ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS

Please check these things before calling the estate office. Some times the solution is easy to find, or you may be able to restore some power until an electrician can be arranged, appliances such as freezers could be temporarily served by extension cables from unaffected circuits.

You will have one large RCD (Residual Current Device) protecting the whole board which usually has a test button. Each power and lighting circuit is protected either by a removable fuse or a miniature circuit breaker (MCB) sometimes referred to as a trip switch.

NO POWER AT ALL:

• Is there power to adjacent properties/streetlights? If not call NEDL.

• Check fuse board, has main trip (RCD) activated? Re set it.

NO LIGHTS, SOCKETS OK.

Check mcb’s, a light bulb blowing may cause the mcb to activate and turn off all lights on that circuit. Do you have an outside light? Check to see that the fitting is not full of water.

MAIN TRIP (RCD) WILL NOT RE SET.

• Put all circuit breakers off (mcb), or remove all fuses.

• Re set main trip (RCD).

RCD TRIPS IMMEDIATELY.

Electrician required.

• If RCD sets; switch on each mcb, or replace the fuses one at a time to establish which circuit is causing the fault. It may be an appliance on that circuit.

• Unplug all appliances connected to that circuit and try resetting again. If the mcb does not trip, plug a radio or lamp into a socket and start reconnecting the appliances one by one. A faulty appliance will cause the mcb to trip and the lamp/radio to switch off. Main culprits are cookers, washing machines and driers, kettles, irons.

• If the fault is on a lighting circuit check all bulbs, and fittings including outside lights.

• If one circuit is affected and the mcb will not reset even when all appliances are unplugged electrician is required.