(Another!) Main switch tripping...

[grumpyjohn01]

Called out to elderly couple's house today - no power. All 3 lighting circuit breakers are tripped and mainswitch is off. Quick check reveals PIR lightswitch faulty and 1 lamp failed. Replaced the PIR switch for standard 1G2W switch and reset everything, seems fine now. Question is, how did mainswitch end up off? See pic for setup. The old guy is a retired engineer and is becoming 'confused'. He has added PIR switches all over the place and other 'mods'. I'm thinking most likely he has switched it off but wife swears blind he hasn't. Have recommended EICR. Mainswitch is BS5419 and seems fine, resets to ON against slight spring pressure but doesnt seem worn. Just to satisfy my slight doubts, this is just a mainswitch right? can't trip under fault conditions? I have googled and have come across plenty of these before and have never known one to fail in this way if indeed it has failed. Any chance the recoil of 3 tripping mcb's could throw the switch? seems unlikely to me..also seems odd that all 3 would trip for single circuit fault. Anybody come across anything similar?

 

[Pat H]

Maybe not correctly engaged after last time turned off then on? The MCBs tripping was enough of a jolt?

 

[Sintra]

As stated in the op it is a switch. It doesn't trip out on overcurrent so I would think it has been opened manually.

 

[Wilko]

As stated in the op it is a switch. It doesn't trip out on overcurrent so I would think it has been opened manually.

Yep, I think so too. Poor chap possibly switched it off himself (safety first etc) and doesn't recall now.

 

[Midwest]

Not hanging his hat on it is he?

 

[NDG Elecs]

Ah, that's why I never get x1 and x5 test results on a 60947 then!

I have had a young couple swear that a 5419 switch on a 3036 board 'tripped'.. I think you have already answered your own question John.

I had a call from a lady the other day whom I did a board change for. She had no power to her sockets after she pulled the plug on her hairdryer out. It was still blowing away and she didn't use the hairdryers or sockets switch for some reason. Anyway, she said she had switched everything back on bar "the three switches on the left". I looked at a photo of the board I had on my phone and lo and behold one of the three switches said SOCKETS!! Bloody idiot I thought... Switch it on and leave me alone!