How old is this overcurrent protective device please?

[Astro800]

Yes I remember them, they had asbestos pads. If you dropped the fuse on the floor they would break or shatter.

 

[Astro800]

Des, are you a member of the Old Farts club?

I'm well on the way. When I see things on here that most electricians haven't seen, I think, I'm not that old am I? Where does the time go?

 

[Engineer54]

I'd also say 50's mid to late 50's!! One thing about these older units, you won't see them in molten blobs on the floor where they have melted, Not with the core of the unit being made of a heavy porcelain type material. Built to last, and last they have. And with a BS 88 cartridge fuse, still be utilised and last another good many years too...lol!!

I wonder how much of the modern stuff were installing today will see 60 years or more of service with no sign of deterioration, ....my guess, is not many (if any)!! lol!!

 

[Dcf]

bet u that old switch will outlast any of the cack u get these days. the bill tp boards had some amount of exposed parts if i mind right.and as alarm man says u were a brave soldier indeed to put a fuse back in if there was a fault u didn't know about!!! like when my laddie screwd through a micc ring main i was changing sockets on and never told me....this was in the days before every circuit was tested prior to energising i might add

 

[Engineer54]

bet u that old switch will outlast any of the cack u get these days. the bill tp boards had some amount of exposed parts if i mind right.and as alarm man says u were a brave soldier indeed to put a fuse back in if there was a fault u didn't know about!!! like when my laddie screwd through a micc ring main i was changing sockets on and never told me....this was in the days before every circuit was tested prior to energising i might add

But this unit is a single Switch fuse, would you not switch it ''Off'' before you pulled or inserted the fuse?? And being a cartridge fuse, you'll only get the crack/bang from the blades as they touched..... no almighty bang as you would from a rewirable blowing!!

 

[alarm man]

But this unit is a single Switch fuse, would you not switch it ''Off'' before you pulled or inserted the fuse?? And being a cartridge fuse, you'll only get the crack/bang from the blades as they touched..... no almighty bang as you would from a rewirable blowing!!

weve moved on to old bill db's e54,keep up auld fella..:icon10::icon10:

 

[Dcf]

a general overview of bills finest products mr 54. the bill board i dealt with was tp and rewireable as my black hand and brown boiler suit would testify.the lad got a good fixing for his light fitting tho!

 

[1shortcircuit]

Sounds like if I end up changing this beauty I should keep it and store it in a glass box

Sure don't make things like they used to but I'm pleased that this thread has created an interest and has turned up some very informative posts.

Thank You everyone for your posts, very much appreciated as always:thumbsup

1SC

 

[Engineer54]

weve moved on to old bill db's e54,keep up auld fella..:icon10::icon10:

Oooops !! i was still talking about this Switch fuse!! lol!!

As for final circuit DB/CUs I preferred the Wylex units. Just as robust and virtually just as old. The rewirable fuse carriers were far superior in that the fuse element was almost totally enclosed, but did tend to flash upwards and downwards where your fingers were holding the carrier...lol!! We used the Wylex units in the factories offices etc but used the cartridge carrier derivative (long before the MCB units were available). I wouldn't mind betting that those CU's are still there too, why fix what's not broken...lol!!!

 

[alarm man]

Oooops !! i was still talking about this Switch fuse!! lol!!

dont worry about it e54,treat yourself to another werthers original...we understand auld man..

 

[Knobhead]

Ye GOD’s your pushing you’re luck!

Anyway as E54 said, a bit of TLC and that switch will still be going when I’m pushing up the flowers.

 

[Knobhead]

Bill “Royal” and “Imperial” range had a very sad change over from old to new technologies. Isolator blade mountings originally made of Steel and Tuffnel were replaced with plastic, they would shear leaving the blades in the “ON” position.

On one job alone they had to pay for replacing 250 isolators!

 

[UKMeterman]

Hi,
Were the problem ones the MEM blue units of similar pattern to the one on in the picture but with a steel cases and 60 A rewireable fuse?
Thanks

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i know about 3 weeks ago we were called out to a high street bakers with an outage to the front shop........was a 63A BS88 in a carrier similar to this one by BILL.....caus i remember that i didn`t like the way there was no means of isolation to the main and sub dis-boards......so it was a case of isolating all connected loads being fed from the sub-board that this fuse fed.....that was the only thing with it though as i remember how well it was made.....