HELP, RCD TRIPPING OUT

[fordy1969]

Hi,
We have a problem that happens only when we seem to use our iron!!!!!
The RCD trips out for some reason and we dont know why, but it only happens when we are using the iron, and it doesnt seem to matter what else we are using at the time. We have a relatively new house, only 4 years old and it should have been built to NHBC Standards.

Can anybody help us or do we need to get an electrician in????

Many thanks

 

[Maxxy]

With my powers of deduction i would say.....replace the iron.

 

[swelec]

Mystic Maxxy

 

[Maxxy]

haha

Ok to give a bit of a reason, its prob due to how the Iron heats the water (heating element) which gives a slight earth leakage. If you turned everything else off in the house you would prob get away with it, but with computers on, washing machine etc it all adds up to enough to trip your RCD. It doesnt necessarily mean theres anything wrong with your electrics or the RCD, providivng its ONLY the iron thats tripping it, and your 100% sure it only happens when the irons on.

It COULD be the socket though, try the iron in a different socket, see if it has the same effect (and try a different appliance, hairdryer etc in the socket you use the iron in normally)

But long story short, get a new iron.

 

[JohnD]

"me too!"

The only appliances that ever trip the RCD in my house have been electric steam irons.

When they get old, the flex tends to chafe (it is constantly being bent and the insulation can crack); water can spill when the iron is being refilled, and sometimes the tank corrodes and leaks internally.

In the old days before RCDs you sometimes had a spectacular fizzbang failure instead!

The purpose of the RCD is to protect you against shock from faults like that, so it is doing its job.

Bin the iron!

 

[Maxxy]

a spectacular fizzbang failure instead!

Haha ill have to remember that 'technical term'

 

[fordy1969]

Many thanks for your answers, we have actually had a new iron since we have been in the house, and it still does it, but we will get another and give it a try!

Cheers for the help!

 

[JohnD]

As Maxxy rightly said, there is a chance that you have several slight leakages adding together to reach the 30mA trip current.

Leakages are usually present on watery appliances like washing machines, showers and kettles; or on outdoor circuits like lamps and garden sockets which may be exposed to the rain. Large heating elements like ovens and immersion heaters can have slight leakage, so they are not normally installed on RCD circuits.

If you had a fountain or a spa bath outside that would also be likely to have a slight current leakage on it.

So you could experiment with turning off and unplugging any of these to see if the iron still causes a problem. You could also experiment with one of those plug-in RCD adaptors sold for use with lawnmowers and other garden tools - I find they cut out faster on small leakage currents - this might help you identify the rogue appliance.

If you have any damaged cables (especially outdoors) that could also be a source.

This kind of fault is very difficult to find (except by unplugging) without the right equipment, so you may end up having to call a local electrician - go by personal recommendation of friends and neighbours.

 

[fordy1969]

We did wonder if getting an electrician in would be the answer, we have tried other things like hair driers in the same sockets and it only seems to be the iron that causes the RCD to trip out.

We will get a new one and see what happens.

The other major problem is that even though I have a UPS on my computer it causes the whole lot to trip out which makes the UPS worthless.

Anyway thanks again for the advice

 

[Steve]

The other major problem is that even though I have a UPS on my computer it causes the whole lot to trip out which makes the UPS worthless.

If the UPS doesn't kick in when the power goes off, you need a new UPS when you go shopping too! A basic UPS should work straight out of the box - dont connect the data leads to the PC, this just complicates things! Try a new battery first though.

 

[fordy1969]

I thought the same, but I checked the UPS by just switching on and off at the wall and it worked fine, so I dont know why the RCD tripping should cut out the UPS to?????

 

[securespark]

John. I'm gobsmacked! You haven't asked for a photo of the offending item.

 

[JohnD]

A picture of the bin that iron's going in?

 

[Steve]

I thought the same, but I checked the UPS by just switching on and off at the wall and it worked fine, so I dont know why the RCD tripping should cut out the UPS to?????

press the test button on the RCD and see if it goes off then.