Vary stupid electrical questiom

[chenderson1965]

Hi all.

I just am preparing my van for going away and just plugged it into the mains. When I plugged in the mains plug to our home socket there was a bit of a flash.

Going to the van the fridge now won’t work on 240 V. I’ve had a look at the mains fuse breaker - but can’t tell which way is off and which is on. All of the switches have a “1 “ in the up position and a “0” in the down position. Which means on?

I’ve tried the switch in both positions, and neither seems to be allowing the fridge to operate. Any other ideas about what might be wrong? Thanks.

Chris

 

[sonny]

1 on
0 off

 

[Odd-no-more]

Up is on for the switch. If there was a flash it looks as if the 240 side of the fridge has blown, most likely the element and it may have damaged the board too if it has one. You need to have it checked, does it work on gas?

 

[chenderson1965]

Thanks. I figured that out and “I” was on and that’s what position it is in.

I’m not sure but it seems like there is no 240 to the van at all. I need to go in and check with one of the sockets but the LED on the air-conditioning which usually comes on with 240 doesn’t appear to be on either. Any ideas why the whole van might be dead?

I’ll also give it a try properly on gas shortly when I have a little time.

Thanks a lot.

Chris

 

[Gellyneck]

Was the flash in the van or at the plug with plugging in?
If the later has the fuse blown?

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[chenderson1965]

Was the flash in the van or at the plug with plugging in?
If the later has the fuse blown?

At the house mains plug. Good thought. Thanks. I’ll try that.

 

[jongood]

At the house mains plug. Good thought. Thanks. I’ll try that.

Have you tried the breaker in the underfloor locker chris?

 

[Gellyneck]

At the house mains plug. Good thought. Thanks. I’ll try that.

We await outcome with bated breath!
Fingers crossed that's all it is but you'll need to investigate why it blew.
Is it an external 13A socket you were plugging into? If so, water ingress? Had to replace ours a couple of weeks ago and was well p**d off that supplier refused warranty claim after 26 years!.

 

[chenderson1965]

If you mean the one that looks a little like a small house mains fuse board with trip switches then yes. That’s the one I was unsure if the legends on.

 

[Landy Andy]

Start with the fuse board in the house is that ok?
is there power at the socket?
is there power at the end of the ehu lead?
then fuse board in Moho, is that on if not turn off breakers then turn on, then turn each breaker on and see if I trips again.

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[Silver-Fox]

Sometimes it looks like the trip switch is on even though it isn’t.

I always flick them off totally then switch back on.

There should be some resistance when you switch it back on.

 

[Pausim]

You.are probably asking too much of a 13A plug. Change the fuse in the plug and turn off everything in van before reconnecting. Turn things on gradually.

 

[chenderson1965]

Start with the fuse board in the house is that ok?
is there power at the socket?
is there power at the end of the ehu lead?
then fuse board in Moho, is that on if not turn off breakers then turn on, then turn each breaker on and see if I trips again.

Thanks. Logical process. I’ll give it a go!

 

[bigtwin]

There should be some resistance when you switch it back on.

If there’s some resistance, the contacts are probably burnt?

Ian

PS, chenderson1965 , the above is intended as a joke and should not detract from the sensible responses provided by others.

 

[Silver-Fox]

If there’s some resistance, the contacts are probably burnt?

Nope it’s like a bit sprung loaded
It’s what creats the energy to trip off

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[jongood]

You.are probably asking too much of a 13A plug. Change the fuse in the plug and turn off everything in van before reconnecting. Turn things on gradually.

13 amp is what I run mine on, they will run on 5 as long as the heating isnt on

 

[jongood]

If you mean the one that looks a little like a small house mains fuse board with trip switches then yes. That’s the one I was unsure if the legends on.

Is the red light on the charger next to it lit?

If no its mains into the mh. I would check the house end and if that isnt right have a look at the connections in the plugs on the EHU?

 

[Silver-Fox]

13 amp is what I run mine on, they will run on 5 as long as the heating isnt on

Same as that, I don’t run the boiler off the 13 amp but everything else is ie fridge, lights etc

 

[jongood]

Same as that, I don’t run the boiler off the 13 amp but everything else is ie fridge, lights etc

Thats a useful function on the Alde 3010 onwards allows you to pick your input 1,2 or 3 kw, if we re on a 10amp I leave it on 1KW and it will build up hot water.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Thats a useful function on the Alde 3010 onwards allows you to pick your input 1,2 or 3 kw, if we re on a 10amp I leave it on 1KW and it will build up hot water.

This is whilst we are packing ready for a trip.

I probably could run the boiler up but it’s more efficient on gas

Alde seems like a good system

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[RustyRuss]

Did you see a flash at the plug/socket when you plugged in on the house socket? If yes then it’s virtually guaranteed that you’ve blown the 13amp fuse in the plug. Switch off every breaker on the 240v fuse board in the MoHo, switch off the main on/off on the 240v fuse board in the MoHo. Replace the fuse in the EHU supply lead plug, Check that all the terminals are tight and that the restraining strap at the exit from the plug is gripping the cable properly, re-assemble it. Check the house socket is still providing power, plug a hairdryer or a light fitting in to it. Plug the EHU lead in and switch the main on/off switch to on in the MoHo fuseboard. Now switch on each breaker in turn, pausing for a few seconds between each switch on. If a breaker won’t switch on or the main on/off trips then it’s likely that you have a problem with the wiring in the van. If the RCD trips (either in the house or in the MoHo) then you have a problem with SOMETHING THAT IS PLUGGED IN TO THE CIRCUIT YOU’VE JUST SWITCHED ON. Like the fridge, or a light fitting or a phone charger or something else that’s an accessory that’s plugged in to the circuit. If you have any problems after this feel free to pm me.

Happy Hunting!

Russ

 

[RustyRuss]

PS I’m a spark by trade!!

 

[jongood]

This is whilst we are packing ready for a trip.

I probably could run the boiler up but it’s more efficient on gas

Alde seems like a good system

Its very efficient and warms the whole vehicle nicely even when running if you have the engine heat exchanger. My only criticsm is its slower to respond - if you come in from a walk cold it takes a good hour before you get anything out of it.

 

[jongood]

PS I’m a spark by trade!!

He's gone all quiet, hopefully found the problem and off down the road

 

[Silver-Fox]

He's gone all quiet, hopefully found the problem and off down the road

Or electrocuted himself

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[Silver-Fox]

Its very efficient and warms the whole vehicle nicely even when running if you have the engine heat exchanger. My only criticsm is its slower to respond - if you come in from a walk cold it takes a good hour before you get anything out of it.

I could live with that.

We have blown air that can be a bit hit and mis.

 

[chenderson1965]

Thanks everyone. I’m no electrical expert, but I think I may have found the problem!

Really don’t know what happened to the fuse – the lead was working fine a couple of weeks ago so it must’ve got dislodged and fallen out somewhere.

 

[Silver-Fox]

View attachment 404126
Thanks everyone. I’m no electrical expert, but I think I may have found the problem!

Really don’t know what happened to the fuse – the lead was working fine a couple of weeks ago so it must’ve got dislodged and fallen out somewhere.

Can I suggest you change the plug for a new one

Why the flash then

 

[Ingwe]

Or electrocuted himself

Maybe he's just busy trying out all the things suggested to him.

What's black and hangs from the ceiling? An amateur electrician.

 

[Gellyneck]

View attachment 404126
Thanks everyone. I’m no electrical expert, but I think I may have found the problem!

Really don’t know what happened to the fuse – the lead was working fine a couple of weeks ago so it must’ve got dislodged and fallen out somewhere.

Not easy to dislodge. More like somebody needed a 13A fuse and removed the fuse carrier and forgot to replace it! If you've got another plug with a fuse carrier in it you could try that (fitted with a 13A fuse) alternatively cut off existing moulded plug and fit a new one.
As Silver-Fox says surprised you got a flash without a fuse \ carrier fitted.

ps have you checked the socket you plugged it into to see if the carrier is "welded" to that?

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