New house, some sockets not working

huddsta

Hi guys, sorry if this is in the wrong area.

I moved into my first house on Friday and soon discovered that about 40% of the sockets do not work. I'm not to savvy about things like this, I've checked the trip switches but that about as far as my knowledge goes.

It's only some sockets on the one side of the house which seems strange.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.


Thanks

huddsta

Sorry for my ignorance but when you say check the fuses where exactly do you mean?

djohn2002uk

ginger_nuts wrote:

check the fuses ,swap the fuses but be carefull to swap for the same size fuse .sockets are usually 15 amp .they may be colour coded blue is usually for sockets

Please use accurate information for safety reasons.
13amp sockets are on a ring main and if protected by fuses are 30amp and colour coded RED.
Blue is 15amp and used for immersion heaters.
White is 5amp and used for lighting.

Looks like the OP has circuit breakers and has checked them.

huddsta

Please use accurate information for safety reasons.
13amp sockets are on a ring main and if protected by fuses are 30amp and colour coded RED.
Blue is 15amp and used for immersion heaters.
White is 5amp and used for lighting.

Where are these fuses normally? I've checked that all the switches are up on the fuse board (if that is even the right name)

djohn2002uk

huddsta wrote:

Where are these fuses normally? I've checked that all the switches are up on the fuse board (if that is even the right name)

You got it.
Sounds like you have circuit breakers and if they are all up then they are all on. These are the modern replacement for fuses and are safer as they operate a lot faster than fuses.

huddsta

Yeah I thought so.
It looks like this
http://images.google.co.uk/images?q=tbn:1MAFWgM02PIJXM:http://www.hager.co.uk/images/products/hager/SP%26NDistribution/SP%26NDistributionImage1_500.png

So there all up, any ideas why my sockets are not working?

baldelectrician

what make if the consumer unit?

if it's MK their new circuit breakers go halfway down when they trip.

try putting each breaker down (off) and then up (back on), see if this helps.

otherwise phone your builder, first thing in the morning.

ps if it's a new build ask them for an 'electrical installation certificate', every new build should have one.

huddsta

It's a Hager unit. When I said new house I meant I'd just moved in, not that it was a new build. Sorry for the confusion.

I've flipped them up and down several times over the past 2 days with no luck.

Mikeyorks

Are all the dead sockets on the same ring main?

The circuit breakers you've been turning on / off should be visibly marked somewhere (upstairs / front / back / downstairs)?? And / or is there more than one of the breakers with the same load marking (normally 32A for a socket circuit). In which case .. plug something into working sockets and trip the circuit until you identify which breakers are controlling what.

If you can narrow the dead circuits to one specific breaker - then it could be the breaker or a breach in the ring main. Either way (replace the (MCB) breaker or identify where the ring is failing) .. it's an electricians job.

A 'phone call to the Vendor might be quicker?? ... as presumably it was an existing fault. Or something poorly disconnected at removal time?

baldelectrician

In Scotland you have 5 working days (usually) to report any faults and have them rectified at the previous owners expense, thus it is a good idea to have the heating up full even if you move house in June:D

These things usually involve a bit of hassle, but tell your solicitor on Monday- first thing. Make sure you are persistant with this.

It sounds like a fault on the socket circuit (or a loose connection at the consumer unit). Better to get someone in th check it out

Use a registered electrician

http://www.niceic.org.uk/common/contractor_search.html

rygon

Yeah i had the same problem when i moved into my house. It turned out that a fused switch was wired up wrong (lost the power to virtually all sockets when it was turned off). It may be worth turning off all the power and opening all the sockets up. Check to see if theres any signs of burning, distress etc and that all the wires are in the appropriate connectors.
The connectors will be marked up as L (red or brown wire), N(black or blue) and a small connector for Earth (yellow/green or green).
If in doubt contact a electrician as it could save you in the long run.

In my case I had to re wire virtually the whole house due to the last owners incopetence. One double socket on a ring main had 2 spurs off it (yep thats 13 wires all in all!!!) A socket runing from the lighting main and counted no less than 7 joint boxes because they didnt have any longer pieces of wire spare