RCD tripped - sockets issue?

[Northbeach]

Hi all,

Not had chance to update thread.

I had an electrician we know pop round that evening (he's on a project, but found the time to check it over that night).
Testing the wiring he managed to isolate where the problem lay to a small area in the kitchen/bathroom above - possibly an old junction box near/underneath the bathroom floor upstairs. Unfortunately, it was late so I agreed to pull up the bathroom/landing floor ready for the next morning (we at least had lighting, gas and a feed for the freezer...and I watched the footy on the remaining juice on the iPhone!).

Next day - nothing underneath the bathroom floor/landing. Back to kitchen.
The ring main was extended by the previous occupants of the house - new wiring in part of the kitchen (checked out ok)....but it then dawned upon us that there was a plug in one of these sockets which fed an extension lead (for the tumble dryer) which led underneath the boiler (which lay underneath the bath above). Reached under the cabinet and pulled out a very wet extension socket. The bath overflow had broken (now fixed) and had leaked through the floorboards down into the kitchen (via the back for the cabinet). I'd blinking missed this final plug when checking very single socket the previous day.

Anyway...the floor probably need to come up anyway, just to dry the floorboards out before any rot set in (hadn't as yet) - slow leak which had obviously worsened over the past few weeks (can't say I'm impressed with the bath construction in all fairness...bet it was a 'bargain' at the time).

Nice learning curve and those RCD's do their job rather well.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[JohnD]

congratulations on finding it

water, eh?

 

[Northbeach]

I know water...who would've thunked it eh?!

I was convinced that the culprit would be that dodgy iPod charger of my daughters...I was also convinced that I'd checked every single power socket in the house. Still, considering the damp floorboards underneath the bath, it was probably a blessing that the floor had to come up (fortunately they're just slotted laminate tiles...and eventually they'll be gone for good anyway.

I think once we have the rewire (and networking et al), I'm going to have the plan laminated (listing every path and sockets) and fix it inside the door of the cabinet that houses the CU. Also look into RCBO's so impressed am I with the RCD...I am afterall a worrier.

Thanks again.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I know water...who would've thunked it eh?!

.

ME!!! A week ago

Any dampness will cause problems.

 

[JohnD]

As well as looking for water (especially in outdoor lamps, sockets, pond equipment, or round the boiler and its pump) ...

we all did

 

[securespark]

I was also convinced that I'd checked every single power socket in the house.

I would be rolling in it by now if I had a pound for every customer who missed at least one socket/ spur when going round their home isolating stuff.

 

[Northbeach]

I was also convinced that I'd checked every single power socket in the house.

I would be rolling in it by now if I had a pound for every customer who missed at least one socket/ spur when going round their home isolating stuff.

Glad I'm not the only one
As I say, interesting learning curve and worth the electricians fee alone.

Yes - slightly facetious on the water thing...it was the strongest bet. I think the fact that the boiler seemed to have a leek but then the boiler circuit was working fine, put me off the scent a little - the leak was from the bath above the boiler!

The outdoor light (Security) was a contender as it's just piped from the back wall straight into a plug socket in the bedroom (though in fairness it would need a bit of gravity defying tricks to enter the plug socket - no seal around the entry point mind (I'll replace it). I put up a couple of outdoor lights recently (thanks from help on here!) and although both IP65 rated I still sealed them with a couple of mm of translucent silicone (which can barely be seen...fine job if I say so myself ...I do tend to be over cautious at times.

Many thanks everyone.