[Help] Electricians - is this ok?

[HeaviestTed]

Our lights were tripping the rcbo, we have a home emergency thing with our insurance so called them who sent an electrician, he had a Quick Look and then bypassed the rcbo so the lights stayed on for an hour and so then turned off, we called them back out and he had a look around and said “there are mice in the loft” then the home emergency people called the pest control who are visiting. The electrician said that they weren’t coming back as it wasn’t covered.

I went in the loft and found a mouse chewed wire that was burnt and I’m thinking could have caused a fire.

Should the electrician have downgraded the rcbo? It feels like that in itself could have caused a fire?

I’m getting someone to replace the cable and put the rcbo back (and the pest control are dealing with the mouse!)

 

[wunt be druv]

He/she should NEVER bypass an RCD, they are there for a reason....safety and to prevent fire.

 

[HeaviestTed]

He/she should NEVER bypass an RCD, they are there for a reason....safety and to prevent fire.

He said he just downgraded it from rcbo to something else maybe mcb but he talked very quickly!

 

[wunt be druv]

He said he just downgraded it from rcbo to something else maybe mcb but he talked very quickly!

If any over current protection device is tripping it is because there is a fault, it is what they are designed to do, I personally would have disconnected that particular circuit and investigated why it was tripping, if there is sign of any damage to a cable leave the power off until it is repaired or replaced.

 

[HeaviestTed]

If any over current protection device is tripping it is because there is a fault, it is what they are designed to do, I personally would have disconnected that particular circuit and investigated why it was tripping, if there is sign of any damage to a cable leave the power off until it is repaired or replaced.

Thanks it has been repaired properly now, thinking I might complain to the company

 

[wunt be druv]

Thanks it has been repaired properly now, thinking I might complain to the company

Absolutely, keep that bit of burnt cable to show them to prove your point, FFS! I don't want to alarm you but that burnt cable had the potential to start a fire. Good luck and I hope all is good now!