Fault

Moved sockets and everything was fine then the plaster came and we was working by a fuse spur and then it tripped and wouldn’t come back on I fixed that and everything was okay for 2 days now the MCB is on but there’s no power at the socket not sure if it’s jusy a faulty MCB, if anyone can help would be appreciated 

I'm guessing that wet plaster  or plasterer's   trowel  shorted the spur in the first instance . 

1)  So are the moved sockets fed via the spur ?

2)  Do you have any mains testers ?

3)  Do you  have any electrical knowledge?

4) Have you checked connections & fuse  in the spur?

What did you do to fix the first fault?

And answers to above are crucial.

I replaced the fuse spur it was covered in plaster 

Evans Electric said:

I'm guessing that wet plaster  or plasterer's   trowel  shorted the spur in the first instance . 

1)  So are the moved sockets fed via the spur ?

2)  Do you have any mains testers ?

3)  Do you  have any electrical knowledge?

4) Have you checked connections & fuse  in the spur?

Click to expand...

Yeah I’ve just Come out my time, no the sockets and spur and the rest of the sockets are fed from the one MCB, I’ve only got continuity testers, yeah the connections are fine on the spur 

Back to basics then .  

You NEED a mains  tester .

Switch the MCB on , is there any voltage at the top terminal ?  

Is the MCB  properly clamped to the bus bar finger? 

Has an RCD tripped ? 

Are the cables connected properly at the top of the MCB? 

What does this spur actually do ?  

If there was voltage at the MCB  , why isn't it there at the sockets ?  

Theres  a break between the MCB and the socket ...  I hate plasterers so it must be his fault . 

You really need a mains tester .    

Edit:   

With only a continuity tester , switch off the board , test continuity from bus bar to top of MCB .

At socket  connect L to E   and test at board between L & E   , ten with N   etc 

Time for some more test gear. A voltage tester is really really really important. Without one, how do you test for dead?

Bobbyb95 said:

Yeah I’ve just Come out my time, no the sockets and spur and the rest of the sockets are fed from the one MCB, I’ve only got continuity testers, yeah the connections are fine on the spur 

Click to expand...

So if you only have a continuity tester, and you have just come out of your time, you will fully understand the concepts of dead-testing, R1+R2 and polarity tests. AS such you should have more than enough knowledge and skill to fully test every aspect of continuity around the whole circuit thus identifying any breaks at any point in the circuit. You will of course also know that you need to test the Insulation Resistance of the circuit to ensure no cable damage. If there is a dead short anywhere, (that your testing should have identified), this could quite easily damage the internal working of the MCB. But you can of course verify continuity through the MCB with the power off. I am assuming you are also aware that a faulty circuit could appear to work fine for weeks or months before a damaged or faulty connection finaly fails. So without the full testing prescribed by BS7671 you cannot actually  say something is fine just because there appears to be power there working for a few days.

Doc H.   

I’ve tested the cables and there’s is no breaks in the cable each cable is belling out the problems seem to have happened since the plaster had done his work, today the MCB was on and the RCD too but there was now power at the sockets 

Evans Electric said:

Back to basics then .  

You NEED a mains  tester .

Switch the MCB on , is there any voltage at the top terminal ?  

Is the MCB  properly clamped to the bus bar finger? 

Has an RCD tripped ? 

Are the cables connected properly at the top of the MCB? 

What does this spur actually do ?  

If there was voltage at the MCB  , why isn't it there at the sockets ?  

Theres  a break between the MCB and the socket ...  I hate plasterers so it must be his fault . 

You really need a mains tester .    

Edit:   

With only a continuity tester , switch off the board , test continuity from bus bar to top of MCB .

At socket  connect L to E   and test at board between L & E   , ten with N   etc 

Click to expand...

 The cables on the MCB were connected right, the RCD did oriaginy trip but then I put the breakers back on it stayed on but there was no power at the sockets 

Bobbyb95 said:

I’ve tested the cables and there’s is no breaks in the cable each cable is belling out the problems seem to have happened since the plaster had done his work, today the MCB was on and the RCD too but there was now power at the sockets 

 The cables on the MCB were connected right, the RCD did oriaginy trip but then I put the breakers back on it stayed on but there was no power at the sockets 

Click to expand...

Ignore the red-herring of the plasterer and just do the correct dead tests as per BS7671. (note belling-out is not a method/phrase used within the wiring regs.) What are your IR test results and continuity test results. These will be measured in MegOhms and Ohms, Not bells-out Ok!. Have you re-done all of the correct dead tests SINCE the power failed following the plasterer. The problem you are describing is absolute bottom-end simple basics on the testing and fault finding scale. It sounds to me that ether your testing device is faulty or you are not using it correctly.

Doc H.

How are you testing at the socket that tells you theres no power  ?   

You must be plugging something in  I presume ...having no mains tester . ?

Did you do the continuity test across the MCB  ?    You belled out the cable,   you didn't  mention the MCB.     Replace the MCB with another from the board .