1) Circuit Breaker Problems
We were called out to a property where the majority of the electrical plug sockets in the house had lost power. The homeowner was understandably worried about the situation regarding the fridges and freezers.
Sometimes you will need a “24 HOUR ELECTRICIAN LEIGH” and we will be able to help. Covering from Leigh to Liverpool, we are available for electrical emergencies 24 hours a day.
The property we visited for this issue was an older style home where the electrical system required an overhaul or possibly even a rewire. In this case the circuit breaker had failed in the consumer unit. Continual resetting, overheating and over using the circuit had created a problem. This problem was excess wear and tear on the circuit breaker causing regular overloading and eventual failure. The circuit breaker in the consumer unit had been installed following the discovery of an electrical problem on the circuit and was only ever intended to be a temporary measure until the circuit issues could be fixed.
Back to top2) Broken Ring Main (Ring Final)
The socket circuit had been wired in a typical ring configuration. This means that a cable leaves the consumer unit and feeds each of the socket on the circuit in turn in a long continuous loop (ring) and returns to the consumer unit. This means that there are essentially two cables leaving the consumer unit forming a continuous uninterrupted ring of cabling and socket around the property.
During a consumer unit swap the previous electrician had found a break on TWO of the conductors and had decided to make the circuit temporarily safe and lowered the rating of the circuit. This had indeed made the circuit safer than leaving the existing circuit breaker in place. The consequence, of course, is that the homeowner had then carried on using the circuit without ever having the permanent repair carried out. This resulted in an emergency call to ourselves to replace the circuit breaker and advise once again, that the issues be fixed.
Back to top3) How can these problems be fixed?
Where there are breaks on a circuit, we always HOPE that the issue lies somewhere accessible on the circuit. Accessible points include places such as the back of electrical socket, fused connection units, accessible wiring junctions and so on. When the issue lies elsewhere then our fault finding and testing will allow us to narrow down where the issue lies.
In order to fix breaks on a circuit where the issues are accessible, a couple of hours is normally needed and minimal parts or materials. These issues are normally straightforward and relatively easy to repair. Where we run into problems are with breaks on a circuit where the break is INACCESSIBLE!
Floor coverings, furniture and other obstacles can mean that wiring breaks in floor cavities are a real pain to get to. Where hidden junctions under the floor fail, we are often left with telling the homeowner that a repair is an unknown cost and will have to be carried out on a time and materials basis. We will usually be able to narrow an issue down to a room in the house and request that the room is emptied of furniture and possessions in order that we can strip the floor covering, lift floorboards or cut sub-floor materials in order to make access and get to the issue. Once access is made, we can install permanent, maintenance free junctions in the wiring in order to complete the repair in accordance with BS7671 wiring regulations.
Back to top4) Can you make a temporary repair?
On occasion we can make a temporary repair to an electrical installation. These temporary repairs are made on a case-by-case basis as often, a temporary repair will leave an installation in a dangerous state albeit safer than before. Homeowners will live with a temporary repair for months or years without ever arranging for the electrician to come back and carry out proper repair which can put homes and occupants at risk. For these reasons, we are careful with what kinds of temporary repair we carry out and normally the only course of action is to carry out a complete repair ONLY.
Back to top5) Can you repair old wiring?
When you need a “24 HOUR ELECTRICIAN LEIGH” it is often because an old wiring system has failed.
Occasionally, where a wiring system is very old, repairs will not be possible or safe. Wiring systems are not intended to last forever and is not maintained or regularly inspected, they can fail without apparent warning to the users of the installation.
Rubber or lead sheathed cabling generally cannot be repaired and is now obsolete. This kind of cable, if still in use, should be replaced as any useful service has been carried out.
In most other cases, we can carry out some form of repair to consumer units and electrical wiring.
Back to top6) Can you repair old consumer units?
We carry a range of spare parts for older consumer units / fuse boxes. Where an issue has occurred with an older consumer unit / fuse box we will examine the condition of the unit and any damage that has occurred and make a judgement call as to the suitability of a repair. Where we feel that excessive damage has occurred and a repair would not likely be safe then we will advise replacement of the unit.
A very old consumer unit can mask wiring problems and dangerous issues on circuits and as such, when replacing a consumer unit, testing and inspection of the circuit should always be carried out beforehand to ascertain the condition of the electrical installation and its suitability for the new consumer unit technology being installed.
In some cases, an old electrical installation with a broken fuse box MAY require completely rewiring. Only testing and inspection will highlight this. The best way to avoid costly or unexpected electrical repairs is to have an occasional electrical inspection carried out on your property. The IET (Institute of Engineering and Technology) recommend a private domestic residence is inspected every 10 years.
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