Fuse box question for a sparky

[marval]

Hi,

We have got a problem with lights in our living room. Whenever a bulb blows the fuse trips. The fuse box is in our small kitchen, high up behind the fridge freezer. Is it possible to move the fuse box somewhere else? Would it be vastly expensive?

Any help would be apreciated.

Thanks

Marval

[gpatto]

You will find moving it very expensive, the problem sounds as if you have a ELCB consumer unit which will trip out at the least amount of leakage, ie a lamp blowing. A cheaper option would be to change the consumer unit to a split-board unit which is half ELCB protected ie sockets, boiler, cooker etc and half unprotected 6amp trips for lighting

[terence7556]

how often does this problem occur and what type of board do you have ?

[buildersmate]

Unlikely (in my opinion) to be as gpatto suggests.
Few lighting circuits are controlled off RCD (ELCB) devices. No reason why a light bulb (which zero contact with the earth protection system) would possibly trip an earth leakage circuit breaker. The clue is in the name - EARTH LEAKAGE - no contact with earth equals no leakage.

Far more likely that the instantaneous overcurrent caused by the blowing bulb is tripping the 6A MCB for the lighting circuit.

Howver the answer about cost is correct. There is a complete rats' nest of wiring behind the fuse box (aka consumer unit) and it would take a lot of electrician time to extend the wires to a new place.

[woodchopper]

Another Idea would be to stop buying cheap bulbs - I had a problem with them until I stopped buying them - every time one blew it would blow the fuse in the meter box - at the precise time when a bulb blows there is a gap created between the two ends of the filament which causes an arc and pulls an overcurrent as buildersmate says. Try changing the MCB - some can be over sensitive.

[marval]

Hi guys

Thanks for your replies, don't know what type of box it is. I don't think it matters what type of bulb we use. It does sound expensive, best leave well alone. Will find out what box it is though.

Thanks for replying

Marval

[Hymie]

You could consider replacing the light switch with a fused connection switch like this:-

http://www.screwfix.com/search.do;jsessionid=Q CZZTO13CMNMOCSTHZOSFFQ?_dyncharset=UTF-8&fh_se arch=27148&searchbutton.x=12&searchbutton.y=13

Before considering this route, ensure that the switch mounting box is deep enough to accommodate the fuse switch, and that fuses rated at 1A or less are available to fit in the unit. When the bulb blows, the light switch fuse should operate before the consumer unit protection.

[Disco Fever]

Good idea Hymie but the switched spur will look daft instead of a normal light switch. The only idea I can think of Marval is to change your normal lamps with low energy ones so then they wont blow too often and you will be saving money as well....

[marval]

Hi Hymie and Disco Fever

Thanks for your replies, I think low energy bulbs could help. And as you say Disco fever it will save money as well.

Thanks


Marval