lost main lights downstairs

[kris32]

Hi all,

New here and looking for some advice please. I needed to fix a bulb socket in an upstairs bedroom, so I switched off all the electric at the fuse box and removed all fuses, I have 4 red slots and 2 white. There is only 5 fuses in total. So I proceed to fix the issue which just need to strip the wire back and reattach, all went well fuses back in everything on and all lights upstairs worked. Then tonight I noticed the downstairs main ceiling lights wouldn't switch on...so I looked at the fuse box and the only thing I could thing was the issue was maybe I'd put the 5 amp into the wrong white fuse slot. What I found is that doing so ment now I had the lights downstairs but lost the ones upstairs...I cannot for the life of me fathom this out myself. Any guide to a possible solution would be gratefully received please. Thank you in advance

 

[SparkyChick]

Hi, welcome to the forums

Daft question time... you say you only have 5 fuses... did you definitely remove only five? Is it possible you've just misplaced one? (I've done it myself)

You say you have 4 red slots and 2 white... do the fuse colours match (i.e. have you got 4 red and 1 white)?

 

[MFS Electrical]

Sounds like you may have possibly broken the fuse wire in one of your 5 Amp fuses (the white ones) it’s really easy to do and often not very noticeable try replacing the fuse wire on the 5Amp fuse that makes the circuits not work and see if you still have a problem. Watch out though it’s very easy to break 5Amp fusewire when you screw a new bit in.

 

[SparkyChick]

Sounds like you may have possibly broken the fuse wire in one of your 5 Amp fuses (the white ones) it’s really easy to do and often not very noticeable try replacing the fuse wire on the 5Amp fuse that makes the circuits not work and see if you still have a problem. Watch out though it’s very easy to break 5Amp fusewire when you screw a new bit in.

I'm not sure we've established there is two white fuses

6 slots, 5 fuses unless I'm misinterpreting the OP

 

[MFS Electrical]

I'm not sure we've established there is two white fuses

6 slots, 5 fuses unless I'm misinterpreting the OP

I think your right I just re-read it I had missed the fact that the OP had said 6 slots and 5 fuses

 

[MFS Electrical]

OP Show us a Pic of the whole fusebox and then take out all your fuses and show us another one a bit closer in to all of the empty fuse holders and was there ever any ways without fuses in them what colour are all the dots on the fuses

 

[kris32]

Hi all, I shall get a picture and upload with responses asap. Tha know you for all your help. There does seem to be 2 5amp slots but I only have 1x 5 amp fuse...then 3x 30amp I think...which leaves me the fuse with the switch on.

 

[telectrix]

look inside the fuse cover. see if the circuits are labelled.typically your 2 white spot fuses will be 1 for downstairs lights, and the other for upstairs. looks like you may have dropped a fuse for the dog to chew. check his basket/bed.

 

[kris32]

Here is my fuse box...With and without the fuses. Thank you x

 

[SparkyChick]

The circuit breaker (the one with the switch) is 6A. That's for your lights.

So the 5A fuse and the 6A circuit breaker should be plugged into the two white slots.

 

[Richard Burns]

It looks like the different breaker, the white one with wylex B6 ON written on in should be in the empty white slot.
As Sparkychick has just said, too slow I am.
Not sure what the empty red slot is for but possibly unconnected.

 

[kris32]

What a plonker , I'm going to sheepishly lay on the sofa and feel sorry for myself for being silly thanks guys...your help is much appreciated.

 

[Darkwood]

I thought the pins were sized accordingly to stop one accidentally putting the wrong one in the wrong slot, maybe that just covers sizing up so you do not accidentally or purposely try to up-rate the fuse rating, de-rating cannot cause any safety issues although nuisance tripping could be an issue.

 

[markythesparky]

By the way there are two 30a fuses that are the wrong way round. these need to be turned over as the electrickery will be going the wrong way.

 

[kris32]

I ain't falling for that one mark? they was all jumbled when I took them out in the first place anyway...I did actually set them all the same way but where I took them all back out and was getting fed up I couldn't be bothered with perfection for the sake of a sticker. The weird thing is I could have sworn I'd taken the switched fuse out the red slot and I'd laid them down in the order they came out...can't believe I didn't even think to moved it up

 

[johnduffell]

Worth labelling up the fuse box perhaps for next time.
Also without the cover on, it's possible to pull out fuses without a tool and expose live parts. Not to mention the parts that are exposed because of the missing fuse. This wouldn't meet the required IP rating. This is not ideal although depending if you have kids running around etc, and ideally you should either protect it suitably or if you have the budget replace it.

 

[multimick]

usually find that when someone fits a breaker into a 3038 holder it's because there's a tripping issue

 

[123]

Doesn't look like there is any RCD protection present there either

 

[kris32]

This is a rented property and the fuse box is under the stairs in a cupboard about 4 ft about floor level. The electrics ain't the best although I've had no issue so far with it. I did have loose sockets and faces when I moved in but I dealt with them...Some of which was twin socket and boxed non - recessed and the wiring is in trunking down from the ceiling in one room which I found crazy but as I say it's only rented. X