What could be causing my boiler fuse to blow.
What could be causing my boiler fuse to blow.
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Discussion

Legacywr

Original Poster:

13,581 posts

204 months

Wednesday 16th July
quotequote all
What could be causing the fused spur to my boiler to keep blowing? I mean as soon as put a replacement in frown

I’m in the process of having a new bathroom fitted which means 2 things, could this have caused it somehow? Secondly, I haven’t required hot water for 10 days, so it might have been like it for a while?


RustyNissanPrairie

260 posts

11 months

Wednesday 16th July
quotequote all
Diverter valve or main pump seized. Try running the boiler on central heating with no hot water running and see if it blows the fuse, then turn the CH off and run the hot tap....and see if the fuse blows.

Regbuser

5,649 posts

51 months

Wednesday 16th July
quotequote all
This sort of situation is what a Megger is made for.
Disconnect the cable from the DB and the boiler connection, and insulation test the cable, L1 -N, L1-E, N-E.
Then put it on resistance reading and carry out the same, to see what the passive resistances are.
If the bathroom work has interfered with the cable, then there's your fault.
It may mean digging the cable out as someone has inadvertently nicked it and water has penetrated.
Replace the cable, don't bodge it with sealant or tape..
Or, as they're loved on here, put in a JB with wago connectors.
Retest.
Then if the cable is good, investigate the supply side - with the DB isolated. Any small creature or moisture damage to the affected CPD?
Also what is the type of circuit protective device; is it an actual cartridge fuse? Is it a BS1363 plug and socket?
If that's all good, and the cable is fine, then that points to the boiler PCB. They can track down to earth for all sorts of reasons, especially if you keep whacking new fuses in!

Oh, and RNP has made some good points ref. the HW/CH marshalling box and circuits, separate and test these.

Edited by Regbuser on Wednesday 16th July 18:51

OutInTheShed

11,555 posts

42 months

Wednesday 16th July
quotequote all
You could consider disconnecting the power wiring at the boiler and either terminating it safely in a choc bloc or similar or wiring in a simple light bulb perhaps,
If the fuse still blows the fault is in the wiring in the wall not the boiler.

Take photos of the wiring before disconnecting anything so you can put it back together correctly.
OTOH, if have to ask, pay a sparks to look at it!

You could check the fuses you are using are the correct rating!

eskidavies

5,685 posts

175 months

Thursday 17th July
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It’s a regular Heat only boiler there’s no pump or diverter in there these will be external

Rough101

2,717 posts

91 months

Thursday 17th July
quotequote all
Has it an external stat/ controller?

If so, find the wiring diagram and disconnect it at the boiler end, the cable might be damaged by the works.

If it is, upgrade to a hive/nest type thing and forget about the damaged cable.

Anything else is an internal boiler fault.

Legacywr

Original Poster:

13,581 posts

204 months

Thursday 17th July
quotequote all
I spoke to the guy fitting my bathroom, first of all he said they hadn’t disturbed anything, then he phoned back when he remembered that he had.

He told me there’s a junction box in my loft, he saw a neutral wire connected to an earth, something he thought should never be, so he disconnected it…

He spoke to his electrician… who’s on holiday… who said it was probably there for a reason!

Just for reference, I have a Honeywell thermostat.

Rough101

2,717 posts

91 months

Thursday 17th July
quotequote all
Legacywr said:
I spoke to the guy fitting my bathroom, first of all he said they hadn t disturbed anything, then he phoned back when he remembered that he had.

He told me there s a junction box in my loft, he saw a neutral wire connected to an earth, something he thought should never be, so he disconnected it

He spoke to his electrician who s on holiday who said it was probably there for a reason!

Just for reference, I have a Honeywell thermostat.
Yeah, sounds like the installer ran out of cores and tape colours.

Watchthis

402 posts

78 months

Thursday 17th July
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A disconnected wire shouldn't cause a blown fuse. Unless the wire was live and is now shorting against something

finlo

3,940 posts

219 months

Thursday 17th July
quotequote all
Watchthis said:
A disconnected wire shouldn't cause a blown fuse. Unless the wire was live and is now shorting against something
Well I suppose that depends whether he then connected it to something else!

silversurfer1

924 posts

152 months

Thursday 17th July
quotequote all

1) pump
2) zone valve
3) fan (probably not on that boiler
4) leak shorting something out

visual inspection followed by disconnecting lives until it stops blowing

good luck

ss