General Chat

Can anybody tell me if this is right? Mother-in-law paid nearly £700 to have a new fuse box fitted. Everything was fine for a while, then when she was in the shower the bathroom light bulb went and the whole house was plunged into darkness. Mother got out of the shower ok, that and the wall plugs were ok, then tried to make her way downstairs, in pitch darkness, she stumbled on the last two steps and is now laid up with a bruised foot. What had happened is this, the bulb “went” and the trip switch went on and “killed” the rest of the lights. My oh phone the electrician to see if that was normal and was told yes, that’s what modern fuse boxes/trip switches do. Mother, in her late 70s, is now worried about using the bathroom of a night. UPDATE- Seems original sparks has left the county!! Another electrican has been out and said the trip should have been wired with 10 amp, instead had been wired with 6 amp much too weak. All been fixed now, and original electrician reported to trading standards. Again thanks for the helpful replies

£700 is a rip off

That's right in my case. If one of my bulbs go then the switch in the fuse box trips and either the lights upstairs or those downstairs, depending on which bulb has gone, all go off too until I flick the switch back on.

Unusual to have ALL the house lights on one circuit breaker. in my opinion up and down should be separate I would get someone to confirm that they ARE on one breaker, and get trading standards in......he MAY have skimped on the number of breakers fitted Bob

Get her to buy some of those touch lights, powered by battery, and placed in strategic places. This shouldn't happen again, must have been a worn bulb. The consumer unit is working fine but should have left the downstairs lights still on

To be honest I think it depends on how the house is wired; you can have a separate trip switch for down stairs and upstairs but depends on weather you have a old fuse box or a new consumer unit Lilx

The box is less than £100 & a couple of hours to fit max

Well, have just had a phone call her kitchen light has gone, and yet again the whole house is in darkness.

I think Bob is correct. Upstairs and downstairs should be on seperate circuits. That is how mine works anyway. Alyson

Many thanks for all the replies. I will be getting an electrician out tomorrow

If MIL paid £700 for a fuse box only (no other major electrical work) she was severely ripped off. Also no house, especially on two levels should have only one circuit for ceiling lights. Get OH to phone that electrician and have a stern word with him.

Lynda try the officer of fair trading at the local authority £700 is very steep and if you have paid for it to be seperate and not got it that way you have a right to complain, what area do you live, Lilx

It's just coincidence about the bulbs we often have two or three go in perhaps a week then nothing for months, should be seperate circuits for up & down

Am with Bob on this as we have three floors and all three are on seperate circiuts. And the sockets for each floor,are different circiuts for each floor. We have about 9 switches in our box. No idea about price as our is done by housing assoc if needed.

To be honest i thought £700 was a bit steep, even for here in devon. Don't know if she asked for two circuits, brother in law sorted that out! OH has just phoned him and told him to get the electrcian out first thing tomorrow

Linda i was not being personal just my son is an electrician and i would have asked him to check it out for you, but hes at Heathrow sorry Lilx

Mummy claus, no worries I am just grateful for all the helpful replies

trouble is that Mcb's are sensitive, if the one fitted is just about managing to run with the load required, then a bulb blowing will trip it I think A, he's wired both floors to one breaker (which is not correct) B, the breaker is not quite man enough for the job anyway. I will be interested in hearing of any outcome, Lynda ..... Bob

Hi Lynda and everyone. This thread is a real coincidence. We are having a loft conversion at the moment and the electrician has told us about our electric fuse box. I will ask him tomorrow about the cost of a new one and let you all know. Best wishes, Joan PS Thought the suggestion about those touch lights is a good one.............ummmmmmmmmm christmas stocking filler for grandma.

We have just had a garage converted into a room the old fuse box was on the wall and was tatty We had it replaced ,(8 circuit breakers)+ 4 double sockets 2 ceiling roses,a TV ariel from the loft to the new room, socket in the new room, the elecrician supplied the new box and all the cabling,( granted it was at first fix stage) total charge £235 I Should be asking Q's myself