Fuse box changed now blown light trips it

Principia_2

I had the fuse box in my house replaced about a year or so ago, it was one of the old style black fuse boxes where you pull out the relevant fuse (looked a bit like dominoes), now it's a cream box where you flick a switch.

Ever since it's been replaced, when a lightbulb blows (when turning on the lights) it seems to trip the light fuse. A quick flick seems to reset everything back to normal until next time a bulb blows (not very often as most lights are low energy bulbs).

Is this a problem with the electrics or just because the fusebox is more sensitive?

Dave_J_3

very common. MCBs, which you will more than likely now have, are more sensitive than the re-wireable fuses you previously had.

Principia_2

Dave_J wrote: »

very common. MCBs, which you will more than likely now have, are more sensitive than the re-wireable fuses you previously had.

Thanks, that's put my mind at ease

Myser

Absolutely normal. If you switch to energy saving CFLs (Compact FLuorescent) or LED (Light Emitting Diode) lighting, the lamps will last much longer and you won't have the issue of the Mini Circuit-Breaker tripping so often!

muckybutt

I do wish houses would be fitted with an emergency light or two, common sence you would think - one on the stairs and one next to the consumer unit !

Rockingit

muckybutt wrote: »

I do wish houses would be fitted with an emergency light or two, common sence you would think - one on the stairs and one next to the consumer unit !

All my new builds are.

Myser

muckybutt wrote: »

I do wish houses would be fitted with an emergency light or two, common sence you would think - one on the stairs and one next to the consumer unit !

With the new 17th Edition regulations, the use of split RCD boards/RCBOs should ensure that the house isn't completely plunged into darkness should an RCD trip.

I take your point about having emergency backup lighting though! This is a requirement in offices and public buildings. Possibly too expensive/not frequently used in a private residential scenario.

Alternatively, you could have a wind-up/squeeze/shake powered torch near the consumer unit!

Rockingit

Myser wrote: »

Possibly too expensive/not frequently used in a private residential scenario.

You can get EM's designed for domestics in a variety of formats for less than £30. They're especially useful in houses in the sticks where blackouts/brownouts happen frequently. It's not a hard-sell to architects, they love the idea.

Yorkie1

I've got a small LED light (runs on batteries) for when I need non-mains power e.g. under the stairs cupboard. It's grey plastic and circular - about 8cm in diameter, perhaps? It does have a sticky label on the back but I just leave it loose so I can move it about the place if need be.

anotherbaldrick

We bought a couple of the small battery operated proximity lights for the stairs . batteries last about 6 months and they are a boon, fitted just above skirting level to illuminate where your feet are going.

muckybutt

I have em lighting installed in my house, as pointed out above I live in the sticks so the power is always on and off with it being overhead supply.

You would have thought though by now the powers that be would have jumped on the bandwagon and specified em lighting like they do smoke alarms ?