Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
I'm wondering if I can pick the brains of the CC DIY-savvy collective, as I'm a touch out of my depth when it comes to electrics, and the friend who normally helps me out with things is currently shielding again due to Omicron.
Anyways, the last few days, the lights in the house have been running on the dim side. The best way to explain it is that I've taken all the bulbs out and replaced them with ones of a lower wattage. This applies to ceiling lights as well as lights that are plugged in via sockets. And the kitchen strip light is taking an age to start.
I've three circuits for lights and a separate one for sockets, so whatever it is, it's affecting everything, not just a single circuit.
A light bulb failed in the sitting room on Thursday, but I believe this to be coincidental.
I live out in the boonies, and some days the electric isn't great - usually at times of peak demand. But it's never gone on for this long. I've chatted with my above mentioned friend via messenger, and he suggests either an issue with the fuse box itself or an external supply issue.
The fuse box in the house is one of the old style ones, btw. There's one small box where the supply cable comes into the house with an on-off switch, and then a cable goes from there into two separate boxes, each also with an on-off switch. One, I'm not sure what it does as I've never opened it, the other has the fuses for the three light circuits, the cooker, the sockets and one other thing I can't remember.
I'm also convinced the lights in the garage and utility room aren't running at full capacity either - and they have their own separate supply and fuse box. The latter is one of the newer types. Or maybe I'm just really being paranoid and seeing things...
Anyways, what do you folks think? What should be my next port of call - UK Power Networks, the bods I pay the bills to (Eon) or an electrician?
Anyways, the last few days, the lights in the house have been running on the dim side. The best way to explain it is that I've taken all the bulbs out and replaced them with ones of a lower wattage. This applies to ceiling lights as well as lights that are plugged in via sockets. And the kitchen strip light is taking an age to start.
I've three circuits for lights and a separate one for sockets, so whatever it is, it's affecting everything, not just a single circuit.
A light bulb failed in the sitting room on Thursday, but I believe this to be coincidental.
I live out in the boonies, and some days the electric isn't great - usually at times of peak demand. But it's never gone on for this long. I've chatted with my above mentioned friend via messenger, and he suggests either an issue with the fuse box itself or an external supply issue.
The fuse box in the house is one of the old style ones, btw. There's one small box where the supply cable comes into the house with an on-off switch, and then a cable goes from there into two separate boxes, each also with an on-off switch. One, I'm not sure what it does as I've never opened it, the other has the fuses for the three light circuits, the cooker, the sockets and one other thing I can't remember.
I'm also convinced the lights in the garage and utility room aren't running at full capacity either - and they have their own separate supply and fuse box. The latter is one of the newer types. Or maybe I'm just really being paranoid and seeing things...
Anyways, what do you folks think? What should be my next port of call - UK Power Networks, the bods I pay the bills to (Eon) or an electrician?