Watch Your TNB Meter Fuse Carrier

Watch Your TNB Meter Incoming Supply Fuse Carrier



This happened to my TNB Meter Box at the early hours of Chrismas Day. After talking to people in the know, I found out that you can get better quality fuse carrier than the TNB stock type. The left Fuse Carrier survived the fire, where as the middle and right fuse carriers supplied by TNB caught fire. The LEFT side fuse carrier supplied power to my hifi system. I recently replaced the TNB supplied fuse carrier with this locally made one. Improved Sound Quality BUT more importantly SAFER. You should consider upgrading your existing TNB fuse carriers.

TNB should be commended for their excellent service in restoring my power supply within 14 hours, though only a temporary supply. I am now waiting for TNB to install a new meter and replace their incoming cable.

The fire started at the middle fuse. The fire was so intense that it melted a hole at the aluminum back plate and also a hole at the back of the stainless steel meter box . Luckily I keep a powder type fire extinguisher at home and the fire was put out very quickly.

A Good Lesson learned!

Dr,

Thanks a million for sharing. Quick questions, what caused this dreadful melt down? Any ideas? Also, where would one go to find these better fuses?

Many many thanks again, i wish you the best for New Year.

Bal,

I questioned the TNB technicians from the various groups who came to attend to my problem. It is not uncommon for the fuse carrier to catch fire. Several of TNB technicians admitted that the TNB fuse carriers are not ideal, for one their fuse carrier cannot take bigger size cable because the wire socket is too small.
I believe that the fire was caused by arcing due to loose fitting caused by time. I should have asked the electrician to tighten all the screws when they came to replace one of the fuse carrier two months ago.

Luckily this was not a serious fire and the meter was located outside my property.

There is a electrical test to determine if the electrical connection is tight or loose by measuring the low resistance. the lower the ohm reading the better is the connection. However this is very uncommon unless one specify the test. what is important here is to ensure the cables integrity from the meter to the DB is intact.

Water is another source that can give rise to such problems. however since fire had happened, I believe this is more of arcing due to loose contact.

To Bal, what is being mentioned here is the fuse carrier or the fuse holder or the fuse terminal.

Dr WHO,

Your picture scarred the hell out of me! I too use a dedicated phase for my music equipments which is also supplying two monster Industrial power stabiliser and Regulator.

In your post you said:-

1) Middle and Right fuse carriers were TNB supplied.

2) but you also mentioned that you recently changed the TNB supplied fuse carriers.

So, are those in the pix the TNB or your fuse carrier.

Thanks.

STC,

The fuse carrier on the left is a non TNB one. That was the one that replaced the TNB standard issue. It is bigger in physical size and the built quality is better. You can't see the TNB fuse in the pix, the middle one disintegrated and the right fuse pop out the holder.

For the sake of clarity, I am posting a close up pix of the burnt fuse carriers.



From Left to Right.
1. A third party fuse carrier
2. Totally disintegrated TNB fuse carrier
3 A burnt TNB fuse carrier without the fuse
4. Partially hidden by the melted plastic, the Neutral TNB connector.

Notice the melted TNB in coming cables below the 2nd and 3rd fuse carriers at the bottom of the pix

DrWho wrote:

The left Fuse Carrier survived the fire, where as the middle and right fuse carriers supplied by TNB caught fire. The right side fuse carrier supplied power to my hifi system.

Improved Sound Quality BUT more importantly SAFER.
!

DrWho, please indulge me with one or two more Qs. I replaced my TNB fuse with a 60A fuse so that nothing stop the juice from flowing to my Amp.

In your post you said that the right side supplied power to your HIfi. You also said that after changing the fuse carrier, the sound and safety improved. The surviving fuse plus carrier is the left one which is or was not powering your music equipment. Why would you want to change the other fuse and yet experience improved sound.

Unless there's typo......

sorry.

STC,
Sorry for the confusion caused. You are right, it is a typo error. The surviving LEFT fuse carrier is the 3rd party fuse carrier.

Thanks for the clarification Dr Who. For a moment I got worried that changing the fuse/holder could trigger a fire.

Thanks again and a Merry X'mas.

Regards,
ST

Dr.Who may be in running for the 'most important pics and post regarding safety' in our hobby award.... gets my vote for us to be extra careful with live wire and current.

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Excellent Tips

A kind audiophile friend, Didi Satelitto, of Indonesia shared two excellent tips on how to avoid similar fire occurrence.

"May I know, what is TNB Meter ?
Is it the Meter provided by our local Electric Company as to measure our usage how many KWHs every month ?
If yes, the best is checking the terminal point screws every year especially MCB ( Magnetic Circuit Breaker ) with heavy load points.
Every 5 years, check all the MCBs by switch it ON-OFF several times with full load. If the MCB switch(es) become a bit "heavy" compare to the brand new one, replace it without any delay.
NOTE : In Indonesia many fake famous MCB brand, so there is no guarantee that the best Brand bought is ORIGINAL, so many FIRE CASES and arsonist in Indonesia. I do not know in Malaysia.
This is a practical way to check your electricity connection for precaution.
Hope it would help to prevent the accident happens."

"You may start to check it from every switch box ( every switch box contains several MCBs ) and ended in the switch box which sit close to every TNB Meter OR Electric KWH Meter, you will be surprised that you need to tighten up the screws and replace many of the MCBs."

Many of us, including myself, are not aware that such regular maintenance is necessary to reduce the fire hazard. This is a good start for a New Year resolution.

Wishing all a Healthy & Happy 2013