RCD Tripping emegency Electrician cannot fix

[terryplumb]

the washing machine has tripped before apparently - but if on the DP switch off should be out the loop now

That's assuming it's wired correctly ,you never know, the neutrals may be together in one terminal !
Or the switch itself may be duff and not disconnecting the neutrals.

 

[ETAF]

thanks Terryplump - yea - thats why i just wanted him to drop the front off an look - oh well

the power is back on at the moment - , they just went upstairs to charge a phone and it tripped again - so took it out and plugged in downstairs and its OK

I'm not calling as no charge on her phone , she went out in car and charged - so just a few text

you have all been really helpful - thanks

 

[JohnD]

Do you know for sure that the FCU controls the washing machine?

 

[ETAF]

yes, switching the FCU on/off switches the washing machine on/off

 

[FrodoOne]

SO they are left with no electric or very intermittent electric - resigned to probably thro2ing all the Fridge/freezer food out

Apart from anything else, this situation of having only a single "Ring" (with a single RCD for it [and the lights ?]) is an illustration of the "advantage" of having several "Radials", each with RCBOs.

A fault such as this on one "Radial" could then temporally be "overcome" (for the Fridge/Freezer) by the use of extension leads to Socket Outlets one or more non-affected Radials.

 

[JohnW2]

Apart from anything else, this situation of having only a single "Ring" (with a single RCD for it [and the lights ?]) is an illustration of the "advantage" of having several "Radials", each with RCBOs.

It's an advantage of RCBOs over two or more RCDs which, in turn, is an advantage over having one RCD protecting all circuits - but it doesn't make any difference whether one is talking about radial or ring final circuits.

A fault such as this on one "Radial" could then temporally be "overcome" (for the Fridge/Freezer) by the use of extension leads to Socket Outlets one or more non-affected Radials.

Again, that would be nothing to do with it being a 'radial'. It would be equally true of a ring final if it were protected by an RCBO, or protected by an RCD which was not also protecting all the other sockets circuits.

Kind Regards, John

 

[FrodoOne]

It's an advantage of RCBOs over two or more RCDs which, in turn, is an advantage over having one RCD protecting all circuits - but it doesn't make any difference whether one is talking about radial or ring final circuits.

Again, that would be nothing to do with it being a 'radial'. It would be equally true of a ring final if it were protected by an RCBO, or protected by an RCD which was not also protecting all the other sockets circuits.

Kind Regards, John

I think that you may have "missed the point" of my comment.

Paraphrasing, "having all your eggs in one basket" is not a good idea.

 

[EFLImpudence]

True - but the shape of the basket is irrelevant.

 

[ETAF]

thanks - we were only taliking a few weeks ago - about getting the kitchen redone and a new consumer unit with RCBO in .

But we are were we are

going through it all at the moment logically

one side of the kitchen has the 2 spur and a double socket and so far they trip whatever is plugged in and switched on coffee machine , washingmc, kettle, iron - iron, kettle works ok elsewhere

so i think there maybe some fault on the kitchen section ........
now building up and testing in the rest of house

Hopefully we will get a decent electrician out today / tomorrow -
although the one yesterday seemed to have all the kit and did take socket off , no grommet so was unhappy and didnt want to take any more off - he said he disconnected an outside socket , no idea if he did , but he did check it , so assume its ok and not full of water ......

then we will get some quotes for CU change and radial in the kitchen - its only a small house , so hopefully they can sort keeping the ring for some of the other plugs - or we just do a new ring for the 3 bedrooms & lounge

so it does seem like the wiring / sockets that are a problem

As i say at the moment plugging things back in the rest

trying to find a low load item , like a table light or something - to use as a check ......

 

[JohnW2]

I think that you may have "missed the point" of my comment. Paraphrasing, "having all your eggs in one basket" is not a good idea.

No, I don't think I missed any point, but you may have done.

We all know that, in the sense you were talking, RCBOs for each circuit are preferable to multiple RCDs (each protecting more than one circuit) which, in turn, is preferable to having one RCD protecting all circuits (i.e. that "have all ones eggs in one's basket is not a good idea") - but it doesn't matter whether the circuits are radials or ring finals.

You seem to be thinking that 'radial' implies that the circuit only supplies a small number of sockets (maybe just one!), such that there will always be nearby sockets 'on a different circuit'. However, although I don't know about practices in your part of the world but, in the UK, a radial circuit may supply just as many sockets (scattered over just as big an area of the building - quite possibly an entire floor of a house)(.

Kind Regards, John

 

[ETAF]

had the new elecrician round today, late afternoon - who is much much better and knowledgeable - and had all the kit, so tested all the sockets and we do still have an issue - so back tomorrow

he even gave my other half a dewalt battery to charge her phone.......

But as i said multiple devices are tripping the RCD , and then when they are plugged in elsewhere they are not tripping

he has tested loads of things .... and checked all outside lights and sockets etc - so logically going through things .....

so the house is all working again - with the exception of the Kitchen - the fridge/freezer is taped across the floor to a hallway socket and the house has not tripped

TV and his media all working - all the computer kit upstairs, bedside lamps , etc everythign working
Except for the 4 sockets in kitchen and spurs in kitchen - washing machine / diswasher etc all unplugged

so hes back tomorrow to take all the socket faces off and try and find the fault somewhere on the kitchen part of the ringmain

We have spoken about getting a new CU in any way and rewiring the kitchen - etc - so I have suggested that that design gets thought about ASAP .

brilliant company , who did all the bathroom, honest tradesman , who have th experience and can deal with people and keep them updated even if miles away from the job.....

 

[terryplumb]

Thanks for the update ETAF

 

[ETAF]

yes, i'm just happy someone who does seem to know what they are about and when talking to me can answer the questions directly and which i agree and dont have to challenge

I will give an update - if he hopefully finds the fault tomorrow

I just hope i dont a call tonight - its tripped again ..........
and the fault is just isolated to the kitchen area

 

[RandomGrinch]

Glad you found a decent one.
Just out of interest, is there a boiler on one of the kitchen 'spurs'?

 

[ETAF]

no - separate fuse , not part of the RCD section

so they also have heating