FAQ

Can you dim an LED light source? As incandescent and halogen bulbs are phased out, the otherwise best solution to date for dimming lighting history. However, there are alternatives. LED bulbs with dimming capabilities have become more common and can be obtained at reasonable prices. Just be aware that not all types of either LED light sources or dimmers work together. Dimming an LED light source can cause more problems than dimming incandescent bulbs did in the past, for example, you may experience flickering with dimmable LED bulbs, either at full brightness or more typically at low brightness. It may also be experienced that the LED light source does not turn off completely when the dimmer is turned off.

If possible, the best dimming is achieved by using the same supplier of dimmer and light source, but this is not always possible, and so the alternative is to instead seek a compatible combination of dimmer and light source. Typically, you can find lists of compatible light sources – such as here:

https://www.lk.dk/professionel/produktoversigt/afbrydermateriel-og-montering2/fuga/funktionsmuligheder/lysdaemper/dimmertool/

Even if you have followed all the above steps, you may still experience problems – for example, the number of light sources can also be one of the reasons why the light does not dim as smoothly as desired. Often, this can be remedied by adding a resistor to the installation – All of this is something we can help and advise on.

If the fuse blows, typically just before you have guests and are busy in the kitchen, it’s because your installation is overloaded with too many electrical appliances in the house (usually it’s household items like dishwasher, oven, washing machine, kettle, and similar that overload it.) The fuse blows, which it should to ensure that wiring in the installation does not get damaged.

If you experience this, you need to have new cables pulled from your electrical panel to handle the increased load from the connected equipment, and you may also need to have a new fuse module installed in the fuse-box.

The earth connection (also called protective conductor) together with an RCD (Residual Current Device) breaker is an important protection. You see the physical connection as the third pin on the plug, and in fact, it is a legal requirement that this connection is present in new installations.
If you buy appliances designated as Class II appliances – for example, an oven or washing machine, most manufacturers do not provide a factory warranty if this connection is not present. This is because an installation without grounding cannot ensure protection against damage to connected equipment.

But even more importantly, a missing ground connection can be life-threatening in case of a fault. Therefore, it is recommended to have the ground connection checked to ensure it is active, or if a new installation is needed, for example, for your new washing machine.

See also the next topic concerning appliances that cause electric shocks.

Appliances that give electric shocks upon contact, especially when there’s contact between a household appliance element and
other kitchen elements or metal pipes/sinks.

The fault is due to the lack of grounding of the machine. There can be several reasons, but the fault can often be remedied with an adapter or by replacing the plug on the machine with a plug with a Danish “pindjord” (3-pin plug). The reason is that appliances from the factory come with the European ‘Schuko’ plugs with side grounding, which do not transfer the protective conductor to Danish sockets.
However, the fault can also be due to lack of grounding in the fixed installation (see previous topic).

There is a fault in an appliance that is connected, or in the electrical installation.

There are typically two ways such a fault is experienced: Either the RCD (Residual Current Device) trips completely and cannot be reset, or the RCD trips periodically. But when the fault is experienced, the following steps can help in identifying where the fault lies:

If there are multiple circuit groups in the panel, you can try turning them all off, then turn on the HPFI breaker, and subsequently turn on the circuit breakers one by one while observing which group causes the residual-current device to trip. The same can be done with connected appliances by plugging and unplugging them from the outlets. If it’s possible to remove the fault by disconnecting an appliance, the fault is localized. But if the fault persists, it’s typically in the installation.

If you’re unsure, you can call and schedule a visit from our electrician who will identify the issue and provide a solution to the problem.

As of July 1, 2008, it is mandated by law that all residences must have a functioning residual-current device (RCD)

This means that it must be done, regardless of whether you are renovating the installation now or if the installation is as it was before this law was introduced. An RCD breaker is an electrical component that ensures the power is cut off in case of faults in electrical appliances or accidents.

For example, the breaker trips if you come into contact with live parts. This ensures that you cannot get an electric shock without this breaker tripping – provided that it is installed correctly, and that the relay is functional – all of which we, as authorized electrical installers, check with approved equipment before commissioning.

See also the topic regarding HFI (Old type of RCD) and disconnection in thunderstorms.

You can do a couple of things to investigate where the fault lies:

  1. check your meter. It’s either located at the panel (typically just below the panel in apartments in Copenhagen) or it’s mounted externally on the building if you live in a house. You should check the display on the meter: is there any activity on the display? If not, then the fault is likely external. – If there is life in the display, then you should check if all phases are available to the meter. Look in the bottom left corner of the display – does it say L1, L2, L3? If so, there is power to the meter – and then you need our help to find the fault.
  2. Was there no power in the meter, or are there missing phases? In that case, there are two possibilities: Either there is a major outage due to an error from the utility company, or the fuse in the cable cabinet by the road has blown. Here you still have a couple of options to figure out which of the above possibilities applies.
  3. You can call the Utility Company – for example. Radius – you can also check operational information online.
    https://radiuselnet.dk/elnetkunder/driftinformation/
    Alternatively, you can try to see if other residences in the area have power. If the neighbors have power, it’s likely that the fuses for your house or property have blown. In this case, you need to contact an electrical installer like us; we also provide service 24/7.

Note that the above primarily applies to single-family homes. If you live in an apartment, there will be larger fuses for, for example, an entire stairwell. However, checking the operating information with the power company can also determine whether the building’s electrician needs to address the problem. Basically, it’s important to first determine if there’s a larger outage in the area—if not, we can help troubleshoot and restore power.

Many places in Copenhagen only have access to one phase. This is particularly true for apartments where the installation dates back to the building’s origin in the early 1900s.
And if you don’t have more than one phase, you cannot (legally) install a hob such as induction or ceramic electric hob/cooker.

The issue typically arises when you remove a gas cooker and instead want an electric cooker. In this case, it is at least necessary to have 2 phases and preferably 3 phases for power supply.
What is the solution then?

In many places, you can connect the missing phases through a so-called “riser” and wire the meter/installation to have a 3-phase installation; perhaps they are already extended to the floor but not wired into the meter. But in some places, the installation is so old that the three phases are not even brought into the building and therefore need to be extended from the cable cabinet in the street.
Therefore, there is a significant difference in cost depending on where the additional phases need to be extended from.
An important advice is therefore to investigate this before removing gas installation and purchasing an induction cooker or hob.
If you need advice, feel free to contact us. Often, we can look up your installation with the utility company and explore your options.

The short answer is yes!

The reason is basically that old fabric-wireing are very old. Large parts of Copenhagen were built in the 1920s and 1930s, so the original electrical installations are also from this period. In the city center, some installations are even older, dating back to the late 1800s in some cases.

It’s easy to imagine that such old installations don’t have the same standard as new electrical installations with plastic-insulated conductors. Indeed, the age is precisely what causes the fabric insulation to deteriorate, crack, and sometimes completely fall off the copper wires. Absolutely, the fact that fabric-insulated wires are often routed through steel conduits only exacerbates the problem. Indeed, that’s why short circuits, arcing, and even fires due to weak connections are common occurrences in such setups.
Absolutely, removing fabric-insulated wiring is advisable, especially since old installations were often done in conduits, making it feasible to rewire with new cables.

If you have fabric-insulated wiring and postpone replacing them, it’s particularly important to ensure that you have a functioning residual-current device (RCD) – and optionally, you can install an arc fault detector as an extra safety measure.

We have many years of experience in replacing fabric-insulated wiring with new installations and are happy to provide a fixed price.

If you experience the residual-current device (RCD) tripping during thunderstorms, you most likely have an older RCD installed in the electrical panel.

In addition to the inconvenience of losing power and possibly having to reset clocks, it’s a problem if you have a freezer or refrigerator running without electricity. If it happens while you’re away from home, you might risk having to discard perishable food items.

HFI is an older type of residual-current device that was completely phased out in 1991, and from that year onwards, it’s no longer legal to install. Even though an HFI installed before 1991 is fully legal, it is advisable to replace it with a newer type of residual-current device (RCD) known as HPFI. The new type will usually be less prone to tripping during lightning strikes. It will also be safer, as the type is designed for the electronic devices commonly found in homes today.

I have written a longer explanation about this and similar questions here.