RCD Tripping - Advice Needed

[jakeevans]

Hi Everyone,

So basically like a few other people, I really need some advice from some professional electricians and found this forum so I really hope someone out there can help.

Basically we had a hot tub installed back in June 2017, everything was running fine, till we went for a holiday in December 2017 so turned it off. When we came back, filled it back up and turned in on. Ever since that month 2 weeks after, our RCD seems to be tripping every now and again very randomly.

We called in a electrician who stated "I told you your old consumer unit may not supply enough power and it's given up". At that point, other devices in the home like our speakers were tripping the RCD instantly but yet at the neighbours house when tested, didn't.

So we went ahead with his advice of changing the whole consumer unit (he said it was worthwhile as the new 17th Regs came out and wouldn't hurt as it was 10 years old+)

So now once he fitted the new consumer unit, turned everything back on.. and voila all sorted. However, a week later, the new consumer unit RCD is tripping again! We tried to do our own fault finding and found that turning of the hot tub stopped the tripping. Called him and he said he doubts its the hot tub, so we called him out to come and see. In front of me, he showed and said the hot tub is fine, and is showing the correct voltage/amps at the tub. He said the next step is to do fault finding but its going to be running into the hundreds £££ and said the next time it happens try and unplug everything and plug one by one in to see if we can work out what's causing the RCD to trip, otherwise he's going to have to come and rampage through all the devices/sockets and made out it's a massive job.

So he left, and long and behold it tripped later on, so I did what he recommended, unplugged all our plugs from the sockets, and plugged them one by one..RCD didn't trip.

So having all circuits on again, the RCD seems to be tripping again and again daily. For example a 2 days ago, it tripped twice, just yesterday it tripped four times.

I still have a serious hunch its the hot tub, so yesterday night, turned it off at the consumer unit, and touch wood, it hasn't tripped up to now.

My question is to the electricians out there, is the hot tub causing the RCD to trip? The electrician said it's not the hot tub, yet when I turn the circuit off to the hot tub it hasn't tripped the RCD (as of yet).

I was also doing a bit of research about this earth leakage topic, and I'm not sure if I'm right, but am I right in thinking that if there is enough earth leakage on all the circuits it would trip the RCD? Reason being is that if I go with the theory its the hot tub, I'm guessing when the blowers automatically come on, or the pump/heater comes on, it's possibly sending a spike over the RCD limit?

The reason I came up with this theory is that we do run a small business from home, we have about 3 pc's, 8 monitors, 2 big laser printers, two freezers, three fridges..etc do you think that the earth leakage of all these are adding up, and the hot tub is the cherry on the top that's causing the it to trip randomly?

Just as background information, he's put a single RCD that's connected to our Kitchen Sockets, Upstairs Sockets, Downstairs Sockets, Shower, Utility Room Sockets and the hot tub. He has then used RCBO's on each lighting circuit.

Any help would be gratefully appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Jake

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Agree with all the comments about the way RCBO's have been used, and never a good idea to lump all power circuits.
Also check that the sockets for your IT equipment have separated earths - two separate earth terminals for each socket.
Get insulation and earth leakage test on hot tub.
And find a new electrician.

Really?
It's a house, hardly likely to have enough IT equipment for that to be an issue.

 

[telectrix]

If your in Northampton I’ll personally come round and tell you where to go

but don't forget to take pete back home. OP has enough problems without him stuck there.

 

[jakeevans]

Hi @sparksfly, thanks for your advice, so I had a word first thing this morning with the existing electrician ( I couldn't sleep) and he did say he thought he put the hot tub on the RCBO (but it wasn't), maybe a genuine mistake, maybe not, anyhow he said he'll rectify the issue by moving it to an RCBO at no charge. So you're probably right, might get him to get that sorted and then get someone else to do the testing.

I think i'll also get someone to change all the MCB's to RCBO's as well, it was a pain in the neck trying to find the culprit on this occasion, especially when the electrician said it isn't yet in the end it was.

Thanks for all your help guys as well, @camerabloke, @Murdoch and @Gasinspect.

 

[Gasinspect]

Really?
It's a house, hardly likely to have enough IT equipment for that to be an issue.

he said he runs his business from home, and gave a list of IT equipment he had. then a slight earth leak on hot tub might be enough to tip it. just a thought. had an issue once with a customer who had home office, a few computers and a server - and a dishwasher! We changed sockets for ones with dual earth terminals. Your raise an interesting point - how much IT equipment would you allow without separating the earths?

 

[westward10]

This thread is unbelievable. You have two problems, one finding a decent electrician in Northants, two the hot tub. Solution, contact Raybell skip hire to place the hot tub in the skip result, rcd tripping gone and street cred improved with the hot tub gone

 

[jakeevans]

@Gasinspect that's exactly what I thought, I think the hot tub is just touching the brim and causing it to trip. It explains the intermittence trips as its probably the hot tub just automatically turning on its pump/heater or blowers.

Just to confirm though, if I get all RCBO's for all circuits, that will mean that any earth leakage will remain on that single circuit and won't affect others right?

 

[Gasinspect]

I expect that your RCD trips at 30milliamps, so if earth leakage approaches that figure it will trip. Of course being electromechanical they can also occasionally be faulty. Some of the guys that have replied obviously know their stuff and have offered to come and sort it so go for it. Note the one who said he would fit a type c for a hot tub, worth considering.

 

[DPG]

@Gasinspect that's exactly what I thought, I think the hot tub is just touching the brim and causing it to trip. It explains the intermittence trips as its probably the hot tub just automatically turning on its pump/heater or blowers.

Just to confirm though, if I get all RCBO's for all circuits, that will mean that any earth leakage will remain on that single circuit and won't affect others right?

Yes, the 30mA RCD allows up to 30mA (less in practice) earth leakage in total from all the circuits fed from it. The RCBO fed circuits each have their own 30mA 'quota' of earth leakage.

 

[Octopus]

@Gasinspect

Just to confirm though, if I get all RCBO's for all circuits, that will mean that any earth leakage will remain on that single circuit and won't affect others right?

Hum ...... Randomly changing parts without competence and test kit is NOT ADVISED.

I note you haven't provided any details of what the certificate says .......

So op, is this your installation gone wrong?

 

[DPG]

I think I'm with Murdoch on this one.

 

[Pete999]

I think I'm with Murdoch on this one.

As am I, on this issue.

 

[sparksburnout]

I think I'm with Murdoch on this one.

Having just read through it I think me too. Don't think there is a sparky involved somehow.

 

[jakeevans]

Thanks @DPG, that answered my question.
All I asked this for was for pure information, so I know what's going on rather than having anymore go wrong

Also thanks @Murdoch,@DPG,@Pete999 & @sparksburnout for jumping to conclusions, you honestly think I'm going to even touch a consumer unit yet alone know how to change an RCBO, that's why I'm always cautious when people offer things FOC.... can put the blame on the customer

 

[MDJ]

Nah I aint playing, something smells here and it is not last nights curry sauce.

 

[sparksburnout]

Thanks @DPG, that answered my question.
All I asked this for was for pure information, so I know what's going on rather than having anymore go wrong

Also thanks @Murdoch,@DPG,@Pete999 & @sparksburnout for jumping to conclusions, you honestly think I'm going to even touch a consumer unit yet alone know how to change an RCBO, that's why I'm always cautious when people offer things FOC.... can put the blame on the customer

I don't think we jumped, we were led, bit by bit........