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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask if any of you are electricians?

19 replies

4athomeand1cooking · 13/12/2013 22:35

I appreciate that people might not be able to help. I Just wanted some advice so I was armed with the right information when LL's handyman comes out.

I switched on my bedroom light tonight, and was met by a huge firework display. On further inspection, the light has burnt up the wire (single bulb on wire) and the wire had snapped sending the bulb crashing.

All lights went out and so checked the fuse (old fuse box) and the wire was very thick and twisted, my dad seems to think that it is very old wire, I have replaced this with the normal 5amp fuse wire now and put the lights back on.

The rest of the house is also old wiring, we have one old style plug per bedroom with no on/off switch.

We have someone coming out this weekend but wanted to check that there is no immediate danger and should I be asking for anything in particular.

OP posts:

LunaticFringe · 13/12/2013 22:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BoffinMum · 13/12/2013 22:47

TBH I would clear off until someone had rewired. It's not a good situation at all. I speak as someone who had a serious electrical house fire once.

WorraLiberty · 13/12/2013 22:48

We still have the old wired fuse box and we use 5amp wire for the lights.

'Thick wire sounds like 20 or 30 amp and that's way to high. I'm surprised the lights didn't blow ages ago.

northcountrygirl · 13/12/2013 22:49

Just asked my electrician husband and he said it sounds like you need a pretty urgent rewire. He says that for the wire to burn it sounds like it's not earthed and it's a fire risk.

He also says - do you have smoke alarms? Because you should if it's a rented property.

specialsubject · 13/12/2013 22:49

sounds like there is quite a lot of imminent danger. Someone appears to have replaced the fuse with too-thick wire so the fuse doesn't blow, the wiring inside overheats.

a fuse box itself is not a sign of danger, but wiring this old and bad is. Especially if maltreated like this, bypassing all the safety measures.

I hope this place is cheap, but I wouldn't live there and nor would I rent it to anyone.

Binkyridesagain · 13/12/2013 22:50

I have a sparky on hand at the moment.

Your fuse, the thick twisted wire, sounds like someone has just used bog standard wire and not fuse wire, VVVVVV Dangerous, you have now changed the wire to fuse wire so now that should be safe.

The fuse is designed to be the week link hence you use the correct amp wire, putting larger wire in stops the fuse from doing its job, ie protecting the circuit.

You need to ask for a replacement fuse board that meets current regulations, (protected by an RCD)

From your brief description, old sockets, only one per room, your wiring is going to need replacing (all of it). This is costly. Suggest that the sparky does a full electrical safety test. Get more than one sparky to test as they will condemn if they think they can make a fast buck.

Sadly without seeing it this is as much advice as I/DH can give.

farrowandbawlbauls · 13/12/2013 22:51

That sounds like a re-wire and a very un-safe house. I wouldn't even be happy with being in the house even if the electric is off to be honest. Sorry.

MoreBeta · 13/12/2013 22:52

Sounds like a new consumer unit is required and a lot of new plugs. I don't think your LL is going to be willing to do a rewire but it sounds like the system is not safe and not many electricians will go near it. Not a job for a handyman either.

Just had an old house rewired. Very messy and not cheap.

Original poster

4athomeand1cooking · 13/12/2013 22:54

Yes smoke alarms both upstairs and downstairs, I am thinking it needs some pretty urgent work done,

It frightened the life out of me, the flame literally sped up the cord and thankfully went out before it hit the ceiling.

I do know that the lights are not earthed in many of these houses as used to live down the road and was told then that the lights had no earth wire.

OP posts:

Original poster

4athomeand1cooking · 13/12/2013 22:59

Thank you for all of your advice. I am going to make sure they test everything and will definitely get a second opinion from our own electrician to ensure the correct work is being done.

I still have not checked all of the other wires in the fuse box and hope they are not he same.

OP posts:

BoffinMum · 13/12/2013 22:59

I would stay elsewhere tonight, seriously. I am not being hysterical, I have seen what can happen, and our wiring was in better shape than yours sounds to be.

Binkyridesagain · 13/12/2013 23:00

Check all your other fuses.

MoreBeta · 13/12/2013 23:02

You definitely need a new consumer unit with RCD protection.

As one electrician told me, a light without an earth and no RCD is one that will potentially fry you alive until you drop off it.

It will not cost much to get a new consumer unit fitted and frankly I would be seriously considering moving out unless it gets done. Flames do not normally shoot up light cables.

BoffinMum · 13/12/2013 23:03

FWIW our fire started on the electricity board's side of the wiring, it was dramatic, and it was only the fact that a) it was 8.30am in the morning, and b) the builders who had just come in that day had not removed the asbestos in the adjacent area yet, and c) one of them had a fire extinguisher in the car, that saved the fire from killing us.

Original poster

4athomeand1cooking · 13/12/2013 23:07

Sounds like you were very lucky boffin. I am
Leaving the house for the night. I won't sleep until I know it is looked at properly.

OP posts:

BoffinMum · 13/12/2013 23:10

I would worry about you if you stayed. I think given the flames you are best of out of there.
BTW our rewiring took rather a long time, so prepare yourself mentally for a bit of a mess.

ComposHat · 13/12/2013 23:51

Silently fuming that your landlord thinks it is okay to rent out what is potentially a death trap and is happy to circumvent safety with highly dangerous bodges. I bet his/her house isn't in that sort of state.

We have just had an old fuseboard replaced by a consumer unit. It cost just over £250 plus some other bits and bobs needed to get it up to standard. If not protected by an RCD few reputable workmen will touch anything electrical.

Your problems seem more extensive and I'd be amazed if (s)he'll shell out the thousands it will take for the full rewire your home seems to need. If they don't get a reputable qualified electrician in. Check they are registered to carry out the work (there's a website) before they touch anything. If they've tried to screw the fuseboard, it won't surprise me if they send 'a mate who is handy with a scewdrivier' round to do the job cash in hand.

If not start looking for a new property to rent ASAP and explain in writing to the landlord/letting agent that you consider the property to be unsafe and that is why you are moving out.

BoffinMum · 14/12/2013 09:23

It's beyond a letter from a tenant. The electrician will most probably have to fill out the H & S executive form as this wiring is illegal, as the landlord would have known if he had done his five yearly electrical inspections properly. He's broken the law.

BoffinMum · 14/12/2013 09:24

Ask to see the most recent inspection certificate, by the way, and while you are at it ask for the gas inspection certificate if you have gas (that one should be done annually).

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