Trip meter help needed please

mrsv05

hello all

Since you have managed to help me in the past with pc bits I thought I'd ask if anyone knows about trip meters. Our garage lights have their own switch on the trip meter and if anything goes wrong anywhere else in he house they will work regardless. Yesterday the lights were put on by my mum while visiting and can't remember which light blew (inset lights). She just remembers seeing a flash and all lights went. My dad tried to put the switch back up and it wouldn't go so rather than force it he left it. A few hours later I tried and the switch is just floppy, it goes up with no resistance and falls back down again. What has happened and what can I do? I don't really have the money for someone to come and look at it unless I really have to.

Thanks in advance for any ideas

fwor

It depends on what type of consumer unit you have (assuming by trip meter you mean what is often called a fuse box).

It ~sounds~ as though it's one with an RCD as part of the main power switch - if it has a "Test" or "T" button on it then it almost certainly does.

The first check you can do is to find which circuit the fault is on. Turn off all of MCBs (the circuit breakers next to the main switch) and then try turning on the main switch.

Does it stay on? If so, turning on each of the MCBs will show which individual circuit has the fault.

You can then go to the all appliances (or lights) on that circuit and disconnect each in turn to find the faulty one.

If at any stage you are unsure about what you are doing, or if you can't pin it down to an individual appliance/light then you should call in a qualified electrician.

fwor

BTW - you will probably get a better response in the "In my home" section - there are often qualified electricians that post on there.

mrsv05

Thanks for that, I have switched off the other down lights with the same code on, nothing, then I switched 2 big blue switches off , nothing again. I will post where you said, sorry if wrong section and thanks for your help.

mrsv05

Sorry again, I can't find that section, does it come under marriage and family?

mrsv05

Found it , thanks