Tell us about your faults!

[Andy78]

Nope, kitchen sockets. Had been frying for a while and emitting occasional bangs that blew the 15a fuse wire protecting the rfc. :S.
I suspect it was either damaged during building work, or a rodent started the rot. Was so charred and degraded it was impossible to tell.

Scary thing was that power to a spur that fed an outside light was gone because of this fault. The elderly customer said the light hadn't worked for a couple of years !
Never seen a burnt downlight circuit ......yet.

 

[Stroppy]

No? I've not been in this game long and I've seen loads.

Usually this sort of thing:

and

 

[monkeyelectric]

Kitchen fitters!

 

[andyd55]

Re: Tell us about your faults !









Check out this install!

Nothing was labelled either so nightmare trying to find everything!

How many faults you can spot!?

Plus this was how I found it too, no covers on!

 

[Kamikaze]

This beauty took six hours to track down, baring in mind all the pipes were lagged. The works electrician was busy one day, so in his infinite wisdom the works engineering manager decided that the works painter and decorator should carry on with the installation of some trunking and SWA’s on the roof. That decision will cost the clown dearly.

 

[wallygerk]

hi long time viewer first time poster had a good one the other day had a call out from an old boy said the builder he employed was filling up his bucket at the outside tap got a nasty belt.


turns out roland had got in and the old boy decided to stuff wire wool into the air brick not noticing the chewed up 2.5 legs of the kitchen ring dont know how he didnt get a beltbut at the other end of the wire wool is wrapped around the copper tube going to the outside tap. which was joined onto the kitchen cold feed with a plastic elbow.

 

[Konrad]

I leave it without the comment.

 

[gdtrelo]

I had a call to check out a lighting fault on a transportable building (construction site locker/change room). Tried the switch first, the lights (there were about 5 or 6 fluro light fittings) did not come on. Had a look at the main switch board in the hut, none of the circuit breakers were tripped, operated the test button on the lighting circuit RCD it worked ok and reset ok. Next I isolated the power at the main switch board and removed the cover of light switch (a double pole 2 way switch, a rocker type not a toggle type, some of you may have twigged already... ) it was wired with the neutral looped at the switch. checked the continutiy of the switch action, that was ok, Powered up the circuit to test if there was a voltage at the switch, that was ok. Where to next? Power off, needed some steps to reach the closest light, as I looked down the other end of the hut and just behind the last 4 lockers I could see the the top of another exit door. Went down the end and sure enough to fit more lockers in they had blocked the end exit door. I moved the lockers to reveal the other 2 way switch. The locker had been pushed up against the switch and the switch was neither on or off it was stuck half way. Normal 2 way switches will always be one or the other position but because it was a 2 way double pole switch one of the poles must have switched and the other not. Anyway flicked the switch (checked that it had not been damaged) switched on the power and all was ok.

 

[JVB]

Had a good one just before Xmas.
Customer phoned stating she couldn't get hold of her usual handyman and that her wall lights weren't working.
when I arrived she informed me that a handy man had wired and install 2 new wall lights 6 months ago, he couldn't get them to work correctly they kept flickering so he advised the customer he would send an electrician, 6m later still no electrician.

On closer inspection I could find no joints for the feed or sw so I started quizzing the customer, turns out there had been a 3rd light which hadn't been required on an adjacent wall behind a large picture.
after having some fun with a hammer and chisel I found all the cables in terminals blocks and just plastered over, no box, no tape no protection at all, and to top it the nail for the large painting had missed be about 20mm

 

[DNS]

I'm just about to tackle almost exactly the same problem at a house I have just renewed the kitchen, typical Asian ( I'm not being racist) "CAn you just have a look at this while your here" Can you just put these new lights up in the hallway" .....All of the wall lights in their conservatory are not working, plus the outside lights which on inspection, get a feed from the switch for the wall lights. Trouble is, there is no live feed to the switch, the wires are there but no feed. It probably is meant to come from a cieling rose in the dining room. but I'm not going any further until the kitchen's finished. Turns out the HANDY MAN who installed the lights some time ago is just a friend of the cleaner lady.....apparently they did work briefly.......worms and can ...comes to mind

Had a good one just before Xmas.
Customer phoned stating she couldn't get hold of her usual handyman and that her wall lights weren't working.
when I arrived she informed me that a handy man had wired and install 2 new wall lights 6 months ago, he couldn't get them to work correctly they kept flickering so he advised the customer he would send an electrician, 6m later still no electrician.

On closer inspection I could find no joints for the feed or sw so I started quizzing the customer, turns out there had been a 3rd light which hadn't been required on an adjacent wall behind a large picture.
after having some fun with a hammer and chisel I found all the cables in terminals blocks and just plastered over, no box, no tape no protection at all, and to top it the nail for the large painting had missed be about 20mm

 

[Stroppy]

Who will be the first to spot the problem in this emergency light? (and its not the lack of appropriately coloured sleeving)

 

[markc123]

the beautiful earth connection....thats how ure supposed to connect them isn't it?

 

[paul wannell]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

i found one today, room stat and immersion heater db timer both went at same time, ( different circuits timer is 1 chan so only controls immersion) nothing blew rcd fine but timer and stat both dead! checked power to stat and immersion when on boost all fine. before i order expensive timer can anyone think of maybe a common cause, im out of ideas.

 

[Stroppy]

Yes its the earth thats missed its target. Not quite as dangerous as it first appeared, though, as the earths from both cables are running down one bit of sleeving, and have been beautifully twisted together all the way down, so at least there was earth continuity past this fitting. I never thought I'd be slightly pleased to see twisted together earths!

 

[Stroppy]

Sleeving, schmeeving...

 

[Engineer54]

Wasn't that long ago, there wasn't any such thing as earth sleeving... Careful dressing of the bare earth conductors was the order of the day!! lol!!

 

[Stroppy]

Seriously?

 

[11kstanton]

I leave it without the comment.
View attachment 16336View attachment 16339

View attachment 16337View attachment 16338singles without mechanical protection, almost definatley not an RCD CU, cant wait to get some pics uploading on this forum for you guys you will defo have something to say

 

[edrobbo8]

Found this which used to house a connection for a grill unit in a commercial kitchen, the kitchen is tight for space so the grill is on a shelf above the hot plate which is on for around 12 hours a day, used to fry and cook most things!

Not only did the box melt, the cable melted and it has started to melt the insides of the grill.

They want it repaired, but I said that unless the grill is moved, it will do the same thing again in a matter of time!

 

[Stroppy]

Replace it with a metal box and pyro cable, at least it will take longer to melt!

 

[edrobbo8]

I was originally going to replace with flexi steel conduit and a steel adaptaptable box, but when I took the cover off the grill to rewire it I realised that the internals were melting and it would be a pointless task!

 

[amlu]

View attachment 16485View attachment 16486

They want it repaired, but I said that unless the grill is moved, it will do the same thing again in a matter of time!

Commercial kitchen will all that grime in...yuck!

 

[Rampantchilli]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

found this on an EICR couldnt understand why we had an earth fault

it was a metal fitting, in a bathroom, and thats how it came out of the ceiling

 

[Rampantchilli]

this was in a bathroom, to be fair, the cables were run behind a mirror

 

[andyd55]

Does the mirror count as mechanical protection?

 

[Rampantchilli]

i did a CU changel some time back, and found this

but there was another shower, and found this

put it right F.O.C and the customer couldnt give a monkeys.

glad i test fully

 

[Rampantchilli]

also had a call out to do emergency CU change in Rugby,as old one nearly caught fire

i was greeted by this, admittedly not the best pic

and this was inside

 

[Rampantchilli]

and last one for now, this was the the inside of a 10 way starbreaker board, id been asked to add another circuit too, when i took the cover off i put it straight back on, got the job to replace it, once id shown them how bad it was

this was the switch below the CU, do you think it has enough cable in it

 

[Rampantchilli]

just thought of another one.

went to a property to assist in a kitchen rip out and remove some socket prior to builders taking a wall out.
when i arrived wall is still up, and most of kitchen still fitted, so i make a start
first off, turn the socket circuit mcb off in the 16th ed board, went back in and checked with socket and see, woah its still live, lucky i checked
so i went back outside and turned off the other socket mcb, back in to check, and still live? im confused now.
daughter was in the shower so i couldnt go any further at that point, so assisted in ripping out the kitchen, and found this

ok looks knackered but its being replaced anyway.

daughters out of the shower so i went back out and turned off the rcd for the protected side,(actually it was already off) back in and its still showing live

so back out again, turned everything off, took cover off the board and there it was..............
at some point, someone had rcd nuisance tripping so they had the bright idea of linking out the rcd (not sorting the fault) only the muppet only did the live, and left the neutral, yet it had still worked????
put the links back as it should of been, left power off and went back to doing what i was there for.
started at that knackered socket from earlier, OMFG

there was a neutral earth fault.........................................

suddenly it was all clear, the reason everything worked was because it was running live to earth, back feeding down the cpc of the kitchen ring

but hold on, the shower and cooker were also on the rcd??????

yep 2 ring mains, cooker, and shower were all running down the neutral earth fault in that socket, and had been for about 2 years. amazingly the cpc survived intact, and ring tested ok

 

[kanda]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

"Fault"
Dishwasher and washing machine supplys not working

Had a look at the DB it was from the 70's

put a socket tester into the socket above the work tops, all fine

pulled the washing machine out, socket test failed

followed the supply cable to dishwasher, the followed it up through the drilled hole in the work top to a old 13a plug pushed into a socket on the main kitchen ring main.

there is you problem i said! a diy extension lead running your appliances

not a pretty sight!

 

[plugsandsparks]

Was doing a Cu change prior to new kitchen install (for RCD protection and new oven).]
Change went well considering lots of singles for multiple lighting ccts , managed to tee up all the lives with corresponding neutrals - all good. Went round to do one last func test and "pop" rcd tripped when kitchen under cupboard light was switched on. Thought *ugger had not spotted that light before, immediately thought borrowed neutral but then thought , yes but borrowed from where ?? - Scratched head a few times and thought well hey kitchen is coming out anyway. Dug the wire to the light out of the plaster and found..............Yep earth was being used for neutral. Was actually quite relieved .... as i needed to cable for new under cup board lights anyway.
That was the second time in a month come across earth as a line, previous was on a industrial press panel as it needed a 4W TP supply - got a little direct with the owner on that one.....
Not heard it mentioned much on here though, i.e. earth used for N

 

[Jerry H]

TPN&E plug on a TP&E machine not a problem surly? But TPN&E socket without neutral, asking for trouble

 

[plugsandsparks]

No sockets, wired direct from 3P isolater. Panel needed N for 240V stuff. Some guy simply linked incoming N position on Panel to earth on panel, job done - it works, time to go... :-(

 

[gnuuser]

called to a flat because she was losing all power.
checked all the circuits all good, checked all breakers and panel again all good.
went out to check meter-head all good but noticed some small shoe prints around the disconnect (Hmmm!)

security camera revealed the landlords young son turning the disconnect off because the lady who lived there didn't have kids!
lol ill bet he got a real butt-warming for that especially after he got my bill for the call

 

[heinzbean]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

years ago when i was 17 year old apprentice i got a call from my Nan saying that she was getting a shock from the pipe work in her bathroom
I went around there thinking "static". i will show her how her carpets are producing static and be on my way.
wrong on close inspection all her pipe work was carrying 240v. every switch fixing screw 240v,all of her earthed metal work.
i noticed that there was no main earthing present. I turned the main switch off, put a clamp on the lead sheathing of the incoming, and ran a 16mm
earth to the main earth bar. switched the Main switch back on, Bang downstairs lighting circuit blew a 5a fuse. Now i had 1 circuit to test.I tracked the
fault to the bathroom light fitting (the foil reflector had melted against the plastic choc block connector) and shorted L to E.
that was 34 years ago . Didn't need 2391 to find that fault just a good apprenticeship . (in days of old when testing werent invented).

 

[Big n Daft]

2391 is the bandage for all the shat training these days. Another course for the training co's, schemes and other parasites to make money out their incompetance. Sorry if its off thread, makes me boil.

 

[Gentle Ben]

Had one a few years back, friend of mine over in Crewe, kept getting a belt off everything in the house, inside dishwasher, kitchen sink, even the handrail on the aga.

Anyway got there, definitely shocks from all the extraneous and exposed metalwork. Popped off the main switch on the D/B, isolating the house, but still getting full-blooded shocks off everything. In the end the only way to stop it was to disconnect the main earth coming into the house and get the utility company out to put it right.

Another one was a tripping RCD in a neighbours house, thankfully they had the common sense to realise it was only happening when they put the cooker switch on, so I had least could narrow it down when I got there. Quickly found the cause....

This little critter had somehow managed to get inside the cooker box and straddle himself over live and earth, meeting a grizzly end. Thankfully he came out in one piece, so I didn't have to scrape any guts off the contacts.

 

[Loopytunes]

Just read the whole thread, some great stories thanks keep em coming! especially with the pics. My best one was...

"Theres a problem with my lights"
"OK, where is your fusebox?
"Just in here, under the kitchen sink"

:mickey:

 

[amlu]

not my fault, spotted walking down the road
ip rated bs88 anyone?

 

[guinnessgixer]

wired an inline extractor fan in a loft today, went back downstairs, turned lecy on turned bathroom light on, bloody thing was blowing into the bathroom, i'd put flexi hoses on wrong sides! had a little chuckle to myself

 

[ayjay]

theres an arrow symbol on it dinlow

 

[markc123]

Amlu, thats a classic IP00 lol.

 

[Jono]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

Hi this is my first post towards my six to qualify.

 

[willy fixit]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

Thought I'd renew the CU and rewire the garage at my
parents bungalow... nice for my assessment....
Then I had a look in the loft...
So off to TLC tomorrow... going to need a lot more cable!

 

[dan86]

just thought of another one.

went to a property to assist in a kitchen rip out and remove some socket prior to builders taking a wall out.
when i arrived wall is still up, and most of kitchen still fitted, so i make a start
first off, turn the socket circuit mcb off in the 16th ed board, went back in and checked with socket and see, woah its still live, lucky i checked
so i went back outside and turned off the other socket mcb, back in to check, and still live? im confused now.
daughter was in the shower so i couldnt go any further at that point, so assisted in ripping out the kitchen, and found this

ok looks knackered but its being replaced anyway.

daughters out of the shower so i went back out and turned off the rcd for the protected side,(actually it was already off) back in and its still showing live

so back out again, turned everything off, took cover off the board and there it was..............
at some point, someone had rcd nuisance tripping so they had the bright idea of linking out the rcd (not sorting the fault) only the muppet only did the live, and left the neutral, yet it had still worked????
put the links back as it should of been, left power off and went back to doing what i was there for.
started at that knackered socket from earlier, OMFG

there was a neutral earth fault.........................................

suddenly it was all clear, the reason everything worked was because it was running live to earth, back feeding down the cpc of the kitchen ring

but hold on, the shower and cooker were also on the rcd??????

yep 2 ring mains, cooker, and shower were all running down the neutral earth fault in that socket, and had been for about 2 years. amazingly the cpc survived intact, and ring tested ok

2 very important questions to be raised here.

was the daughter hot, and did you sneek a peek?!

 

[WDMDL]

"Do you fix washing machines?"
"Yes, but it's not my preferred type of job", I said. "What's up?"
"It trips the electric every time you put it on."

They'd had a spark round, who said it was the washer, not a fault with the installation.
So I went, checked out the machine. No obvious fault.
Plugged in, switched the SFCU on above the worktop... trip.

Switched off SFCU, meggered back... flat.
Turned out the socket had moisture and dirt ingress.
Replaced the socket, cured the little leak, meggered >299

Power on, Zs 0.71, RCD tests OK.
Take a closer look at the consumer unit and WHAT THE ???????

Simon.

 

[snowhead]

Bulk purchase on 50's??

 

[sparkless]

"Do you fix washing machines?"
"Yes, but it's not my preferred type of job", I said. "What's up?"
"It trips the electric every time you put it on."

They'd had a spark round, who said it was the washer, not a fault with the installation.
So I went, checked out the machine. No obvious fault.
Plugged in, switched the SFCU on above the worktop... trip.

Switched off SFCU, meggered back... flat.
Turned out the socket had moisture and dirt ingress.
Replaced the socket, cured the little leak, meggered >299

Power on, Zs 0.71, RCD tests OK.
Take a closer look at the consumer unit and WHAT THE ???????

Simon.

what? what? what? is it the 50's?

 

[WDMDL]

Well cooker and shower you could go as far as saying that's ok as they're fixed appliances, therefore fixed loads so can't be overloaded as such.

But an RFC... asking for trouble!

Makes me think the board came second hand from one of those "converted premises" the police love raiding?

Wonder if the stairlift guy noticed that in 2008?

Simon.

 

[Poptasticdave]

if one of the Cpc's is long enough I tend to use one to the box terminal, doubled over not cut and continue it to the socket and join it with the other Cpc so I have two at the socket. If not both to the socket with a link to the box. If that makes any sense.......

Yes, this is exact;y what I was taught to do back in the days of 15th ed and it's what I always did whilst I was full time spark and it's what I still teach my trainee IT technicians that they should do if ever replacing a faceplate of any kind and find it not so already.
Few years ago I replaced all sockets in my parents' garage with new metalclad MK's (they had been 1950's surface mount bakelite MK's). Did this on all of them. 18 months back persuaded mum to get whole house rewired by good spark I know (I'm not reg'd any more) and he asked who had done garage sockets saying he did it that way but had never met anyone else who did until then.
My thinking is if the CPC isn't cut then it's got to be a higher integrity continuity as well as less likely to 'slip out'.