Very tricky electrical problem

Dammij

Hi folks,

I'm hoping to get some advice on some weird electrical problems I'm having, so hopefully there are a few professional sparks around here!

The house is in Dublin, built in 1973, a typical three bed semi. The quality of the build left much to be desired!

Over the past ten years or so, two particular sockets in the kitchen would spark and bang when an appliance was plugged in or out.

It didn't happen too often, so (foolishly) we didn't take it too seriously!

It started to happen more often, so I replaced the sockets and things calmed down again.

Before Christmas, my wife got a mild shock from the kitchen sink (steel) and it became as regular as a few times a day!

Time for the professionals. We got a RECI guy in and he's very good. He made us safe, but to permanently fix the problem he needs some info.

Two things he found: One was a mouse under the sink was chewing through the cables exposing bare wires and two He reckons that

when the house was built, the builders put in the fuse board which goes to a junction box under the floor and at that point they reversed the polarity.

I've asked everywhere, the builders themselves, the Institute of Architects and a few others, but nobody can produce the original plans or tell me

where this junction box might be. Does anyone know of an archive or Government office where all plans are kept?

Just on the subject of the 'lekky' is there any way we could be "leaking" electricity the way you can have a water leak?

Comparing bills with the neighbours, ours are about double theirs, and yet we're super conscious about energy consumption, and have done

everything in our power to use as little as possible.

Any advice or tips very welcome!

kirk.

Theres too many questions to answer there really without seeing the place

The REC should be able to advise what remedial work or even a rewire needs doing

I wouldn't bother looking for plans

How old is the wiring?

MrMusician18

There is nowhere that you'll find drawings of your house that show the electrical wiring - to be honest it's unlikely that the drawings ever existed.

The only way to find this junction box is to trace the wires. If it's buried in the floor it's likely so difficult to not be worth the effort. You could ask neighbours if there are similar houses - I'd talk to those that have done renovation or deep retrofit recently or original owners if they are still around.

I'd just rewire that socket at a minimum, but if the quality is so low a general rewire might be in order.

rje66

I had some lads from irish water fixing a leak and they cut the water pipe at the footpath and pushed a wire through it, then with a scanner were able to trace the line of water pipe along the length of the driveway. Could this scanner or similar be used to find your cables under ground??

Just a thought...

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058279033/very-tricky-electrical-problem

I’d suspect you have a high loop impedance reading (no neutralised earth)

did your electrician do any tests

what readings did he give you

did he issue a notice of potential hazard

1973 house. 50years old. Possibly require a rewire

10-10-20

A lot of the T&E from back then is degrading anyway. The plasticiser in the PVC sheathing is separating off like an oil and pooling in sockets.

Dammij

Hi guys,

thanks for your comments, I'm very grateful that you gave the time to me.

Yeah, the wiring is original so I'd love to rewire, but old aged pensioner, seriously bad health, I think I'll

just break the news to my kids in my will!!!🤣🤣

The sparks used one of those socket testers that lights and beeps when there's a fault. He did issue a hazard notice.

He's due back in a couple of weeks, so we'll see if he's had any better luck with his colleagues!

Many thanks again friends!

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091625#Comment_120091625

Has he left you with reverse polarity

im more concerned about people getting shocks from metalwork

did he use proper test equipment or just a cheap socket tester

some of these cheaper socket testers indicate reverse polarity when in fact there’s no earth .see image

did he give you a figure for the loop impedance test reading (ring him and ask,post back)

post a photo of your meter and associated cables including the Esb main fuse

kirk.

Sounds more like proper test equipment MFT or loop tester if it's beeping

Realistically it's not worth wasting too much time and money checking the existing kitchen wiring

You'd have a new circuit and sockets wired in surface trunking in the same timeframe , depending on what else needs upgrading though too

Could be halfway to a full rewire by the time you get it sorted properly

Antenna

"Just on the subject of the 'lekky' is there any way we could be "leaking" electricity the way you can have a water leak?"

This is what an RCD will detect and it will trip off if its happening (any 'leaking' of significance)

Are your sockets on an RCD ??

kirk.

1973 could be pre-RCD if there's nothing done since

kirk.

Op would be better off spending the money on a rewire now

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120091625#Comment_120091625

Did you get to the bottom of this