Help, no electric!

peter212693 · 29 Mar 2013 at 16:49

Hi all,
I changed a plug socket in the front room and now I have no electric at all. I switched the main breaker off changed the socket switch the breaker back on and nothing!
I have removed the socket but still no power. I have tried one circuit at a time but no power.

Can anyone help?

Traffic_Warden · 29 Mar 2013 at 17:01

No power to the whole house?

There will be a Main-switch in your consumer unit, push it DOWN to the OFF position. Then push it back up to the ON position. Some RCD's have a trip test button, if this is pressed (or Live & Earth/ Neutral & Earth touch, even if the breaker is off) the RCD will trip to the middle position (Some older RCD's won't have a middle position), it probably looks like it's in the ON position but it is not.

Switching off the circuit breaker should isolate the circuit. If you touch Live to Earth or Neutral to Earth it will trip the RCD with the power On or Off.

Does the Main-Switch + Circuit Breakers all stay in the ON position?

*Also, If you are on a meter, check you have credit

arknor · 29 Mar 2013 at 17:01

Might help if you explain your breaker circuit.

does it have a reset button thingy ?

Abraxaz1 · 29 Mar 2013 at 17:27

picture off distribution board (all of it please)

TheVoice · 29 Mar 2013 at 17:34

It sounds like you've run out of electric I'm afraid.

Deleted member 77746 · 29 Mar 2013 at 17:35

Abraxaz1 said:
picture off distribution board (all of it please)

I was about to say this. Some people really don't explain there problems properly.

"I have a problem what could it be oh yeeeeh"

peter212693 · 29 Mar 2013 at 17:36

Sorted now guys, there was a rccb switch for the shower and a another for lights sockets and heating. This had tripped and I could have sworn this was already off at the start. Well you live and learn!

Deleted member 77746 · 29 Mar 2013 at 17:40

peter212693 said:
Sorted now guys, there was a rccb switch for the shower and a another for lights sockets and heating. This had tripped and I could have sworn this was already off at the start. Well you live and learn!

You won't have lived n learned if that electricity bit you.

Abraxaz1 · 29 Mar 2013 at 17:47

mrbell1984 said:
You won't have lived n learned if that electricity bit you.

Its 240v he'd have to be either in a bad state of health or really unlucky to die, he'd likely get a zap but save isolation should always be applied when woring on most electrical circuits

arknor · 29 Mar 2013 at 18:48

it's not the volts that kill you its the amps?

Orionaut · 29 Mar 2013 at 20:48

This thread reminds me of a panicked call I had some years ago from Spain!

My Bro has a pad out there and his electric had failed. After going through the "Check-list" I concluded that the "Big" fuse (The one next to the meter) must have failed and that he either had serious problems or had been attempting to construct a fusion reactor or smelt Aluminium and hadn't told me!

Either way he would have to call the local electricity people.

I was Correct. the "Big" fuse had in fact blown. The thing is, In Spain they are typically not that big. Only 30A or so. (Bizarrely, All the rest of the wiring is the same as the UK). The local electrician said something along the lines of "We get this a lot with the English" and just put in a somewhat bigger fuse!

It would appear that it simply doesn't occur to the average Spaniard to put the Washing MC and Dishwasher on a the same time and then try to boil a Kettle!

(Possibly something to do with the UK having had the worlds first "National Grid" maybe? :-/ )

Simon · 29 Mar 2013 at 23:17

You probably touched the live to earth when wiring it. Even with power off this will trip the RCD protecting those circuits

FerretBoy · 30 Mar 2013 at 08:36

arknor said:
it's not the volts that kill you its the amps?

It's the combination of the two, power (Watts).