New RCD Adapter not working

Joined
11 May 2008
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Location
Tyne and Wear
Country
United Kingdom
I just purchased an RCD adapter. After I tried to use it unsuccessfully I realized that the problem may be that the house has a circuit breaker box rather than fuses. IS the fact the breaker box already has a GFI the possible reason why the RCD adapter fails to supply any voltage?
 
Let me check.

You have a simple appliance, such as a table lamp, which you know works, and a socket which you know works

You plug the appliance into the socket, and check that it works

You take the RCD adapator, press its reset button so it is showing "live" and put it in the socket, then plug in the same appliance.

The RCD adapator does not pop to "off" position but the appliance does not work.

You press the "Test" button on the RCD adaptor and it pops to "off" position.

Am I correct so far?
 
When I plug it in and press the reset button it shows black as expected. Then when I press the reset button to put it into operation it goes back to black and provides no voltage. I can unplug it and replug it in and the scenerion occurs.
 
Are you confirming that you have performed the steps I list and they all work as described?

You say it goes Black when you press "reset"?

What does Black mean? Does it mean "off" or "on"?

what colour does it go when you test the "Test" button?

can you post a pic?
 
Red is supposed to mean that it is live. Black is supposed to mean that the circuit is cut off. The unstructions say to press the reset button and the indicator should go red and the circuit should be live. It never goes red.

If it went red when the reset button was first pressed, then pressing the Test button should cut the circuit off, causing the indicator to go black.

The next step would be to press the reset button again to make the circuit live again and the indication should go red again. Doesn't happen.
 
Red is supposed to mean that it is live. Black is supposed to mean that the circuit is cut off. The instructions say to press the reset button and the indicator should go red and the circuit should be live. It never goes red.

not even with nothing plugged in? Or with the adaptor in your hand? then it is faulty. Take it back.
 
Exactly. It never shoes active under any circumstances. So I will take it back as you advise. Thanks very much for the help.
 
Try it in more than one socket first.
If the wall socket is faulty, the rcd will not set to on.
With the rcd unit in your hand it will also not set to on.

It needs to be plugged into a correct polarity socket and sometimes a satisfactory earthed socket before it will set to on.
 
:shock: my RCDs will set to "on" even when on the bench and not connected to anything.

But the Test button will not trip to off unless voltage is supplied.

What sort are you using? Non-latching?
 
I've seen a few plug in RCDs that will trip out on live-neutral reverse.
 
:shock: my RCDs will set to "on" even when on the bench and not connected to anything
Are they latching ones you have JD

Maybe some do then!
Most I have seen have not, Idea being if it goes off with power loss the appliance dont restart suddenly.
A latching one is more likely to set ON with no power I suppose.
 
Some do, some don't. There are two categories for them:
Active = Trips when power is lost.
Passive = Stays closed when power is lost.
 

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