Strange fault

bodders22 · Mar 12, 2013

Hi All,

I was called out yesterday to a customer that has been having trouble with the electric tripping on various circuits (16th edition mem2000 board)
When I got there I had a quick look and couldn't find anything obvious anyway cut a long story short did a full eicr, all circuits good.
She's phoned the dno no reported problems in the area.
Ive explained it's probably something they're using as it never trips when they're out, or maybe could be a water leak after a shower etc, but still no pattern.
I've isolated the outside lights and it still occurred last night.
The strange bit though is its the non rcd side and she's claiming the main switch tripped along with some mcb's.
I thought perhaps a faulty switch so replaced with one I had in the van but as I said it happened again ! Is this possible as I've never come across a switch that switches itself off and no its definatley not an rcd. It's 1990's house and doesn't appear to have been messed around with too much.
Confused please help!!
:rolleyes4:

KAS1 · Mar 12, 2013

I think the woman of the house is lonely and she likes the attention so be careful next time you go visiting lol

dan86 · Mar 12, 2013

KAS1 said:
I think the woman of the house is lonely and she likes the attention so be careful next time you go visiting lol

meet a few of them!

Toonlad · Mar 12, 2013

Has she got a isolator between meter and board. If so she still has a means of isolation, along with mcbs (although not dp). Then do as suggested lock out mains on board (in on position). Then see what happens.

Guitarist · Mar 12, 2013

ectoplasm shorting the mcb's?

guinnessgixer · Mar 12, 2013

people get up to allsorts when sleep walkin ;-)

telectrix · Mar 12, 2013

does it only trip when it's a full moon?

itselectric · Mar 12, 2013

Is it definitely a switch and not an MCCB. (I KNOW IT SHOLDN'T BE).

decolad69 · Mar 12, 2013

Hi, I have just checked a MEM 2000 unit i have,the RCD has a RED SWITCH ! which is the same colour as the main switch. I think your customer may have been on the sherry ?:rolleyes4:

Nipex83 · Mar 12, 2013

Did u test between the two circuits for erroneous connections.. The live on one lighting circuit could of by mistake got connected onto the second circuit.. Do u no what i mean?

bodders22 · Mar 13, 2013

Hi all sorry for not replying last night it was my boys birthday so I was out,.
It tripped again twice last night and these were the photo's she sent me.
On the first time everything is off except the rcd ! and the second just the main switch.
I reckon it could be the daughter as she was near the downstairs toilet (where the cu is) both times, customers not having it mind!
Please tell me it's not me being thick this is impossible isn't it.
Also I never mentioned when I did the eicr I tried to find out which circuit it was I swapped one at a time all the circuits onto the rcd side and they all functioned normally for me.
Thanks for all your replies.

44ALLAN · Mar 13, 2013

It's just a switch mate and doesn't trip.
Internal mechanism might be shot though causing it to open but you would tell that when closing it surely !

bodders22 · Mar 13, 2013

I know mate it feels fine when closing, def think someones messing around.

Guitarist · Mar 13, 2013

Maybe someone thinks that green means "go".
There is no way I can think of that all the MCB's, plus the main switch would end up in the off position unless..
a) Someone is messing
b) There is a ghost

You have done all that you possibly can, so maybe suggest to the homeowner that they get someone else to come and have a look at it.
I know you won't want to walk away from the problem, but I really can't see how it is anything other than human interferance.

bodders22 · Mar 13, 2013

I'm gonna tell her to not let anyone use the toilet downstairs lock the door (its got the lock you can operate from outside) and see what happens tonight.

44ALLAN · Mar 13, 2013

bodders22 said:
I know mate it feels fine when closing, def think someones messing around.

I would disconnect the main switch inside the consumer(without telling them) and just have the rcd covering the board....I'm guessing there's another isolator on the tails?
If it opens again then someone is extracting the proverbial mate lol

edit
and put another mcb in, but not wired up, and see if that trips lol

Strange fault

bodders22

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KAS1

dan86

Toonlad

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Guitarist

-

guinnessgixer

telectrix

-

itselectric

decolad69

Nipex83

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bodders22

-

44ALLAN

bodders22

-

Guitarist

-

bodders22

-

44ALLAN

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