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-   -   Fusebox burn out. (https://www.diybanter.com/uk-diy/685634-fusebox-burn-out.html)

Tim+[_5_] March 24th 21 05:17 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

Tim+[_5_] March 24th 21 05:24 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



A couple more pictures.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...I0kDlJqRD9xrqI

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...LdCEBmhpwfUb8j

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

charles March 24th 21 05:33 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
In article
,
Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience
after getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.


I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.


https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A


Tim


Something seems to have got hotter than it should.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

JohnP March 24th 21 05:34 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Tim+ wrote in

:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...Q0aV0HaxPCLdCE
BmhpwfUb8j


In the back of the switch it looks like the terminal screw is tightened
onto the insulation..

Adrian Caspersz March 24th 21 05:36 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A


The last MCB on the left is presumably the one lazily added for the car,
taking the combined maximum current on that leg to over 120A, ignoring
the rating of the previously installed RCD.

That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)

--
Adrian C

Fredxx[_4_] March 24th 21 05:42 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A


Looks like consistently under-tightened screws, on the consumer unit and
the switch. Possibly on insulation as per JohnP's suggestion but good
practice is to minimise the amount of bare copper.

It's not obvious if he's used 4mm cable?

Tim+[_5_] March 24th 21 05:43 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)


Its been replaced now and I dont think there are more pictures.

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

Scott[_17_] March 24th 21 05:54 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24 Mar 2021 17:43:56 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)


Its been replaced now and I dont think there are more pictures.

By a different electrician I hope?

ARW March 24th 21 06:00 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Loose connections.

--
Adam

Tim+[_5_] March 24th 21 06:00 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Scott wrote:
On 24 Mar 2021 17:43:56 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)


It’s been replaced now and I don’t think there are more pictures.

By a different electrician I hope?


Nope. Same one (which concerns me!).

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

Tim+[_5_] March 24th 21 06:07 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Loose connections.


Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?

Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

Martin Brown[_3_] March 24th 21 06:10 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A


Possible loose connections or a stray strand of conductor (or water
ingress) to the switch. The damage to the mains switch looks like it was
the root cause of the rather hot fusebox components.

Was it correctly rated for a continuous 7kW load?

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Scott[_17_] March 24th 21 06:14 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24 Mar 2021 18:00:31 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Scott wrote:
On 24 Mar 2021 17:43:56 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)

It?s been replaced now and I don?t think there are more pictures.

By a different electrician I hope?


Nope. Same one (which concerns me!).

Tim


If there is a fire and his insurers find out, there may be awkward
questions to answer.

Fredxx[_4_] March 24th 21 06:23 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Loose connections.


Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?

Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?


Most consumer unit manufacturers recommend placing high power circuits
close to the switch to minimise length of busbar taking full load
current. To minimise generation of heat within the enclosure.

Fredxx[_4_] March 24th 21 06:27 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:00, Tim+ wrote:
Scott wrote:
On 24 Mar 2021 17:43:56 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)

It’s been replaced now and I don’t think there are more pictures.

By a different electrician I hope?


Nope. Same one (which concerns me!).


Did you check if he used a torque screwdriver?

If he did, and he claim to have used the correct settings, he'll
effectively be absolved from blame.

alan_m March 24th 21 06:28 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Have all the MCB levers been joined and cable tied in the on position?

A total of a possible 120A through a 80A RCD?

Screws to bus bar not tighted to the correct torque?

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

alan_m March 24th 21 06:33 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:28, alan_m wrote:

Have all the MCB levers been joined and cable tied in the on position?


OK - no. I had just zoomed in and that's what it looked like.



--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

Theo[_3_] March 24th 21 06:41 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Tim+ wrote:
yy ARW wrote:

Loose connections.


+1. Not appropriately torqued I would guess.
(a common problem with electric showers, which tend to run for a much
shorter time)

It's possible a load 32A was applied which melted the isolator and cooked
the RCD, but I would expect the MCB to trip for that. It could be a faulty
or fake MCB I suppose.

Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?


It really depends on how the charger is set up, which we can't see.
Chargers can be set to monitor the outputs from the consumer unit and limit
the current if another big load like a shower or cooker is in use, so that
the maximum current of the supply is not exceeded. Alternatively the
electrician can apply diversity to set the charger output to a lower
current.

I don't know the rating of that busbar, but I'd expect it to carry the full
current from the main switch if it were wired that way. So I don't think an
80A RCD next to a 32A MCB should cause any problems (apart from perhaps
running warm and gradual cookage over time).

Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?


It appears to be this one, which is rated at 45A which would be fine for a
32A/7kW single phase supply:
https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/prod...e-switch-white
and looks like the fault was in the neutral-out side.

Theo

Scott[_17_] March 24th 21 06:45 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On Wed, 24 Mar 2021 18:27:47 +0000, Fredxx
wrote:

On 24/03/2021 18:00, Tim+ wrote:
Scott wrote:
On 24 Mar 2021 17:43:56 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)

It?s been replaced now and I don?t think there are more pictures.

By a different electrician I hope?


Nope. Same one (which concerns me!).


Did you check if he used a torque screwdriver?

If he did, and he claim to have used the correct settings, he'll
effectively be absolved from blame.


Not necessarily. He can claim what he wants but if there is evidence
to the contrary the court will look at all the facts and circumstances
and determine on the balance of probabilities what actually occurred.

The Natural Philosopher[_2_] March 24th 21 06:50 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?


I doubt it.


It doesn't look 30A capable - you need at least 25A for 7Kw

That's a cooker switch or better, and cooker switches don't have to meet
continuous load.

Id go for a more industrial thing

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-g...itch-63a/8536r

and underrate it like fanny.




--
There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isnt true; the
other is to refuse to believe what is true.

Soren Kierkegaard

Fredxx[_4_] March 24th 21 06:52 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:45, Scott wrote:
On Wed, 24 Mar 2021 18:27:47 +0000, Fredxx
wrote:

On 24/03/2021 18:00, Tim+ wrote:
Scott wrote:
On 24 Mar 2021 17:43:56 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)

It?s been replaced now and I don?t think there are more pictures.

By a different electrician I hope?


Nope. Same one (which concerns me!).


Did you check if he used a torque screwdriver?

If he did, and he claim to have used the correct settings, he'll
effectively be absolved from blame.


Not necessarily. He can claim what he wants but if there is evidence
to the contrary the court will look at all the facts and circumstances
and determine on the balance of probabilities what actually occurred.


You are entirely correct, I was thinking from a practical viewpoint.

Given the wire is copper and connectors are brass, they have a different
thermal expansion coefficient. Even where a terminal is loose following
a thermal failure it would still be difficult to apportion blame to the
electrician rather than some other failure.

If he says he tightened up with his magic screwdriver to the correct
torque, how would you prove otherwise.



Andrew[_22_] March 24th 21 07:01 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 17:36, Adrian Caspersz wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience
after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A



The last MCB on the left is presumably the one lazily added for the car,
taking the combined maximum current on that leg to over 120A, ignoring
the rating of the previously installed RCD.

My thought too. The highest rated MCB's should be closest to the
incoming power (so closest to the RCD).

I suspect the busbar connected to the RCD was not tight enough too,
perhaps because thats where the heat seems to be ??

That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)



Fredxx[_4_] March 24th 21 07:04 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:50, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8
hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?


I doubt it.


It doesn't look 30A capable - you need at least 25A for 7Kw


The one in the photo has Omega markings and looks like this:
https://rpp.uk.com/product/45a-double-pole-switches/

It has a 45A rating, and unless you can convince me otherwise it will be
continuously rated.


That's a cooker switch or better, and cooker switches don't have to meet
continuous load.


Can you provide a cite for this? It's not what I would expect. I could
of course be wrong.

Id go for a more industrial thing

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-g...itch-63a/8536r

and underrate it like fanny.


Looks OTT to me and intended for 3-phase and neutral, but YMMV.


Andrew[_22_] March 24th 21 07:05 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:50, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8
hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?


I doubt it.


It doesn't look 30A capable - you need at least 25A for 7Kw

That's a cooker switch or better, and cooker switches don't have to meet
continuous load.

Id go for a more industrial thing

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-g...itch-63a/8536r


and underrate it like fanny.




Those look like the isolators used when you have just a 4KW solar panel
setup.

Adrian Caspersz March 24th 21 07:08 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Loose connections.


Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?


Actually I don't know. I'm not an electrician, just a fool in an
armchair posting on the interwebs.

For interest what max current are busbars made to handle in a 100A
consumer split load unit? That figure, or less?

I'm now aware of electricians using torque setting screwdrivers to
tighten fusebox screws. Some time ago I had reinstalled a pull cord
shower isolator switch (after the builders insecurely screwed it to some
laths in the plaster that couldn't take the cord itself being yanked)
and saw the terminals had been damaged from heat. I didn't twig anything
about lack of screw tightness being the cause.

As my fusebox is some rewirable fuse relic from the distant seventies
(shower on an ancillary) .... erm, I need to see about all getting
replaced sometime.


--
Adrian C

Andrew[_22_] March 24th 21 07:13 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 17:24, Tim+ wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



A couple more pictures.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...I0kDlJqRD9xrqI

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...LdCEBmhpwfUb8j

Tim


Do you need an Amazon Prime account to post these pics ?

charles March 24th 21 07:25 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
In article ,
Andrew wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:24, Tim+ wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



A couple more pictures.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...I0kDlJqRD9xrqI

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...LdCEBmhpwfUb8j


This switch was wired so that turning it on shorted live and neutral.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle

Scott[_17_] March 24th 21 07:26 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On Wed, 24 Mar 2021 18:52:40 +0000, Fredxx
wrote:

On 24/03/2021 18:45, Scott wrote:
On Wed, 24 Mar 2021 18:27:47 +0000, Fredxx
wrote:

On 24/03/2021 18:00, Tim+ wrote:
Scott wrote:
On 24 Mar 2021 17:43:56 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)

It?s been replaced now and I don?t think there are more pictures.

By a different electrician I hope?


Nope. Same one (which concerns me!).

Did you check if he used a torque screwdriver?

If he did, and he claim to have used the correct settings, he'll
effectively be absolved from blame.


Not necessarily. He can claim what he wants but if there is evidence
to the contrary the court will look at all the facts and circumstances
and determine on the balance of probabilities what actually occurred.


You are entirely correct, I was thinking from a practical viewpoint.

Given the wire is copper and connectors are brass, they have a different
thermal expansion coefficient. Even where a terminal is loose following
a thermal failure it would still be difficult to apportion blame to the
electrician rather than some other failure.

If he says he tightened up with his magic screwdriver to the correct
torque, how would you prove otherwise.

That's the role of the expert witness. You would need to see what
his/her report says before deciding whether to proceed to proof.

Tim+[_5_] March 24th 21 07:31 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Andrew wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:24, Tim+ wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



A couple more pictures.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...I0kDlJqRD9xrqI

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...LdCEBmhpwfUb8j

Tim


Do you need an Amazon Prime account to post these pics ?


I think so.

Tim

--
Please don't feed the trolls

Michael Chare March 24th 21 07:35 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:27, Fredxx wrote:
On 24/03/2021 18:00, Tim+ wrote:
Scott wrote:
On 24 Mar 2021 17:43:56 GMT, Tim+ wrote:

Adrian Caspersz wrote:


That fusebox not made for that overload on that leg, maybe it should
have been installed on the right (full picture please!)

It’s been replaced now and I don’t think there are more pictures.

By a different electrician I hope?


Nope.* Same one (which concerns me!).


Did you check if he used a torque screwdriver?

If he did, and he claim to have used the correct settings, he'll
effectively be absolved from blame.


I have not noticed torque settings for domestic mains electrical
fittings, so I am wondering if these should always be marked somewhere?

If I installed a 7kw electric car charger it would likely draw more
continuous current than any (maybe all) other device in my house. I
would think this would be true for many properties.


--
Michael Chare

Andy Burns[_13_] March 24th 21 07:43 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A


118A of MCBs on a 80A RCD, but I doubt all the circuits would be fully
loaded for long, are the righthand 32A MCBs both rings?

Assume the EV charger is on the leftmost MCB? Looks more as though the
terminals onto the live busbar weren't properly tight ...

ARW March 24th 21 08:02 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Loose connections.


Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?

Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?


I am curious as to why there is an isolation switch.

All the EV chargers I have fitted have a one built in.

Now should that charger (I have no idea what make of charger it was)
have been fed from that type of RCD?


--
Adam

Fredxx[_4_] March 24th 21 08:05 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:41, Theo wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
yy ARW wrote:

Loose connections.


+1. Not appropriately torqued I would guess.
(a common problem with electric showers, which tend to run for a much
shorter time)

It's possible a load 32A was applied which melted the isolator and cooked
the RCD, but I would expect the MCB to trip for that. It could be a faulty
or fake MCB I suppose.

Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?


It really depends on how the charger is set up, which we can't see.
Chargers can be set to monitor the outputs from the consumer unit and limit
the current if another big load like a shower or cooker is in use, so that
the maximum current of the supply is not exceeded. Alternatively the
electrician can apply diversity to set the charger output to a lower
current.

I don't know the rating of that busbar, but I'd expect it to carry the full
current from the main switch if it were wired that way. So I don't think an
80A RCD next to a 32A MCB should cause any problems (apart from perhaps
running warm and gradual cookage over time).


I may be wrong, but I thought each busbar was only rated for 60A for a
100A CU. With the presumption that the load would be split more or less
equally to both sides of the CU.

I am pretty sure the highest rated circuit should be next the RCD, next
to the main switch.

If I was the OP I would check the position of this MCB, after all it be
the one with the highest continuous current, and check with the CU
manufacturer's installation guide.

ARW March 24th 21 08:14 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Loose connections.


Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?

Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?



There is something odd about the second from left MCB (in relation to
the RCD). It does not appear to sit level with the other MCBs and is
also appers to be most melted MCB.

This could suggest that the bus bar was not correctly located inside the
MCB or that it was not tightened up properly.


--
Adam

Tim+[_5_] March 24th 21 08:19 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Loose connections.


Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?

Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?


I am curious as to why there is an isolation switch.

All the EV chargers I have fitted have a one built in.


Um, Ive never seen a domestic charger with one built in. My Podpoint
doesnt have one. I have a RCBO switch next to my consumer unit for
isolating mine.



Now should that charger (I have no idea what make of charger it was)
have been fed from that type of RCD?


It was a Project EV charger.

Tim


--
Please don't feed the trolls

ARW March 24th 21 08:20 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 20:05, Fredxx wrote:
On 24/03/2021 18:41, Theo wrote:
Tim+ wrote:
yy ARW wrote:

Loose connections.


+1.* Not appropriately torqued I would guess.
(a common problem with electric showers, which tend to run for a much
shorter time)

It's possible a load 32A was applied which melted the isolator and
cooked
the RCD, but I would expect the MCB to trip for that.* It could be a
faulty
or fake MCB I suppose.

Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?


It really depends on how the charger is set up, which we can't see.
Chargers can be set to monitor the outputs from the consumer unit and
limit
the current if another big load like a shower or cooker is in use, so
that
the maximum current of the supply is not exceeded.* Alternatively the
electrician can apply diversity to set the charger output to a lower
current.

I don't know the rating of that busbar, but I'd expect it to carry the
full
current from the main switch if it were wired that way.* So I don't
think an
80A RCD next to a 32A MCB should cause any problems (apart from perhaps
running warm and gradual cookage over time).


I may be wrong, but I thought each busbar was only rated for 60A for a
100A CU. With the presumption that the load would be split more or less
equally to both sides of the CU.

I am pretty sure the highest rated circuit should be next the RCD, next
to the main switch.

If I was the OP I would check the position of this MCB, after all it be
the one with the highest continuous current, and check with the CU
manufacturer's installation guide.



You are going back to the days of Wylex fuse boards. They always had
that rule and some of them had an extra fuse to the right of the main
switch for high loads.

The Wylex CU in the photo will have no problem with the layout of the
MCBs and is good for 100A.

--
Adam

ARW March 24th 21 08:28 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
On 24/03/2021 20:19, Tim+ wrote:
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 18:07, Tim+ wrote:
ARW wrote:
On 24/03/2021 17:17, Tim+ wrote:
This is the fuse box of a chap on Facebook who had a nasty experience after
getting an 7kW EV charger fitted.

I dont know enough to speculate on the cause but it there anything
glaringly wrong here.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/photos/shar...9HHYn227WF3V0A

Tim



Loose connections.


Cheers. Is there anything wrong with the positioning of the MCB as
suggested by Adrian?

Also, is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs
say (as might occur when car charging)?


I am curious as to why there is an isolation switch.

All the EV chargers I have fitted have a one built in.


Um, Ive never seen a domestic charger with one built in. My Podpoint
doesnt have one. I have a RCBO switch next to my consumer unit for
isolating mine.



Now should that charger (I have no idea what make of charger it was)
have been fed from that type of RCD?


It was a Project EV charger.



I believe they have a built in DC protection device to keep the house
RCD working.


--
Adam

Andy Burns[_13_] March 24th 21 09:15 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Tim+ wrote:

is that burnt out isolator switch suitable for a 7kW load over 8 hrs


Looks like 45A so should be ok, but why fit it in the first place?


https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/1850955-1-gang-45a-double-pole-switch-white

Andy Burns[_13_] March 24th 21 09:18 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Fredxx wrote:

It's not obvious if he's used 4mm cable?


In the leftmost MCB it does look fatter than the 2.5s on the ring circuits.
more
A few things which although not "wrong" do look like "my mate fitted it"
standard.

1) why fit a shower/cooker isolator for an EV charger?

2) why use SY flex?

3) what's the extra black cable that's tyrap'ed to the flex? A lead to
a current monitoring transformer?


But mainly

4) it's managed to overhead terminals in both the CU and switch, most
likely due to loose connections.

Theo[_3_] March 24th 21 09:44 PM

Fusebox burn out.
 
Andy Burns wrote:
Fredxx wrote:

It's not obvious if he's used 4mm cable?


In the leftmost MCB it does look fatter than the 2.5s on the ring circuits.
more
A few things which although not "wrong" do look like "my mate fitted it"
standard.

1) why fit a shower/cooker isolator for an EV charger?


I suppose there might come a time when you need to connect an external cable
run to an internal cable run, and an isolator seems like a useful thing to
have. I'm half tempted to put one in in advance of getting an EV, as it
means I can install a tidy internal cable run when doing other works.
Roughly like a FCU but with a bigger switch (and no fuse).
(and then go through the wall to a SWA termination box on the other side)

Something like:
https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/prod...e-rocker-white
hopefully wouldn't look like too much of a bodge?
(LGA Selectric have a similar one)

3) what's the extra black cable that's tyrap'ed to the flex? A lead to
a current monitoring transformer?


Possibly ethernet backhaul for a smart charger?

But mainly

4) it's managed to overhead terminals in both the CU and switch, most
likely due to loose connections.


Yep, that's what my money is on.

Theo


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