Blagdon Powersafe Switch box Ask questions and find answers to many subjects relating to electrics and electrical work

[Papa Boz]

I have a Blagdon Powersafe switch box in my garden for a filter and pump for my pond. I have power to it (the red standby light is on), but when I push a switch to turn either the pump or filter on all the red lights go out and neither the pump or filter work. Any ideas?

[ericmark]

I may be as simple as a blown fuse. When a fuse blows it can coat the inside with a thin layer of metal able to conduct enough to light a neon but little else.

The same for any other break and unplugging and re-plugging all connections is also worth while.

I am assuming you don't have to re-set anything?

Loss of a neutral could cause this as the inductance and capacitance link with the earth wire may be enough to light neon.

[Papa Boz]

I may be as simple as a blown fuse. When a fuse blows it can coat the inside with a thin layer of metal able to conduct enough to light a neon but little else.

The same for any other break and unplugging and re-plugging all connections is also worth while.

I am assuming you don't have to re-set anything?

Loss of a neutral could cause this as the inductance and capacitance link with the earth wire may be enough to light neon.

Cheers for that mate. I'd changed the fuses before posting and I've undone and redone all the connections and and the pump and filter still aren't working.

The only re-sets I can think are the trips on the RCD and they're OK.

I don't think I've lost a neutral, I put a test screwdriver on it and it lit up.

If there's anything else you can think of mate, feel free.

Thanks again mate.

[ericmark]

[quote="Papa Boz"]
I don't think I've lost a neutral, I put a test screwdriver on it and it lit up.
[/quote]
This is why I said lost neutral. The neon tester will only test the Line wires.

The typical neon screwdriver will show when there has been an error, and has warned many when disconnecting wires when they have a borrowed neutral, or when some one has re-energised a circuit. But their use is very limited.

You should never use one to test with. You need a device that uses two connections.

In the typical UK domestic supply the neutral is at some point outside the premises bonded to earth. This means to test you need a Line or Phase to measure against.

There has been on another forum a long debate about the Blagdon Powersafe system many consider the claims the company make about not requiring Part P registration are false.

As Electricians we use expensive meters to test an installation to ensure the cable is not too long and if there is a fault the system will auto disconnect. (i.e. Fuse will blow) What worries many electricians is the way the Blagdon Powersafe system can be added to. And it is possible to have far too long a system.

Yours is not the first to say how they have failed. With Line or Neutral of course it stops working so fails safe. But should the same sort of fault develop in the earth then and second fault could be lethal.

I think that Part P is making people use extension leads rather than doing a proper job and although the theory was good the LABC charges have resulted in it being a failure.

I would say get an Electrician to check it and see what he says. Likely he will say rip it out and fit a proper system.

[Papa Boz]

I don't think I've lost a neutral, I put a test screwdriver on it and it lit up.

This is why I said lost neutral. The neon tester will only test the Line wires.

The typical neon screwdriver will show when there has been an error, and has warned many when disconnecting wires when they have a borrowed neutral, or when some one has re-energised a circuit. But their use is very limited.

You should never use one to test with. You need a device that uses two connections.

In the typical UK domestic supply the neutral is at some point outside the premises bonded to earth. This means to test you need a Line or Phase to measure against.

There has been on another forum a long debate about the Blagdon Powersafe system many consider the claims the company make about not requiring Part P registration are false.

As Electricians we use expensive meters to test an installation to ensure the cable is not too long and if there is a fault the system will auto disconnect. (i.e. Fuse will blow) What worries many electricians is the way the Blagdon Powersafe system can be added to. And it is possible to have far too long a system.

Yours is not the first to say how they have failed. With Line or Neutral of course it stops working so fails safe. But should the same sort of fault develop in the earth then and second fault could be lethal.

I think that Part P is making people use extension leads rather than doing a proper job and although the theory was good the LABC charges have resulted in it being a failure.

I would say get an Electrician to check it and see what he says. Likely he will say rip it out and fit a proper system.

It sorted now mate, I'd lost neutral. There was a bad connection in the RCD, once that was done it all worked sweet as.

Thanks again mate.