Were these breakers tampered with?

[DPG]

What’s French for “cowboy”?

Le cowboy?

 

[marconi]

Buy a cheap make mcb and a lighter and hold the flame underneath - you will discover what has been done.

With regards to the loss of power ask your wife to remember in detail what what powered up at the time - this is important to know lest the defence conjures up a freak but plausible explanation for what you can see. Most likely overloading and the protective devices have operated without drama or thermal 'scarring'.

I can provide you with a chap's name and his business who does forensic investigations and is an experienced expert witness in court.

 

[Rockingit]

I believe the process appropriate here, then, is interrogation by Madame Guillotine.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

this is an apartment in France

I had guessed as much from the type of board, wire colours etc. We have a couple of members with local knowledge who might be able to add something. @Mike Johnson, for example...

 

[LukeD]

Thats a external burn . Not from within the plastic etc etc . No question about it .BUT ...Not a chance in hell of winning or worth fighting . Unless there is photographic evidence that these marks where not present before he started work etc etc . Make threats, ask for 100% of money back might work . Bluff him. Tell him you have contacted local BC and his scheme etc and they want to investigate etc . But A good lawyer might say "dont go full legal" . If he has messed about .Chances are he will want to get away from it ASAP and hand the money back . Ive seen many "tricks " like this used by a very FAMOUS london Plumbing/electrical and all other trades Company . I wont mention their name .But I have seen them come unstuck on the steps of Courts a few times

 

[buzzlightyear]

Go on put on face book and shame this spark, what fooking cheek. He could have make more damage, what a idiot.
Bloody horse theif riding in the distance
With the moine, did you get idiot spark from the local saloon. On line.

 

[LukeD]

Go on put on face book and shame this spark, what fooking cheek. He could have make more damage, what a idiot.
Bloody horse theif riding in the distance
With the moine, did you get idiot spark from the local saloon. On line.

Not without evidence...

 

[Mike Johnson]

Has the apartment recently been changed from three phase to singleI, looks like it from the colours of the phase conductors?

Is the apartment fitted with one of the new French smart meters by EDF? if so it could trip out with an overload or DC fault and then re-set itself, the incoming protection device is in fact a load limiting RCD not to protect the owner occupier but to stop the user from using more power than their tariff payment.

 

[soapdoggy]

Has the apartment recently been changed from three phase to singleI, looks like it from the colours of the phase conductors?

Is the apartment fitted with one of the new French smart meters by EDF? if so it could trip out with an overload or DC fault and then re-set itself, the incoming protection device is in fact a load limiting RCD not to protect the owner occupier but to stop the user from using more power than their tariff payment.

Thanks Mike. Yes I believe you are correct, and second electrician has noted that it is on a 6kvh plan which he was surprised about and thought was low.

Could it be the case then that the smart meter RCD tripped and simply needed resetting and that was that. Perhaps the EDF person didn’t even need to change the main fuse (however that definitely occurred as my partner let the person in and they swapped out the fuse). She said they were there for 1-2 minutes tops and just switched it out.

 

[davesparks]

I assume this cowboy was found via an emergency call-out service and as such is registered with a Part P scheme (Napit/NICEIC/few others).

Doubt it, that's not a UK consumer unit, I'd say it looks somewhat more continental.