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AIBU?

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Original poster

Electricity

94 replies

Mooshamoo · 19/10/2023 15:31

I woke up this morning to an electricity issue.

All of my lights turn on, but none of my plug sockets work. This has never happened before.

So all my light switches turn on, but if I plug an appliance into any socket it doesn't work.

I just rang a couple of local electricians and their call out fees are really huge.

I was just wondering has anyone fixed this by themselves.

I'm going to just try a few things this weekend and then if I have to give in an get an electrician next week I will

Someone online said to unplug all appliances as it could be a faulty appliance. I've just done that.

I was just wondering has this happened to anyone else and were you able to fix it yourself? Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
Mooshamoo · 19/10/2023 18:58

SecondUsername4me · 19/10/2023 18:55

The switches on the board that are up, to the right of the down one, flip them all down too and try flicking the left one up

Yes the first switch stays up by itself. It is the fourth switch along that is knocking the first one down.

But I can't see what is causing the problem with the fourth switch. Everything is unplugged

OP posts:
CarrickBends · 19/10/2023 18:58

If only one switch has to come down to get the left hand one back up, then leave that switch down, everything else up, and go and see what is not working

But I think you are going to need an electrician

Original poster
Mooshamoo · 19/10/2023 19:02

I've tried everything. Think I'm going to have to call an electrician. I'm upset ad I've just paid a huge bill. And I don't know how much he will charge. Hopefully I have enough

OP posts:
Floralnomad · 19/10/2023 19:02

You can get electrics cover with BG homecare , it may be worth calling them and seeing if you can use it straight away , if so that may be cheaper than an actual electrician .

Reallybadidea · 19/10/2023 19:08

Not an electrician, but thinking it could be a faulty socket (rather than appliance) on the circuit that is tripping. In the meantime leave that switch down and the rest up so you should at least have power to some areas.

HakunaMatiÅ‚da · 19/10/2023 19:08

When everything but the 4th switch is on, what isn’t on in your house?

SecondUsername4me · 19/10/2023 19:09

So leave 4 down. Go round and plug stuff back in and see what works and what doesn't.

Papillon23 · 19/10/2023 19:13

If you're struggling to work through it yourself, is it worth thinking if you have a reasonably practical friend who would come and have a look?

I'm not an electrician, or a DIY enthusiast particularly but I have gone round multiple friends houses and sat and worked logically through what the options are to get to the bottom of a problem.

They don't need to be massively into DIY or anything, just an external person who's not emotionally invested in the situation (as you understandably are!) and who can help you check out the facts etc.

tattychicken · 19/10/2023 19:13

Is it pouring with rain where you are? Do you have an outside light? Try turning that off, sometimes water gets in to lights/switches.

LoganCaleSeries5 · 19/10/2023 19:16

What items are currently operational ?

FallingAutumnLeaf · 19/10/2023 19:16

OK. Leave that fourth switch off.
How much of the house works? What room(s) don't have power if that 4th switch is off?

HakunaMatiÅ‚da · 19/10/2023 19:18

VisionsOfSplendour · 19/10/2023 17:58

It wont stay up because what ever tripped it in the first place is still plugged in

Once you've unplugged everything you might need to reset the box

And sorry to laugh but how did you think all the switches were up 😀

I hope you never have to get into a situation where you are in need of help and someone decides to laugh at you.

dick move.

Original poster
Mooshamoo · 19/10/2023 19:21

tattychicken · 19/10/2023 19:13

Is it pouring with rain where you are? Do you have an outside light? Try turning that off, sometimes water gets in to lights/switches.

It has been pouring with rain for the last three days!

OP posts:
PosteriorPosterity · 19/10/2023 19:23

HakunaMatiÅ‚da · 19/10/2023 19:18

I hope you never have to get into a situation where you are in need of help and someone decides to laugh at you.

dick move.

Show quote history

Well yes, but the switch is obviously the other way to all the others… it does seem like that might be important information to share!

But listen to PP, turn the 3 other little ones on, check what still isn’t working and you can at least make do with what is working!

PosteriorPosterity · 19/10/2023 19:23

Mooshamoo · 19/10/2023 19:21

It has been pouring with rain for the last three days!

Show quote history

But do you have an outside light and is it working?

Original poster
Mooshamoo · 19/10/2023 19:24

I'm in small town Ireland and there are only a few electricians.

I rang the first one. He said "we are not taking any work on at all, we are booked up until Christmas"

I rang the second one. He didn't answer.

I rang the third one. It said he covers my town online. He said "I don't cover your area anymore".

I nearly cried! But then he was nice. He said he doesn't do call outs to my area any more but if I send him a WhatsApp pic he will try to help over the phone.

Why is it so hard to get an electrician in small town ireland, arr

OP posts:
Original poster
Mooshamoo · 19/10/2023 19:25

PosteriorPosterity · 19/10/2023 19:23

But do you have an outside light and is it working?

Show quote history

I don't have an outside light.

OP posts:
chuffachuffchuff · 19/10/2023 19:29

Can you show us a picture of your fuse box?

Original poster
Mooshamoo · 19/10/2023 19:30

chuffachuffchuff · 19/10/2023 19:29

Can you show us a picture of your fuse box?

Hi I attached it earlier in the thread

OP posts:
Reallybadidea · 19/10/2023 19:30

@chuffachuffchuff Mate, RTFT

yogasaurus · 19/10/2023 19:32

Anything outside at all? An outside plug socket was causing this issue for us. Needed new cover replaced.

Namenamchange · 19/10/2023 19:34

Is there any chance any of your sockets or switches have got wet

have you a light in the loft?

Namenamchange · 19/10/2023 19:35

Does anything smell fishy?

have you an Emersion heater? How does your boiler work is it plugged in?

TigerQueenie · 19/10/2023 19:35

If you leave the 4th switch tripped out and all the others on, can you see what is working in your house? It's usually the kitchen that's the issue as it's where most of the surge appliances are.
Once you've reset your RCD to leave the 4th switch tripped, plug things back in and switch on. Do it room by room. You should see what's still out then.

Superscientist · 19/10/2023 20:02

Have you had any work done recently?

We had the issue when we were kids that the kettle kept tripping out the power. Eventually my dad worked out that the person who fitted a new door frame put a screw through a cable on the kitchen socket circuit. The consumer unit was near the front door.

In later life my iron kept tripping out the sockets. Is there any label on the 4th switch?

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