Problems With Electricity Supply.

[Tilly2]

Last night, I put the dishwasher on just before I went to bed. An hour later, the electricity was cut off and the switch in the fuse box that relates to the kitchen was down in the 'off' position. Mr T switched off the dishwasher, mid cycle and put the fuse switch back to 'on'.

This morning I switched the dishwasher back on and ten minutes later the same thing happened. I had to keep switching on the fuse switch in order to get the dishwasher cycle finished. I must have visited the fuse box at least eight times before the dishwasher had finished.

I am currently using the oven and the same thing has happened except this time, the whole house switched off, then twenty seconds later the house electricity came back on but not the kitchen electricity. Again, I switched on the 'off' fuse'.

I have turned off all the sockets that I can. Is it safe to just keep switching the fuse box switch on, every time it cuts out? Arrrrrrrrghhhhhh!

[thelewisgang]

What did the electrician say? Hope it is all back to normal now

[Old_Geezer]

He said, "It isn't six yet darlin' "

[Tilly2]

It's a long story.
The electrician didn't come, TLG. He wanted to do a telephone diagnosis which meant me switching on each appliance separately to see which one was tripping the switch. I told him it was any and all but he kept trying to get me to fiddle about with the fuse box. I refused to do that and told him I needed him to come to the house and he said he'd see what he could do. An hour later his office rang and said he wouldn't be able to come until Monday. I told them to &*%$$ it and got on the phone to Homeserve and played merry hell with them. I am still waiting for a phone call from them to arrange a new appointment.

[Old_Geezer]

:-(
That's not what I call taking care of it !

[Tilly2]

Nor me, OG.

No one can come tonight. An appointment has been made for Monday morning but they will try to find someone who might be able to come out during the weekend.

I might be just as well calling a local electrician. We pay Homeserve £41.00 a month for this 'service'! I am spitting feathers. Chippy tonight and tommorrow and Sunday, probably. Spit, spit, spit, spit!

[thelewisgang]

That is dreadful Tilly. How can they leave you with defective electricity till Monday. Unbelievable & I would have also been very annoyed indeed

[Tilly2]

When this is over and done with, I am going to tell them that they can shove their service cover up their drainpipe.

Homeserve/Anglian Water

[Tilly2]

What can I do, Divebuddy?

I shall complain, in writing, once it's all fixed.

[The Builder]

I would imagine it's a dishwasher fault, Tilly. Unplug it completely (just switching it off may not help.) Then try the kitchen circuit again.

As far as the supply disconnecting temporarily... possibly a mains supply fault, but quite rare. Most worrying possibility is a loose connection in the Consumer Unit. More common than you might think.

For this reason alone, I would strongly recommend that an electrician checks it all out.

Telephone diagnosis is very difficult. There are so many reasons for rogue faults to occur. Mostly trivial, but serious none the less.

[Islay]

Tilly the art of complaining is not to rant, as I am sure many of the educated persons on here will tell you.

Keep it to the point, tell them their failures, what it has cost you for take outs, what you want to happen because of this complaint and what will happen if you don't receive what you want.

[Tilly2]

Thanks, Builder and Islay.

Builder, I am afraid to turn on the kitchen circuit again because twice today, when I did that, the whole house supply went off. After about two minutes the house supply came back on again.

I am afraid of ending up with no electricity at all and being unable to do anything about it.

[EDDIE51]

I agree with The Builder. It is looking like a fault in the consumer unit itself.
I am astounded that you can't get an electrician out, I would class it as an emergency!

[tamborine]

Get a private electrician in & sue Homeserve for the costs.

[Tilly2]

New consumer unit fitted today. It was a problem with the main switch which had 'burned out'. Spot on, The Builder and Tambo! Well done.

It has been a really horrible three days. Initially, we had some electricity in parts of the house but since Friday we have had none. It has been a long, cold, boring, rotten, stinking three days but we're all fixed now. :))))))))

[Tilly2]

Sorry, I meant Eddie. Thank you too.

[melv16]

Yayyyy. What did you do to keep warm ;-)

[Tilly2]

Put an extra jumper on, what else, Melv?

[melv16]

I have thought your onesie would put in an appearance :-)