JT! Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 I was woken this morning to what sounded like 50 buzzing cellphones going off. Power is out in a couple of rooms of the house.Swap out dead fuse, turn the main back on to hear the same buzzing and the fuse blew within seconds.Sounded like it was coming from the furnace so took a look and could smell a faint burning smell.I do have a leak right about it, and we've had some serious rain the last couple of days. Even though I'm pretty sure I contained the leak as it's only coming down in one spot, I'm thinking some water must have gotten in there and f**ked something up majorly.Is there any steps I can take at all to help myself out here or is it expensive electrician time?Am I safe running the power for the rest of the house for now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N.Wood Posted September 24, 2015 Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 I'd probably not f**k about with anything if theres possibly wet electrics around. I'd say draw the line at the fact you've tried swapping out the dead fuse and its blown again, I'd say electrician time after you've tried that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 Yeah. The thing that's annoying me is I don't know 100% sure where the problem is. The furnace still has power to it with the fuse blown. I'm now doubting if it's the furnace at all, although it could be powered from two different sources with it being gas with an electric fan and a AC unit altogether.But yeah I'm done messing with it. At least I know the fuses are doing their job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2015 So good news. The furnace lives. Any burnt smell must have been it's natural odor. I discovered this when, even with the fuse out, it turned on. I assumed it was on the same fuse as the rest of the bathroom. It seems that a mains socket is a little bit discolored and melted in the bathroom. I'm guessing a drop of water got into that and f**ked it up.Is there any reason why I can't replace this myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manuel Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Erm, a mains socket in the bathroom? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyseemonkeydo Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Because 'Merica? Got to plug in that donut machine somewhere when you're on the john. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Yeah. 1960's wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Because 'Merica? Got to plug in that donut machine somewhere when you're on the john.Nah. In the bath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 It sounds like you're living in a f**king death trap dude!Get the hell outta there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Yea, but flights back are expensive Mike. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 I'm not talking about flights back, just move somewhere that doesn't have toasters in the bath. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD™ Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Whoooosh. Or maybe just a bad joke. It's not unlikely. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 I almost made the same comment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 I just saw something go over my head, I think it was a joke but I can't be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
forteh Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 It sounds like you're living in a f**king death trap dude!Get the hell outta there.Yea, but flights back are expensive Mike. Jonathan lives in 'murica, a f**king death trap, but flights back are expensive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Ok I didn't miss the joke then 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ross McArthur Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Is there any reason why I can't replace this myself?Of course not. Just remember though that brown is earth. Because brown is the colour of muck, right? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwh1989 Posted September 25, 2015 Report Share Posted September 25, 2015 Is there any reason why I can't replace this myself?Swap the socket man, don't need to be paying for an electrician, other wise they wouldn't sell these things in your local hardware stores!When you take the socket front away from the wall, just take a pic on your phone of the wiring arrangement, then put the cables into the same terminals on the new socket front. Can't go wrong.Just make sure ALL power is off, don't just go trusting individual circuits. (Electricians are a funny breed, they only think of themselves!)Chances are the cables will be brittle as f**k after all that time as well, so just be careful when removing/refitting them.Best of luck mate, all the way from sunny Yorkshire! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 26, 2015 Whoooosh. Or maybe just a bad joke. It's not unlikely.Took me a few mins to get it too. Swap the socket man, don't need to be paying for an electrician, other wise they wouldn't sell these things in your local hardware stores!When you take the socket front away from the wall, just take a pic on your phone of the wiring arrangement, then put the cables into the same terminals on the new socket front. Can't go wrong.Just make sure ALL power is off, don't just go trusting individual circuits. (Electricians are a funny breed, they only think of themselves!)Chances are the cables will be brittle as f**k after all that time as well, so just be careful when removing/refitting them.Best of luck mate, all the way from sunny Yorkshire! Thanks, sounds like a plan! If you don't hear back from me I died. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 Replaced and fixed. So happy it was an easy fix. Now I got to try sort the roof out to stop it from happening again. Although it looks fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GavLawson Posted September 27, 2015 Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 Swap the socket man, don't need to be paying for an electrician, other wise they wouldn't sell these things in your local hardware stores!When you take the socket front away from the wall, just take a pic on your phone of the wiring arrangement, then put the cables into the same terminals on the new socket front. Can't go wrong.Just make sure ALL power is off, don't just go trusting individual circuits. (Electricians are a funny breed, they only think of themselves!)Chances are the cables will be brittle as f**k after all that time as well, so just be careful when removing/refitting them.Best of luck mate, all the way from sunny Yorkshire! I'm glad you got it fixed but i just wanted to say that /\/\/\ is pretty bad advice. Sockets are not all the same their terminals are in different positions so the photo idea is stupid. Switch all the power off? how do you know you've switched all the power off? Put whatever you want off but just prove its dead before you work on it. If the cores are brittle they should be replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2015 I turned all the power off using the main switch.It was pretty easy to replace. 2 live, 2 white, 1 earth. Terminals were in the same place. Job done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwh1989 Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 I'm glad you got it fixed but i just wanted to say that /\/\/\ is pretty bad advice. Sockets are not all the same their terminals are in different positions so the photo idea is stupid. Switch all the power off? how do you know you've switched all the power off? Put whatever you want off but just prove its dead before you work on it. If the cores are brittle they should be replaced.All sockets MAY be different, but live will be live, neutral will be neutral, and earth will be earth. Socket front will be labelled 'L', 'N' and 'Earth'. The photo just ensures you know you've got the right cable in the right terminal! Apologies for dishing out 'bad advice'. Glad you've got it sorted buddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george_seamons Posted September 28, 2015 Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) If the cables are water damaged, you should really cut them back so they are "clean" rather than the green gunk you get from copper cabling that's gotten wet.You also need to make sure the screws in the terminals are TIGHT. The amount of call-outs we get to burnt out sockets where the customer has "had a go", and ended up with a burnt out socket because the cables were loose, causing a high resistance joint is ridiculous.Other than that, it's fairly simple to do. I disagree about the point that because they are sold in a shop, anybody can do it. Shops sell 2 way switches, intermediate switches etc...but the amount of people that get in a muddle trying to save money is nuts.Electrics are easy if you know what you're doing. If you don't, it can quite easily kill you. Edited September 28, 2015 by george_seamons 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JT! Posted September 28, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2015 Yeah we're having the bathroom redone really soon so I might have them replaced with something a little more bathroom friendly. The cables looked fine so no worries there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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