tripping circuits

[madonna]

i recently drilled thru a 13 amp live wire. I have repaired this by reconnection thru a circuit block. This was three weeks ago.
Christmas eve the 13 amp circuit has started tripping for unknown reason. Could the problem be the repair?

 

[Lectrician]

How did you repair in detail?? Did you plaster over it?? Was it outside??

When you say 13amp wire, do you mean the cable feeding the sockets?? (usually protected by a 30/32 amp fuse/mcb).

Is it the MCB tripping or the RCD?? And MCB is approx 15mm wide, and an RCD will usually be aprox 30mm.

 

[delmel]

Your repair mentioned block
I take it you mean terminal strip

These are not an ideal solution, also they are rated differently 2,5,15,30,50 amp options. Which did you use.

Does the trip go when you use a certain appliance or is it intermitant.

Also need to answer questions from last person

 

[madonna]

Thanks for the prompt reply.
Firstly the repair was with a terminal block but i dont know at what rate other than it being a standard small size. It was then taped over and a thick filler covered over.
The cable i drilled thru was leading to a 13amp socket.You say this is usually protected by a 30/32 breaker.I have a 16amp in.
the trip happens when the washer ,dryer and kettle are used together.
But not when used seperatly. one at a time.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Thanks for the prompt reply.
Firstly the repair was with a terminal block but i dont know at what rate other than it being a standard small size. It was then taped over and a thick filler covered over.

1) There is no such thing as a "standard small size". There are several sizes, and if you don't know what rating you've used then you've been very sloppy, possibly dangerous. The fact that you think it's a small one is worrying.
2) You should not have used a terminal block at all - if the joint is inaccessible it must be crimped or soldered - screw connections are unacceptable.
3) Tape is not adequate protection for choc-block.
4) Tape is not waterproof if you're going to use plaster/filler.

The cable i drilled thru was leading to a 13amp socket.You say this is usually protected by a 30/32 breaker.I have a 16amp in.

2.5mm² radial? Just the one socket? Is the cable in one of the permitted zones? If yes, WTF were you drilling there, if no, who installed it?

the trip happens when the washer ,dryer and kettle are used together.
But not when used seperatly. one at a time.

1) I'm not surprised - that lot adds up to more than 16A. Don't see why your awful bodged repair should make a difference though.
2) How do you manage to use 3 appliances at the same time from one socket? (Did you know, BTW, that sockets are only rated at 13A?)
3) Is it the 16A MCB that's tripping, or the RCD?

 

[plugwash]

unfortunately it seems you have a LOT to learn about elecrical wiring

your repair is definately dodgy but given what you have said it is unlikely to be the cause of the problems you are now mentioning.

you have to remember that a 16A breaker won't immediately trip if you draw a small overload. As the size of the overload increases the breaker trips quicker until you hit what is known as the fast trip point (48-80amps for a 16A type B at which point it will trip near enough instantly)

as the breaker ages its trip points are likely to change slightly and this is probablly why you are seeing tripping now where you didn't before.

another possible cause of problems now where there weren't problems before would be replacement of appliances or changes in the way you use them.

obvoiusly more power is needed to properly cover those appliances. HOWEVER the breaker value MUST NOT be changed without a proper understanding of how the cuircuit is wired (What cable size? is it a ring? if it is a ring have the spur rules for rings been followed? etc).