Circuit toggle on consumer unit won't reset

fatpiggy

Can anyone suggest anything please? Last night I plugged in a fan heater to quickly warm up a room upstairs - plugged it into a trailing socket (fused) with two switched off lamps, a land-line base unit and mobile phone charger (off) in the other holes. The fan hadn't been used for a couple of years so I blew the dust and cobwebs off the grills etc and switched it on. It started up ok then started making nasty noises which finished in a flash and a bang. Dead heater! It was hot to the touch so I assumed there was dust inside which had heated up and burned out the motor. A nuisance but not the worlds greatest disaster. But then I noticed the power light on the trailing socket was off as was the next socket in line and when I checked, every socket upstairs apart from one in my bedroom which comes up from downstairs and is on a different circuit. Trotted downstairs to look at the consumer unit and the circuit toggle was down instead of up. But it won't reset. I've turned off the RCD switch and tried to reset it but it isn't having any of it. Later today I'll try dropping all the toggles, and switching off the mains then reset the lot and fingers crossed but knowing my luck that won't work either. What could be wrong and why? Why didn't the plug on the heater fuse out or the trailing socket fuse go? Why should it go all the way to the consumer unit? I know lickety spit about electrics (girly thing probably!) so please don't get too technical with me.

fluffpot

Try unplugging everything on the faulty circuit before you reset it. If it still won't reset don't force it. You'll have to call an electrician I'm afraid.
It's possible that the heater fault has destroyed the circuit breaker at the fuse board or there is a problem with that circuit.

fatpiggy

Thanks Fluffpot- I was afraid you would say that! 2012 is only a month and 2 days old and I have had more than enough of it already... £600 unexpected vet bills for horse and cat, £80 for the car and it didn't solve the problem so something over £100 more for that and now an electrician to pay for :eek: . Excuse me while I just stick my head in the gas oven.

ic

I agree with the above - its staying off for a reason. First place to start is to make sure the extension lead and fan heater are both unplugged - if the fan heater went bang just write that off and bin it.

ListysDad

There is also another reason it might not reset depending on its type. Some RCDs require pressing down again BEFORE pressing up. Try that. If not call a sparks as there is a problem that isn't DIY.

Alias_Omega

A neutral-earth fault will trip the RCD, though an overcurrent will trip the MCB (the toggle things you describe).

As mentioned above, you probably need to push the RCD switch fully down till it clicks, then back up to get it to set.

27col

ListysDad wrote: »

There is also another reason it might not reset depending on its type. Some RCDs require pressing down again BEFORE pressing up. Try that. If not call a sparks as there is a problem that isn't DIY.

I was about to suggest the same thing. I have found this to be the case on occasions in the past.

fatpiggy

I don't think the RCD has actually tripped. I did shove it up and down a few times then tried the circuit toggle again but to no avail. I also switched absolutely all the toggles off including the mains this morning then switched them all on again but it still wouldn't stay up. I made sure the sockets on that circuit had nothing plugged in to them first. The trailing socket is fine - its now plugged into the one socket in my bedroom that is on another circuit. The heater is already at the recycling plant!!

Looks like it will be a call to the sparks. He might as well have a look at the ceiling light in the front room that died too (suspect the wiring to the bulb holder is at fault there)

Does anyone know if those circuit toggles have some sort of individual fuse behind them? Please don't tell me I'll need to have a whole new consumer unit :eek:

vaio

Nah, you can easily change the failed mcb, two screws & a clip. If you can identify the make & rating and tell the electrician before he comes then he can bring one with him

fatpiggy

Phew, thanks Vaio, that's a relief. I always fear the worst as I have a hex permanently hanging over me. Sods Law rules my life to the nth degree:rotfl:

macman

The reason the RCD went before the plug fuse is because it is intended to act much faster-in an instant. If you are touching a live wire, that could save your life. An MCB or plug fuse could take several seconds to blow through overcurrent.
One protects the circuit. The other protects you.