American FF tripping RCD

[Rpa07]

Can’t see that happening in a kitchen where there is an American FF though!
Could bounce off of the other thread with the SWA going outside the house and then back in to an outlet!

No he is right , as long as the circuit does not require an RCD because of installation methods.
I was going to suggest that if it was only high earth leakage that is causing the problem

 

[telectrix]

RCDs are required for...
1. Sockets.
2. luminaires.
3. cables buried <50mm deep in walls ( unless otherwise protected yadayada.

avoid 1.2.and 3, by 1.fitting FCU instead of socket, 2 is irrelevant. 3.choosing installation method .

 

[ruston]

The requirement is for socket outlets and installation methods . As long as your method does not require rcd protection and you are sure the FF is not faulty there is nothing to stop you using an fcu as @telectrix suggests.

 

[ruston]

Can’t see that happening in a kitchen where there is an American FF though!
Could bounce off of the other thread with the SWA going outside the house and then back in to an outlet!

If it is a posh kitchen it will probably cost as much to put in than to fix the thing.
PS . It will depend on your board , you may not have an unprotected way . It might start getting ...

 

[thomaspotato]

Thanks lads! lol its a mega posh kitchen

 

[Charlie_]

Should be able to afford the services of a refrigeration repair man then..
Did you manage to get any low readings to earth?

 

[magnoliafan89]

Surely the only installation method would be trunking or conduit??

 

[ruston]

Surely the only installation method would be trunking or conduit??

Or > 50mm lol. Might be lucky and have a wooden floor or cellar.
Not be pretty . Engineer is the best option

 

[magnoliafan89]

Or > 50mm lol. Might be lucky and have a wooden floor or cellar.
Not be pretty . Engineer is the best option

True but i meant with minimal disruption lol if its an all singing all dancing kitchen i seriously doubt theyd want any chasing to be done let alone that far into a wall and they wouldnt want trunking or conduit

 

[Charlie_]

Would be very embarrassing if it turns out to be a live to earth fault large enough to trip mcb on the new dedicated circuit

 

[ruston]

Would be very embarrassing if it turns out to be a live to earth fault large enough to trip mcb on the new dedicated circuit

That is why I said - If you are sure...

 

[ruston]

True but i meant with minimal disruption lol if its an all singing all dancing kitchen i seriously doubt theyd want any chasing to be done let alone that far into a wall and they wouldnt want trunking or conduit

Yes , I was tongue in cheek .

 

[Shoei]

As others have said the best option is to get it fixed, if it's less than six years old (five years in Scotland) they could claim against the supplier, it's unlikely that anything other than a manufacturing defect would cause intermittent RCD trips in a new-ish product.

If all else fails it could be powered from an isolating transformer, fridge-freezers don't take much peak power so a transformer wouldn't be a silly size or cost. It would be a bit of a hack but so long as the earth bond is maintained it would be safe and would prevent RCD trips.

 

[DT1991]

Does it record the info or do you have to watch it and wait for the moment it trips?

It will record either min or max for as long as the supply is on.
When supply is off(trips) it stops recording data but will leave you with a reading.

I have a mock up adaptor I use to separate L N E in the appliance flex as clamping the flex as a whole will give no reading.

I was without one until a year ago it really does save alot of agro.

 

[thomaspotato]

Would be very embarrassing if it turns out to be a live to earth fault large enough to trip mcb on the new dedicated circuit

It would trip right away if that was the case