Faulty Socket Circuit

[AndrewMgan1976]

Socket circuit has a 3 gang 13A fused socket on it with a washing machine and dishwasher plugged in to it, but householder has been told not to use both at the same time. Seems to be that when things get plugged in to the socket, it trips after a short time, but not straight away.

IR and continuity are fine, could it just be the socket which is faulty?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Notsosmart]

Socket circuit has a 3 gang 13A fused socket on it with a washing machine and dishwasher plugged in to it, but householder has been told not to use both at the same time. Seems to be that when things get plugged in to the socket, it trips after a short time, but not straight away.

IR and continuity are fine, could it just be the socket which is faulty?

Any help would be appreciated.

Do you mean duraplug type extension lead? If so is the fuse blowing? With both appliances plugged into the single 13A fuse it is being overloaded (an overload will take a while to blow a fuse)

 

[AndrewMgan1976]

No it is an MK 13A fused switch socket. It is tripping the RCD after a period of time and doesn't always reset immediately

 

[J12]

Try ramp test rcd first, but ive had simlar faults that turned out to be neutral earth fault with washer leaking slightly. also a simlar fault was moisture behind socket but ir test would have found that.

 

[Notsosmart]

It may well be a combination of leakage current (elements perhaps) How about trying another high demand appliance with either one; you might be able to isolate the main culprit. Alternatively get the appliances tested.

 

[chris gray]

when you say the rcd doesnt always reset straight away after.. is the socket a sp or dp?
just a thought, chances are fault on the appliance.

 

[m25maintenance]

yea or get extention lead and plug into 2 other sockets and see,

 

[AndrewMgan1976]

Socket is DP.

MK Switched Socket 3 Gang 13A DP + Dual Earth by MK

It is tripping when either of the appliances are on, so highly unlikely that both appliances are faulty.

 

[Notsosmart]

In which case as M25 has suggested plug into a different socket, if it doesn't trip then the outlet is faulty in some way.

 

[chris gray]

ramp test would be next thing then
are there a lot of other sockets on the ring?

 

[AndrewMgan1976]

Maybe another 8 or so.

What will the ramp test do, me being ignorant

 

[J12]

Test the rcd to see if it is too sensitive.

 

[AndrewMgan1976]

If it was too sensitive then the other socket circuits on the rcd side of the board would trip out too, surely

 

[J12]

If it was too sensitive then the other socket circuits on the rcd side of the board would trip out too, surely

Not if enough fault current wasnt being pulled, sounds like a n/e fault though

 

[chris gray]

to be honest it could be a simple case of dodgy socket.
however its more likely a build up of earth leakage, the reason for asking how many other sockets are on that circuit are to get an idea of what other appliances are plugged into it.