Fusebox buzzing? Our work brings us across many different properties, electrical installations, consumer units and fuse boxes.
Many of these electrical installations are poorly maintained and have never been checked since they were installed, in many cases, several decades earlier. One of the main causes of a fuse box buzzing is loose connections, which, could have been avoided had an electrician been asked to carry out a service / inspection / maintenance on the electrics in your home. There are other reasons why a “fuse box buzzing” might be occurring of course and it’s important to try and rule out anything that may be normal before assuming there is danger or damage occurring.
Bell transformers are a common cause of concern for our customers. These transformers can sit inside the consumer unit or very near to the consumer unit. Their job is to take the 230 volts supply voltage from the consumer unit and transform it into 12 volts or 24 volts. When this transformation occurs, there is some heat and noise generated. The heat will mean that the transformer is nearly always warm to the touch and the noise will resemble a buzzing noise which may give cause for concern but in many cases is completely normal. Circuit Breakers are devices that are installed in the consumer unit. Their job is to trip when there is an overload of electrical current or when there is a sudden and massive surge. A gradual overload of electrical current can be something like too many appliances being used at one time whereas a sudden surge in current is likely to be a short circuit such as a faulty appliance, faulty cable or wires touching somewhere in the electrical circuit. When circuit breakers go bad, they may not trip and instead may emit a buzzing noise in operation especially when there is too much electrical current flowing through them. Loose Connections in the Fuse Box / Consumer Unit can be a source of buzzing. When there are loose electrical connections, electrical arcing can occur and can manifest as a buzzing noise. This is a dangerous situation and can lead to fire. If you think you can hear electrical arcing, buzzing, or crackling then isolate the power immediately and call your local emergency electrician. A worn contractor is also a cause for buzzing. A contractor is often used to switch on and off electrical circuits in accordance with a timer such as night rate electrical heating systems for example. When Contactors become worn, they can begin to make a buzzing noise. It is time to have an electrician replace these devices when they become worn in this manner.
Is everything safe if there is no buzzing sound?⚠️
No unfortunately not. Wiring systems can begin to fail in absolute silence, with no signs to the homeowner or anyone using the electrical system. Wiring systems can appear to function in a completely normal manner until their absolute failure. A “fuse box buzzing” can often be an early warning sign that something is not right and give you a chance to have the problem investigated.
What can be done to ensure that my wiring is safe?🤔
One of the best preventative measures that you can take to ensure your wiring is healthy and safe is to ask your electrician to carry out a periodic inspection for you. This is a process that takes, in most cases, several hours and looks into the safety of the wiring in your home. The report that follows an electrical inspection is often a valuable document and should be kept safe. Your electrician will carry out a series of safety tests on your homes wiring and fuse box / consumer unit to ensure that, in the event of an electrical fault, your electrical system will safely disconnect the electrical supply, prevent fire, and prevent electric shock.
Is an old Fusebox unsafe?⚡
Not necessarily. It should be noted though that the last of the rewire-able fuse box units were installed around 40 years ago (at the time of writing), meaning that your electrical system is AT LEAST this old. If you have no “in date” electrical inspection report then one of the best things you can do is get a periodic inspection carried out by your electrician. Just because a Fusebox is old, does not make it unsafe but there are many benefits to having your wiring updated, consumer unit replaced and other recommended works done. There have been many safety changes introduced since rewire-able fuse boxes were installed so the chances are an electrical installation that had one of these fuse boxes installed would likely produce an ‘unsatisfactory’ report as there are many missing safety features.
Whether you have a “fuse box buzzing”, overheating, tripping switches or other electrical problems, there are many answers on our website for you to look for. If you are worried about your wiring then just get in touch with us.
We cover the North West from Liverpool to Wigan and everywhere in between and specialise in emergencies, fault finding and repairs at short notice.
📧 Contact us.
