Circuit breakers going bang

[mybrainhurts]

An elderly acquaintance has asked a question I can't answer, as my house circuit is prehistoric.

These 'ere new fangled circuit breaker box things....

If a light bulb pops..

(a) Should a breaker trip?

(b) If so, should it trip with a loud bang?

[anonymous-user]

(a) Sometimes
(b) Not normally! Me thinks you need a sparky to investigate the wiring. Sounds like a short to earth or neutral somewhere.

[agent006]

Define loud? A breaker tripping will be louder than a fuse wire blowing. Put it in a cheap plastic box in the corner of a silent room and it can seem quite loud.

[mybrainhurts]

I believe it's under the stairs in a cupboard. She clapped her hands with gusto and sais it was as loud as that when she wasn't in close proximity.

Doesn't sound right to me.

[dbfan]

Ours is in the understairs cupboard too and I think the empty space makes a good "sound chamber" to amplify the noise. I've heard the breaker trip before I've realised the power has failed (or, on one occasion, realised that the bulb had blown!).

There might be a test button somewhere on the box. I noticed ours last month and it had instructions that it should be tested monthly (or some quite short frequency). Ours has been in since before Part P regs (the electrician hadn't got Part P and retired rather than take the course) and last month's test was the first time I had tested it!

I'd try the test button and see what sort of a racket it makes when you are beside the unit - they can be quite loud as they flick over very quickly, but if you are unsure, get a qualified electrician to check - though don't expect them to do it FOC!

[mybrainhurts]

dbfan said:

don't expect them to do it FOC!

...oh, my aching bloody ribs...

[MOTORVATOR]

You could both just turn your hearing aids down a tad.

[mybrainhurts]

Pardon..?

[dbfan]

mybrainhurts said:

...oh, my aching bloody ribs...

It wasn't a dig at you but my heating engineer friend is a time served sparky and couldn't make it pay for the small jobs that people wanted him to do (he makes enough to work a lot less in the heating trade). One job he was often asked to do was to swap a single socket for a double. People thought he was ripping them off when he asked for £25 to do the job (20 years ago) as it didn't take long and parts were cheap (a fiver or so for socket and back box). They never considered that he might have to drive 20+ miles to get to the job (or the time it took to get there)! He did have some good jobs too - but all heavy industry stuff that really needed two or three people.

He called yesterday and was saying someone had come to get something for a boiler they were repairing and then asked if he could go on a few jobs with my friend as he wasn't really a heating expert and needed to learn so he could expand his own business. I gather there were a few choice words spoken!!

[hidetheelephants]

dbfan said:

He called yesterday and was saying someone had come to get something for a boiler they were repairing and then asked if he could go on a few jobs with my friend as he wasn't really a heating expert and needed to learn so he could expand his own business. I gather there were a few choice words spoken!!

Did he ask to get a tumble with your mate's missus as well?

[dbfan]

hidetheelephants said:

Did he ask to get a tumble with your mate's missus as well?

He may be stupid, but he's not THAT stupid...

Though, to be honest, she isn't unattractive!!

[Simpo Two]

mybrainhurts said:

If a light bulb pops..

(a) Should a breaker trip?

(b) If so, should it trip with a loud bang?

Mine trip most times a lamp blows and has done quite happily for 25 years. I don't hear it as the box is in the WC.

[Vipers]

Could the noise just be the breaker tripping? Nothing else to go bang really.

Mine often trip when a lamp blows.

[mybrainhurts]

Thanks, folks. I think I'll have to go round and listen to her banging....

[Simpo Two]

Trip switches are spring-loaded, and balanced over-centre if you know what I mean. Hence they can fly up with quite a snap.

[mybrainhurts]

Simpo Two said:

they can fly up with quite a snap.

I remember the days when I had that problem...

[Vipers]

mybrainhurts said:

Thanks, folks. I think I'll have to go round and listen to her banging....

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm........

[mybrainhurts]

Goes like a train, by all accounts...

[Vipers]

mybrainhurts said:

Goes like a train, by all accounts...

Is Richard Branson involved?

[mybrainhurts]

Wouldn't be surprised, he has a finger in everything....