HELP!! Downstairs ring circuit MCB stays tripped

[Looe21]

Completely electrically illiterate :gorgeous:: all power was switched off apart from the fridge/freezer and wine cooler when we went on holiday for a week came back Saturday turned on the power all went on except the 1 x MCB for the downstairs ring, which runs the front room and dining room sockets the boiler(with separate fuse) outside light and socket.(And will still not go on, after all we have tired, which will be explained below)

Firstly a bit of back ground information: The week before we went on holiday we had a new boiler installed, (Biasi boiler changed over to a Worcester i28, same electrical connection points were used(fused separately)all was working well.
Prior to leaving to go on holiday we switch off all the Consumer board switches (plugs removed) apart from the kitchen (fridge/freezer, and wine cooler)which runs off a different MCB. Coming back on Saturday, the switches were turned on, but unbeknown to us, one of the kids who didn’t realise that the power was off on the downstairs socket, plugged in the phone charger whilst the power was been switched on, all the other power went on apart from 1 x MCB (downstairs ring circuit)would not switch on and stayed tripped)

What we have done so far:

• removed the outside light and socket from circuit (thinking due to the rain the socket might have got damp) isolated the boiler, still tripping
• removed the boiler as well from the circuit still tripping
• gone through all sockets removed plates and check wiring and tested current through them, isolated sockets at certain points, still tripping

So not sure what the problem could be dogey MCB or a short circuit somewhere?

 

[Brightspark2]

Time to call an electrician out...

Maybe someone on here is local to you?...

 

[Clive P]

Hi,

For an Electrically illiterate person you write a good account. My best advice would be to contact an Electrician, there are many on this forum from your neck of the woods.Trying to give information to a non-electrical person could turn into a disaster, and to be honest somebody with the proper test gear would no doubt sort this problem pretty sharpish.

Regards.

 

[GLENNSPARK]

i`m afraid now at this point you need an electrician to come in and take over the testing of this circuit as he will have all the necessary equipment to carry out a diagnostic on it...
only then will the issue/s be resolved.
There will be folk in here near you i`m sure.

 

[cobrauk]

If it is indeed a mcb and not a rcbo them its a short on ether the cable or a appliance that is still plugged in, I assume you have unplugged everything and then tried to reset the mcb ?

but apart from this help you will need to get someone in to test the circuit for you.

 

[Looe21]

Thanks for all your prompt replies; If only I hadn't needed spend sooo much on the new boiler...:nopity:I think I will just have to go back to the dark ages candle light :christmascandle: and cold showers.

 

[Looe21]

It is the MCB and everything has been unplugged so yes will need a electrician. thanks,

 

[Engineer54]

Thanks for all your prompt replies; If only I hadn't needed spend sooo much on the new boiler...:nopity:I think I will just have to go back to the dark ages candle light :christmascandle: and cold showers.

You'll not be looking at a fortune to put your problem right, maybe an hours labour and maybe the cost of a replacement MCB (£3 or £4 each) depending if it's not an old out of production range!!

 

[Sintra]

Where about in London are you as I might have someone close.

 

[Guitarist]

Thanks for all your prompt replies; If only I hadn't needed spend sooo much on the new boiler...:nopity:I think I will just have to go back to the dark ages candle light :christmascandle: and cold showers.

Yet again, the plumbers get everyone's cash, leaving no money left in the pot for the important and dangerous stuff...

 

[GLENNSPARK]

Thanks for all your prompt replies; If only I hadn't needed spend sooo much on the new boiler...:nopity:I think I will just have to go back to the dark ages candle light :christmascandle: and cold showers.

look on the bright side love:
if you have a gas cooker then you can boil pans of water for washing in and making tea...

 

[DNS1]

As Sintra asks... where are you?

 

[Looe21]

Thanks to all!! problem sorted: Sparky came over on saturday, after a long search found the problem (last ring conection back to the consumer unit that was causing the short)(muight have beena mouse that has chewed through, but won't know until we rip upthe floor which will not be happening for a while), fortuantely he was able to break the ring circuit and created a radial circuit and he changed the fuse.:clap:, thanks again to all and goodbye.

 

[Guitarist]

Thanks to all!! problem sorted: Sparky came over on saturday, after a long search found the problem (last ring conection back to the consumer unit that was causing the short)(muight have beena mouse that has chewed through, but won't know until we rip upthe floor which will not be happening for a while), fortuantely he was able to break the ring circuit and created a radial circuit and he changed the fuse.:clap:, thanks again to all and goodbye.

Personally, I don't see this as the problem sorted, but heyhum....

 

[telectrix]

OK FOR A SUNDAYT FDIX, BUT I'D WANT TO FIND THE FAULT AND REINSTATE THE rfc.

 

[Jay Sparks]

I had a simular fault a few weeks ago in a rented house. There was a leg between two sockets that had a fault. The leg in question runs under a concrete floor, so no way of getting to it without smashing the floor. I would of just replaced the leg but I found that one of the legs, from cu was in 1.5mm. Luckily, this went to one of the sockets that the dodgy leg was on, so I just didnt connect that leg back up. Tenant was happy because he never used that socket anyway. So he ended up a radial and one less socket. I told the landlord that I needed to add a new leg from cu to first socket (to replace the 1.5mm), then a new leg from there, to the next socket (to replace faulty leg), this would give him his ring back...but he didnt want the expense, or the mess!! Cheap skate!!

Bet I get called back to do it over winter though..lol

 

[mechelec]

New boiler then a week on holiday. Times must be hard !! At least it is sorted.