're referring to

I meant was the OP's board a pre-merger one ?

Yeah I've only seen a couple of these "all-in-one" arrangements before.
Most historic incomers in my area are a green painted cast head with no proper provision for earth, although in a lot of cases an earthing conductor has been lugged (or wrapped) onto one of the bolts that holds the head together, usually for a great reading.

 

[davesparks]

I meant was the OP's board a pre-merger one ?

Yeah I've only seen a couple of these "all-in-one" arrangements before.
Most historic incomers in my area are a green painted cast head with no proper provision for earth, although in a lot of cases an earthing conductor has been lugged (or wrapped) onto one of the bolts that holds the head together, usually for a great reading.

Looking at the logo it's the same BI callenders logo so I guess a similar age. If it was much earlier it would have had DP fuseing I think.

Now cast iron heads I'm a little more familiar with, I've got the manual with full fitting instructions for WT Henleys ISCO gear from 1940. They should have had either a wiped gland, lead come gland, or a clamp onto the lead inside the sealing chamber. Then an earth conductor was connected to one of the screws on the sealing chamber.

If I can work out posting pictures from my phone I'll put some up.

 

[A14n]

Ok so this is how it looks now... Took him 4 hours finished about 10pm. The 2 gang socket now works.... But now another 2 gang socket is dead! What's going on? Guess he didn't do a proper job. The defunct landing light.... He said there's just 24 volts going through that cable. He's coming back to do that another day...

 

[Specialist]

Hi A14n: Doesn't look too bad from the outside, Wiring could have been a bit tidier. If your still having problems with things not working etc, Please take the advice & get an Electrical installation condition report done ASAP.

 

[Bobster]

Dead testing the circuits should've found the issues stopping the sockets working. Before he re-energised.

 

[Specialist]

Dead testing the circuits should've found the issues stopping the sockets working. Before he re-energised.

Wouldn't mind betting none was done, maybe none after either.

 

[Pete999]

Wouldn't mind bettering none was done, maybe none after either.

Bettering? what have you been Taking Andy?

 

[telectrix]

i hope the silicon tails "grommet " is not an indication of the rest of the work.

 

[David M]

Up to you Mate but what would you rather have a burnt house or live Fish, a no Brainer in my mind switch the juice OFF. Can you smell dead fish no pun intended that's what an electrical fire smells like

That reminds me of when I was a child... in my bed room I would occasionally smell dead fish. We would joke that it was the - fishy ghost - as we never found the cause. After I'd qualified as an electrician I decided to do some alterations in my parents house. It turned out that the elusive "fishy ghost" was indeed caused by a loose connection behind a socket outlet. The socket was only ever used occasionally while it was my room, hence why the "ghost" only appeared occasionally.

We laugh about it now but in seriousness we were extremely lucky, as it could have caused a house fire!

 

[onions1066]

I can't believe tel you was the forest to pick up on that...my question would be...........when are you coming back to finish the board never mind the landing light!

 

[Specialist]

Bettering? what have you been Taking Andy?

Sorted mate thanks, not had meds yet & been up for ages.
Hows things ?

 

[telectrix]

i don't see an inspection label. wonder why?

 

[Specialist]

i hope the silicon tails "grommet " is not an indication of the rest of the work.

Jesus tel: Well spotted, can I borrow your glasses ?

 

[telectrix]

help yersen'

 

[Specialist]

i don't see an inspection label. wonder why?

Did any of us honestly believe one was going to be done ?

 

[Specialist]

View attachment 36842

help yersen'

Works for me mate but was thinking more yer specs

 

[Specialist]

Jesus tel: Well spotted, can I borrow your glasses ?

Guess that screwed the fire containment then.

 

[Andy78]

Did any of us honestly believe one was going to be done ?

I had my doubts about a job starting at 6pm

 

[Specialist]

I wouldn't have been starting testing at 6.00pm never mind the change out, but that's just personal preference.

 

[telectrix]

i'd have made the damaged cable /circuit safe for the night. made sure the fish tank had a reliable supply, then gone back in the morning to tackle the CU.

 

[Specialist]

Don't quite understand why the "Electrician" that went there in the first place, had to get someone else in to do the CU, or how the 2nd "Electrician" walked away & left faulty wiring.

 

[Specialist]

Never come across a Danson CU before, are they any good ?.

 

[A14n]

Electrician is coming again tonight to do the landing light. He's now pressurising us into getting a total rewire... Is this really necessary? Doesn't seem like he's tested it or anything. He wasn't even aware that the other 2 gang socket died after fixing the one that wasn't working initially...

 

[A14n]

Don't quite understand why the "Electrician" that went there in the first place, had to get someone else in to do the CU, or how the 2nd "Electrician" walked away & left faulty wiring.

The guy that came originally said he'd been in a motorcycle accident and shouldn't really be up and about as he was still on morphine :/. So got the other "electrician" to come and do the work...

 

[telectrix]

alarm bells ! time to get a second opinion from an electrician who will test the installation before advising on whether a rewire is necessary. if the cables are all pvc and not rubber insulated, then a rewire is probably not needed.

 

[A14n]

alarm bells ! time to get a second opinion from an electrician who will test the installation before advising on whether a rewire is necessary. if the cables are all pvc and not rubber insulated, then a rewire is probably not needed.

Well behind the light switches the cable is grey pvc Red/Black

 

[onions1066]

Looks like the second spark was on morphine as well. So why would he change the board then advise a rewire. School boy error getting balls deep in a board swap then thinking oh s**t this needs rewiring. And that's why you test first...........what a doughnut

 

[Pete999]

Electrician is coming again tonight to do the landing light. He's now pressurising us into getting a total rewire... Is this really necessary? Doesn't seem like he's tested it or anything. He wasn't even aware that the other 2 gang socket died after fixing the one that wasn't working initially...

This "Electrician" is he qualified, or someone from down the pub, sounds like a bit of a liability to me, only my opinion from what's been said.

 

[onions1066]

Okay I haven't read all the way back but for me the burning question is...............how much did it cost?

 

[telectrix]

Well behind the light switches the cable is grey pvc Red/Black

as i said. time to get a proper test/inspection carried out. faults identified and corrected. advising a rewire as he has done is like scrapping your car because the exhaust fell off. GET IT TESTED.

 

[Specialist]

Electrician is coming again tonight to do the landing light. He's now pressurising us into getting a total rewire... Is this really necessary? Doesn't seem like he's tested it or anything. He wasn't even aware that the other 2 gang socket died after fixing the one that wasn't working initially...

Without actually being on site to do an EICR or even see what you already have, it's really difficult to tell for certain.
However with the apparent age of the electrics and the problems you've been having, it may well be the best idea for long term safety.

 

[Specialist]

Okay I haven't read all the way back but for me the burning question is...............how much did it cost?

CU change was apparently £550.00

 

[A14n]

This is the kind of wiring behind one light switch. Is that really old and unsafe?

 

[Specialist]

To be fair, it's hard to tell from that.
Before getting him to do a rewire, I'd ask a couple of local contractors in to look at it & do some proper testing.

 

[Pete999]

CU change was apparently £550.00

I smell the aroma of sweaty Salon bars with men in Stetsons and cowboy boots, he didn't shout "YIPPY KIAY as he left did he

 

[onions1066]

You paid £550 for that board swap?????????????

 

[Specialist]

Damn, didn't think you'd notice if he took his spurs off

 

[Pete999]

Damn, didn't think you'd notice if he took his spurs off

He only checked 1 socket didn't he? wonder if that was a spur.

 

[Specialist]

You paid £550 for that board swap?????????????

Calm down, take deep breaths. It does include fixing the landing light

 

[Specialist]

Nice Pete

 

[telectrix]

Calm down, take deep breaths. It does include fixing the landing light

he'll probably lasso it.

 

[Wilko]

Rewiring may be required if cables are damaged - which as @telectrix says - testing and inspection should show. You know of one fault and that may need some cable to fix, but that doesn't mean it's all unserviceable. Have you checked these guys are registered to do electrical work on domestic properties?
Competent Persons Register | Home - http://www.competentperson.co.uk/

 

[Specialist]

he'll probably lasso it.

For a bit of light relief . Okay, okay I'll get my coat