New Electrics Tripping the RCD

[Jetheat]

I had an electrician come over recently and install electricity in the garden.

He drilled through my house wall and hooked up to an internal socket. He put a spur on the outside which lead to other sockets in the garden.

Now, the RCD box keeps tripping when the spur is in the on position outside.
The problem is, lots of my appliances within the house go off too.

How can I solve this problem? I know nothing about electrics.

Appreciate any help,

JH

 

[bhm1712]

Let me get this straight,

the moment you turn on the fused connection unit inside, it trips the RCD? or is it when you turn the switches on the actual sockets outside to on that it trips the RCD?

 

[Jetheat]

Let me get this straight,

the moment you turn on the fused connection unit inside, it trips the RCD? or is it when you turn the switches on the actual sockets outside to on that it trips the RCD?

When the spur switch outside, is flipped to on, shortly thereafter, the RCD trips.

 

[rjm2k]

I had an electrician come over recently and install electricity in the garden.

He drilled through my house wall and hooked up to an internal socket. He put a spur on the outside which lead to other sockets in the garden.

Now, the RCD box keeps tripping when the spur is in the on position outside.
The problem is, lots of my appliances within the house go off too.

How can I solve this problem? I know nothing about electrics.

Appreciate any help,

JH

You paid an electrician to do something and it caused problems, you know nothing about electricity.

Isn't the answer really really obvious?

GET THE ELECTRICIAN YOU PAID BACK TO FIX IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or, did you do it yourself?

 

[Jetheat]

I can't find his number or name. Hence this post.

 

[rjm2k]

I can't find his number or name. Hence this post.

I'm sorry but I doubt anyone on here knows his number or name either.

Given that you know nothing about electrics and it's in the Garden (therefore you aren't allowed to work on it anyway) the only thing that can be suggested is to find another electrician to come and sort it out, this time I would make sure you keep their name and number available.

Was it cash in hand? Most sparkys would give you a receipt with their name and number on, in addition, you would get a certificate from the sparky/local authority/self certifying body saying that the installation in a special place was done and tested in accordance with Part P. Such a certificate is important if you ever come to sell your home, because you will be asked for a copy of it by the buyers solicitor.

 

[SaladFingers]

.....and it's in the Garden (therefore you aren't allowed to work on it anyway)

Really?

 

[Jetheat]

I can't find his number or name. Hence this post.

I'm sorry but I doubt anyone on here knows his number or name either.

Given that you know nothing about electrics and it's in the Garden (therefore you aren't allowed to work on it anyway) the only thing that can be suggested is to find another electrician to come and sort it out, this time I would make sure you keep their name and number available.

Really, is that your advice on a forum where help is given?


Is that really all you could come up with? Great attitude!

 

[Chri5]

Salad Fingers, why do you continue to act like a moron and constantly have a sig that is pointed at a certain member of the DIYNot community?

It makes you out to have the maturity of a pre school bed wetter


OP if you know nothing about electrics then you will need to employ a spark to investigate.

Classic fails with external electrical service tends to be stupid placement of junctions, lack of saleable on junctions and fittings.

Turn off the circuit, make sure it's completely off and on the next bright day go round everything that was done externally, remove covers and check for water ingress and / or insects such as spiders having made a home in a fitting.

Every external fitting should be ip rated, check for cable entries, drip loops on cables and any gaps or holes that might have allowed ingress. Sealant should be used if you find any moisture access after removing the offending item and either drying it out (swmbo hair drier) or replacing the item.

 

[rjm2k]

I'm sorry if you think that's not helpful advice but given that you say "I know nothing about electrics." and that this is recent work by a presumably qualified person the most obvious solution is for that person to do what they were paid for correctly and safely.

If on the other hand you do know about electrics and maybe even did this yourself then setting aside the Part P stuff (which in my own view is nanny state nonsense) then it may be possible to help you with a process of elimination involving visually checking wiring and maybe disconnecting sections one at a time to identify the fault but given that "I know nothing about electrics." there is always the danger that you may kill yourself or someone else.

 

[EFLImpudence]

How can I solve this problem? I know nothing about electrics.

If the problem has been there since it was fitted, i.e. it has never worked, then I would think that it it wired incorrectly.

If this is the case then it is probably fortunate that you have lost the electrician's address since he obviously did not test it - not the required electrical tests nor even the DIYer's only test - see if 'it works'.


If the problem has occurred after it has been working the most likely reason may be the ingress of water but this, again, points to poor workmanship if it is a short timescale.


Because of the second part of the above quote the only advice, realistically, is to employ 'another' electrician.

 

[rjm2k]

.....and it's in the Garden (therefore you aren't allowed to work on it anyway)

Really?

I believe that the nanny state decided that special locations such as Gardens require "competency" which the general public are deemed not to have, in addition to the ability to self certify and or notify (pay) the local building control who will insist on "competent" testing. Even the secretary of state who in Approved Document P contradicts Part P when talking about external lighting states that external sockets/work in a Garden require all of the above.

If you know better please point me in the right direction as I have an external socket waiting to be installed.

 

[SaladFingers]

.....and it's in the Garden (therefore you aren't allowed to work on it anyway)

Really?

I believe that the nanny state decided that special locations such as Gardens require "competency" which the general public are deemed not to have, in addition to the ability to self certify and or notify (pay) the local building control who will insist on "competent" testing. Even the secretary of state who in Approved Document P contradicts Part P when talking about external lighting states that external sockets/work in a Garden require all of the above.

If you know better please point me in the right direction as I have an external socket waiting to be installed.

Well ok.

It simply falls under 'notifiable work'. So all you need to do is notify and if it's good enough, BC will pass it. Anyone can do it, if competent enough to.

 

[rjm2k]

OP did it work originally but then get damaged by the builders cutting/laying your wavy flags by any chance?

 

[Jetheat]

OP did it work originally but then get damaged by the builders cutting/laying your wavy flags by any chance?

Never tested it.

After a few days, during the rain, rcd tripped.