Electricians- advice

[dryan]

Not great with electric so asking for advice from those in the know.

Last week whilst using the electric shower the house and electric on my road all went off for a few hours, no breaker tripped in my house.

This morning having a shower the lights flickered then went off then on then off again, house off completely. Thankfully I was finished showering

I checked the circuit breakers and nothing has tripped. Electricity has come back on now, but I’m wondering is there a coincidence or does this require further investigation by an electrician?

 

[bullet chucker]

Easy to ask neighbours what their situation is/was then go from there.

BC.

 

[Brad93]

Highly unlikely your shower is affecting the whole street.

 

[finnbear270]

Substation supply to your street interrupted, nothing to do with your property, your trips did not move, even when the returning surge of power arrived.

 

[HonestJohn]

.

 

[jb1]

I'd be wondering how big your shower is if it's tripping the sub

I mean, I thought 12kw was big but ???

 

[dryan]

8kw I think. As I said I’ve no clue with electrics

I didn’t think was shower but coincidence is odd, I assume from your responses that it’s not possible for a shower pulling that to trip a breaker on the grid but the house breakers remain untripped.

 

[finnbear270]

8Kw .... Almost three average kettles

 

[Rake Aboot]

Switching issues
I’d bet your neighbours experienced the same thing

 

[jb1]

8kw I think. As I said I’ve no clue with electrics

I didn’t think was shower but coincidence is odd, I assume from your responses that it’s not possible for a shower pulling that to trip a breaker on the grid but the house breakers remain untripped.

That's a small shower or not the biggest available, but as mentioned it's got to be something outside your supply. Your main fuse will be either 80 or 100A I bet
I would not worry.

 

[muddy42]

RCDs (standard since 1997 or so) protect your wiring and you from electrocution. These are specifically helpful for electrical stuff in wet areas like showers, compared to standard breakers that went before. I think they detect 'leaks' of electricity both to the ground/earth and to the neutral wire or an imbalance between the two. RCDs are extremely sensitive and effective. To give you an example I once spilled a full kettle of water on an RCD-protected 4 way extension cable - the RCD tripped before the fuse in the plug could blow. I'm not an electrician but I'm confident this is an external issue. If you had a problem in your house the RCDs would have tripped.

 

[Swedish]

8Kw .... Almost three average kettles

Quite light these days, many above 10KW now.

 

[finnbear270]

Quite light these days, many above 10KW now.

Don't tell her indoors.

 

[charlie222]

As others have said, it looks external, speak to your neighbours to find out. The other possibility is you've a loose connection somewhere before the fuse box on your tails. If you're using a high load appliance such as a shower, that loose connection heats up and can cause symptoms similar to what you're seeing. You'd probably smell it but it's a possibility.

 

[dryan]

Neighbour lost power too. Electric was off for half an hour. We are quite rural and it coincided with a period of heavy rain-perhaps this caused it. Thanks to all who replied and have allayed my fears!

 

[PMA]

Sounds very much like an incoming supply issue if your neighbour was out too ,
(I am a sparky !)

 

[dryan]

Sounds very much like an incoming supply issue if your neighbour was out too ,
(I am a sparky !)

Yep, didn’t fry in the shower this morning

 

[Hollowlegs]

.

 

[HonestJohn]

If you don’t know, it’s from Poltergeist

 

[Hollowlegs]

.

If you don’t know, it’s from Poltergeist

Hi, yes I did know, hence the shocked face, if he wasn’t worried he is now