Does the house need rewiring?

Comments

• technologist Posts: 13,370

  Forum Member

  ✭✭

  15/09/11 - 17:47 #2

  Perhaps Not rewiring - but a visit from and electrician to test it all is essential immediately to keep you safe !
  They may find whatever the fault is and fix it without full rewiring But get an expert in NOW

  0
• [Deleted User] Posts: 710

  Forum Member

  ✭✭

  15/09/11 - 21:38 #3

  I had a problem with this a couple of years ago - I actually posted about it here at the time. When ever something like the kettle or washing machine kicked in everything downstairs went off and something on the electrics box made a crackling noise. In the end I got an electrician in and he repaired the problem by replacing something on the electric box. I have no idea what it is called - it was one of four black rectangular things but apparently the fact it was broken meant the system was getting overloaded. It only cost about £40 to get the job done which was a bonus since I had visions of an expensive rewiring job also.

  0
• Keefy-boy Posts: 13,613

  Forum Member

  ✭✭

  15/09/11 - 23:02 #4

  This has the symptoms of an earth/neutral short tripping your RCD if you have one.
  
  They can be very hard to find but I would start by having a look at your living room dimmer switch. Did you not consider replacing it anyway?

  0
• seacam Posts: 21,364

  Forum Member

  ✭✭✭

  15/09/11 - 23:28 #5

  She Devil wrote: »

  Hi,
  
  The main light in the living room suddenly stopped working a few weeks ago, its a dimmer switch and it used to make a wee noise when it was on, now nothing at all, it just died. All other lights and switches etc in the living room are fine, just the main one.
  
  Went to turn on the microwave last week obviously in the kitchen and my partner was upstairs on the computer, when I turned the microwave on it "blew" the electrics and everything upstairs went off, everything downstairs was fine, and the same thing happened yesterday, I turned the toaster on to make toast and it happened again, everything upstairs had gone (lights, computers, tv etc)
  
  Same thing happened when my partner tried to plug in the mower to mow the lawn the other week.
  
  The computer will suddenly switch itself off as well, as in I will be using it and the screen will go white and it will go off, not shut down, just actually right off.
  
  I am no expert at all with things like this, if we turn the electric off and back on again everything works again, then a few days later it all goes again if I plug something in or turn it on.
  
  Any idea what this is likely to be?
  
  Thanks.

  As a rule of thumb all wiring should be throughly checked from new every 20 years with five year interval checks in between.
  
  Most people wont bother until something like yours happens.
  
  So depending on age of wiring and safety, you may not need a rewire but the electrics throughly checked and fault/s rectified.
  
  So did you replace your dimmer switch or have you left it in place? if you have left it in place, replace it, that might just resolve the issue although taking out other circuits suggest your wiring does need a check.
  
  Some dimmer switches hum slightly when dimmed, nothing to worry about but as the problems didn't start till after it stopped working, ---replace it.
  
  However the dimmer may be a red herring, you could have a potential problem with the ceiling or light fitting and/or circuit its self, a short or a cable getting hot on another circuit that is causing problems.
  
  Check or have checked your ceiling rose/light fitting if you have not, replace dimmer switch to it if required but even so and no more immediate problems if wiring installation is old have it checked or replaced.

  0
• Maxatoria Posts: 17,980

  Forum Member

  ✭✭

  16/09/11 - 08:18 #6

  have seen funny things happen with lose cables where actions like opening and closing a door can cause it to jump causing a short and tripping out the system
  
  but get yourself a good electrician in who's got the proper test gear and it could be sorted in a few hours along with a load of other stuff you never knew about

  0