Fuse box clicking

Ole Rodrigo

Thought I'd get the forums opinion before contacting an Electrician.

There's a clicking noise coming from the fuse board in the apartment. Its also coming from the main fuse box servicing the apartment block. It happens sporadically...sometimes not for days and sometimes plenty all at once. Doesnt seem to be a cause, ie, it will happen when there aren't many devices drawing power, and also when for example, the oven is on along with hob and tv , computer etc etc.

I guess I'm hoping its something straightforward that wont cost a fortune, but if not so be it.

BrianDug

Could be a fault relay? (~cheap)
Fault Bell or timer?

If you took a picture of inside the board it would be easier to give ideas. I am sure you will get better suggestions shortly.

Ole Rodrigo

Pic attached with door removed. Just a clicking , tripping noise coming from somewhere in there, at random intervals.

Sir Arthur Daley

I would be blaming the contactor, bottom row on the rhs.

BrianDug

Would agree with Sir Arthur

Most probable that its the relay/contactor on the bottom right.

They are not too expensive if that is the problem.

Do you have some sort of timer for your storage heating? The contactor on the bottom right is like a mechanical switch that is controlled by something like a timer. The contactor clicks "in" and its "on" and pops "out" when its off (usually - depends on type of contactor).

So if you had a say faulty timer it would cause the contactor to give problems so keep that in mind.

Par1

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

I would be blaming the contactor, bottom row on the rhs.

Totally Agree....id look at that first also

Par1

Pardon me for saying but the enclosure looks in pretty poor state for 1998?..then again it probably just the photo. The missing MCB blanks could do with being filled in for safety and to keep dust/bugs out etc.

Par1

You could trip the 6a breaker on the bottom until you get it looked at if you liked, that should turn off supply to the contactors coil.

2011

You may find that a room thermostat controls the contractor. Slowly adjust the stat all the way up and then all the way down. You may find that the contractor switches at a certain point (known as the set point).

Sometimes a thermostat can cause a contractor to click in & out quite a bit when the temperature is close to the set point. Perhaps your stat is faulty (low hysteresis). A new stat may solve this.

Ole Rodrigo

Thats great - thanks for the help guys. Ive logged a call on tradesman.ie for someone to take a look.

Par81 - I'll mention that to the guy when he comes. I did read there shouldnt be any exposed wires in the box so yeah it should be filled I guess. There is a door covering it so not too bad.

Par1

ror_74 wrote: »

Thats great - thanks for the help guys. Ive logged a call on tradesman.ie for someone to take a look.

Par81 - I'll mention that to the guy when he comes. I did read there shouldnt be any exposed wires in the box so yeah it should be filled I guess. There is a door covering it so not too bad.

Exactly and it wont cost a lot to infill MCB voids, also mention what 2011 recommended - good advice.

Best of luck with it !

Iderown

2011 wrote: »

You may find that a room thermostat controls the contractor. ...
Sometimes a thermostat can cause a contractor to click in & out quite a bit when the temperature is close to the set point. Perhaps your stat is faulty (low hysteresis). A new stat may solve this.

Some types of room thermostat feature an "accelerator" which switches every few seconds as the temperature approaches the set point. An internal "heating resistor" does this and the thermostat requires a neutral connection to enable the action. One such make is the Danfoss RMT230.
[An aside - this relatively rapid switching caused no end of problems when we had a wood pellet central heating boiler. The boiler ignition element had a very short life.]

2011

Iderown wrote: »

Some types of room thermostat feature an "accelerator" which switches every few seconds as the temperature approaches the set point. An internal "heating resistor" does this and the thermostat requires a neutral connection to enable the action. One such make is the Danfoss RMT230.
[An aside - this relatively rapid switching caused no end of problems when we had a wood pellet central heating boiler. The boiler ignition element had a very short life.]

Rapid switchibg is not a compatible with storage heating.