Fuse box at home

[sc0ttie]

So this is my fuse box at home, its a very large house been divided into flats and each flat has a fuse box like this. I want to know which fuse is for what? I am assuming the 5A fuse is for lights? What is the red 30A fuse for? is the blue 15A for wall sockets?

Details fuses

fuses

[acid drop]

Normally a 30 amp fuse is for things like cooker or power shower. 5 amp is lights and 15 amp is for sockets

[Fazerider]

That looks like it dates from the 1970's. Those also look like circuit breakers rather than fuses and I'd be a bit concerned that they may no longer trip at the rated current after that length of time.

[Frosties]

That looks like it dates from the 1970's. Those also look like circuit breakers rather than fuses and I'd be a bit concerned that they may no longer trip at the rated current after that length of time.

Damm good point - I'll take me fork round and test them 

[sc0ttie]

Thanks yes they are working because one of them tripped when i was using an electric heater, the kettle, the washing machine and a stereo in the kitchen. It was a couple of weeks ago and couldn't remember which one it was so it must have been the blue 15A one. As i said, its an old house lol.

[heath]

Is this a rented flat if so I belive your electrics need upgrading

[BBROWN1664]

That old consumer unit is way past its best and should ideally be updated. At the very least, do yourself a favour and buy some new circuit breakers to replace the very old ones.

[bludclot]

Just based on your posted picture there's no way to tell you what circuits are (potentially, assuming they still work) protected by your breakers. The installation is not to current standard and will not pass a Part P test (unless there's a RCD out of shot somewhere, possible but unlikely). Unlike gas installations which require a safety test and certification annually for rental properties, there's currently no requirement for an equivalent electrical certification. If a tenant were to be injured (or worse) through an electrical incident due to an aged, neglected or faulty installation it would lead to a fair bit of grief for the owner / responsible person.


In order to answer your posted question I suggest buying one of these:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ms8907-voltage-detector-pen/3222g
and, while only one circuit at a time is livened, walking round and seeing what goes live and making notes. I would also suggest employing the services of a local sparky to advise on the state and condition of the entire installation.

[bri h]

Have you tried turning it off and on again .

[mtread]

Have you tried turning it off and on again .

  Looking at the state of it, it probably does that all by itself..... frequently

[slimwilly]

In my place I rent out ,it was all new 10 years ago,rcd board,,i have to supply a five yearly electric safety sheet, now the electrician says I have to fit new board in five years time as every circuit in rented properties need rcd

[tommyardin]

You rotten lot of buggers, poor old Scottie will not be able to sleep tonight scaring the crap out of him with tales of woe and doom.
My house still has cartridge fuses in both fuse boxes and a leakage trip on the one on the right. No the other right, sometimes called the Left, I have owned this house for 26 years and have never had the electrics upgraded and if i can get away with it, I never will (Tight old Bastard here)
If i have a light bulb blow anywhere in the house it pops the trip out so I guessing the system is still sensitive enough to protect me from most hazards.
I don't go around sticking my tongue in the power points or my willy in a light bayonet.
So all is good, I have never had any issues with the electrics and at one point it would not allow me to reset the trip and i did not know what had caused it to trip out, so I got a mate (Sparkie) around to check it out and it was the bulb in my daughters sewing machine light had blown and was stopping the trip from resetting, he removed the bulb took about 1.5 hours to find the problem, he knew it was on the ring main. it transpired my daughter had pushed her sewing machine under her bed in her room and knocked the bulb holder and bent it over as she did and it popped out the trip, and of course the trip would not reset until the thing had been unplugged.


I asked him about upgrading my fuse boards and he said 'it's fine', it has just tested itself by behaving in the manor it was intended in the first place.


Also he said that some of theses consumer unit replacements are a great job for a Sparkie to do when things are quiet in the winter and you can not get on with stuff outside, he just smiled and said you will need to update them when you come to sell the property or it will reflect on the price you will get, its a way that the potential buyer can knock you down 5 or 6 grand because the electrics are 'NOT SAFE'
Sell my little house is the man mad