Black Bulb/ Fuse Box

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Pthomsk1

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• Apr 7, 2024

• #1

Two questions: 1. I’ve had a bulb in the hall turn black with some white powdery deposits (see photo), whats caused this, guessing i should get it checked professionally 2. I have an old fuse board c. 1978, (see photo) also guess this is due a change. Thanks in advance.

 

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nicebutdim

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• Apr 7, 2024

• #2

The gunk on that lamp is most likely from the lampshade, which should be secured with a (missing) skirt on the pendant lampholder and not resting on the lamp itself.

 

mainline

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• Apr 7, 2024

• #3

Pthomsk1 said:

I have an old fuse board c. 1978, (see photo) also guess this is due a change. Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

It's a bit past its sell by date.

 

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brianmoooore

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• Apr 7, 2024

• #4

The white crystals forming on the shade frame and lam holder could be as a result of liquid coming from above and evaporating .
What room, if any, is above this lamp?

 

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UNG

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• Apr 7, 2024

• #5

It looks like that lampshade is a Euro fitting and needs an adaptor ring to fit the standard pendant lampholder

Hard to tell from the picture but the whole pendant set looks to have been overheating or subjected to a lot of heat as the ceiling looks quite dark as well

 

SparkySy

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• Apr 7, 2024

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Another quick observation is the lid for the fuses is not going to fit back on with the MCB's installed in the consumer unit.
I was lead to believe that this was required as the arc from the 3036 fuse blowing will be ejected from the top and bottom of the fuse holder.

 

nicebutdim

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• Apr 7, 2024

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UNG said:

It looks like that lampshade is a Euro fitting and needs an adaptor ring to fit the standard pendant lampholder

Click to expand...

The adaptor ring may now be formed around the lamp.

 

SparkySy

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• Apr 7, 2024

• #8

nicebutdim said:

The adaptor ring may now be formed around the lamp.

Click to expand...

If it was plastic then that is most probably the cause of the black dribbles down the lamp!
As UNG says that lampshade looks like it needs an adapter ring.
My guess would be someone in the past broke the lamp holder skirt changing the lamp (due to it already being brittle from heat) and the shade holder has been left holding the shade up on the back of the lamp.

 

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brianmoooore

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• Apr 7, 2024

• #9

SparkySy said:

Another quick observation is the lid for the fuses is not going to fit back on with the MCB's installed in the consumer unit.
I was lead to believe that this was required as the arc from the 3036 fuse blowing will be ejected from the top and bottom of the fuse holder.

Click to expand...

There's also the fact that live terminals can be accessed without the use of a tool. When plug in MCBs are used to replace rewirables on Wylex CUs, the front part of the cover can be broken out, on later versions, and the rest of the cover replaced, forming a frame around the MCBs.

 

Marvo

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• Apr 8, 2024

• #10

Usually when there's crystals there's been moisture. That black gunk I would have no idea, it's really thick so if I had to guess maybe someone put a cable tie or two around the ring of the shade to hold it off the hot glass globe and it melted. I'd strongly recommend you replace the entire light fitting including the ceiling rose and get the wiring inspected as well.

I'd also replace the CU and at least get the entire installation tested and inspected if it were my house.

 

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brianmoooore

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• Apr 8, 2024

• #11

Marvo said:

get the wiring inspected as well.

Click to expand...

I suspect it's the plumbing that needs inspection as a priority.
The black gunk was probably the shade reducer ring originally. I have some plastic ones and some metal ones in stock. The metal was are basically a large flat washer, but the plastic ones are like larger rubber grommets in construction, but made out of hard plastic, with a radial slot in them, so that they can be compressed to snap into the shade.