Rcd Tripping

[GETWIRED]

Hi got a call last week maybe the week before about an rcd tripping, turns out it was a tumble dryer in a shed at the back of the garden. I stayed with him for about an hour talking him through how the rcd works and reassuring the device was doing its job etc, didnt charge him.

now got a call this morning saying the same rcd's tripping again and he thinks its the freezer this time in the shed.. Now im thinking is this a coincidence or have i missed something. So im going to go back today at some point and do a test on the shed, if i remember correctly the sheds fed from a 13a FCU from the kitchen ring via plastic conduit to an old wylex board with the old 3871's, two 6a circuits one with one socket on it and the other a lighting but the lighting circuit's mcb is currently always in the off position, so if the readings come back ok it must be the freezer no? Im going to do a test on the kitchen ring while im there Can anyone let me know if ive missed something, start to doubt yourself lol hope thats enough information so you can get a clear picture.

 

[Pete999]

Hi got a call last week maybe the week before about an rcd tripping, turns out it was a tumble dryer in a shed at the back of the garden. I stayed with him for about an hour talking him through how the rcd works and reassuring the device was doing its job etc, didnt charge him.

now got a call this morning saying the same rcd's tripping again and he thinks its the freezer this time in the shed.. Now im thinking is this a coincidence or have i missed something. So im going to go back today at some point and do a test on the shed, if i remember correctly the sheds fed from a 13a FCU from the kitchen ring via pld plastic conduit to a old wylex board with the old 3871's, two 6a circuits one with one socket on it and the other a lighting but the lighting circuit has no fuse, so if the readings come back ok it must be the freezer no? Im going to do a test on the kitchen ring while im there Can anyone let me know if ive missed something, start to doubt yourself lol hope thats enough information so you can get a clear picture.

What exactly do you mean by "the lighting circuit has no fuse" if the RCD is in the house CU then the fault causing the RCD to trip needn't be in the shed, could be something in the house, or have I got the wrong end of the stick with your description of the installation?

 

[GETWIRED]

Sorry i'll edit that, the lighting fuse isnt on, he said he turned the breaker off because - From what i could make out anyway - the flourescent lamp had gone lol

 

[Pete999]

Sorry i'll edit that, the lighting fuse isnt on, he said he turned the breaker off because - From what i could make out anyway - the flourescent lamp had gone lol

Could it have been the tube going that caused the RCD to trip?

 

[hightower]

I stayed with him for about an hour talking him through how the rcd works and reassuring the device was doing its job etc, didnt charge him.

I'm a bit baffled by this. Yep, it's an RCDs job to trip...... when there's a fault. It's not like it should be doing it randomly to keep the occupier on his toes. It's a bit like saying it's the air bags job to go off..... in the event of a crash. You don't purposefully go round driving in to walls do you?

 

[Clive P]

Hi,
As Pete says, could be the ring circuit has a problem or the fluorescent. If the MCB is off for the lighting then the N/E is still connected. With a bit of testing you'll probably soon identify that fault.

Regards.

 

[Pete999]

I'm a bit baffled by this. Yep, it's an RCDs job to trip...... when there's a fault. It's not like it should be doing it randomly to keep the occupier on his toes. It's a bit like saying it's the air bags job to go off..... in the event of a crash. You don't purposefully go round driving in to walls do you?

No work today Mate?

 

[hightower]

No work today Mate?

Ah Pete, I'm bored witless mind. I can't wait to get out of this industry and into the electrical industry. 8.5 hours of nothingness every day - I try to get some studying in, but it's impossible to do that 8.5 hours a day every day of the week. Seriously, a night-security officer at a teddy bear factory would be busier than me.

 

[Pete999]

Ah Pete, I'm bored witless mind. I can't wait to get out of this industry and into the electrical industry. 8.5 hours of nothingness every day - I try to get some studying in, but it's impossible to do that 8.5 hours a day every day of the week. Seriously, a night-security officer at a teddy bear factory would be busier than me.

Just remind me what industry are you in at present

 

[hightower]

Just remind me what industry are you in at present

PM sent to save taking thread off topic

 

[GETWIRED]

Had some more info from his son, now im confident with a test i can determine of its the circuit or the appliance. Thanks for the help fellas, it helps sometimes when people fire some suggestions.

Now to get my head on another fault. Intermittently tripping rcd. Rcd's brilliant little devices but dont half cause some headaches lol.

hightower, im abit baffled myself lol, Is an RCD not there to trip? More so if there is a faulty appliance or a fault in general? If it trips then more so than not somethings not right - albeit they can be sensitive to lamps blowing etc - so it's doing its job, they dont just trip for a good giggle lol

 

[Spoon]

Do you own an earth leakage clamp meter?

 

[hightower]

hightower, im abit baffled myself lol, Is an RCD not there to trip? More so if there is a faulty appliance or a fault in general? If it trips then more so than not somethings not right - albeit they can be sensitive to lamps blowing etc - so it's doing its job, they dont just trip for a good giggle lol

Sorry mate, just your post read to me as if it was perfectly natural for the RCD to trip out randomly and that you just left him to it, with words like "just reset it when it trips, it'll be alright".

Probably read in to your post the totally wrong way though.

 

[ruston]

Could it have been the tube going that caused the RCD to trip?

Or. If it is in the shed the ballast could have been the first problem if they share the RCD.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Hi got a call last week maybe the week before about an rcd tripping, turns out it was a tumble dryer in a shed at the back of the garden. I stayed with him for about an hour talking him through how the rcd works and reassuring the device was doing its job etc, didnt charge him.

now got a call this morning saying the same rcd's tripping again and he thinks its the freezer this time in the shed.. Now im thinking is this a coincidence or have i missed something. So im going to go back today at some point and do a test on the shed, if i remember correctly the sheds fed from a 13a FCU from the kitchen ring via plastic conduit to an old wylex board with the old 3871's, two 6a circuits one with one socket on it and the other a lighting but the lighting circuit's mcb is currently always in the off position, so if the readings come back ok it must be the freezer no? Im going to do a test on the kitchen ring while im there Can anyone let me know if ive missed something, start to doubt yourself lol hope thats enough information so you can get a clear picture.

Do an IR test on all circuits L/N together to earth. Leave everything plugged in and connected. Do not test L-N. You'll likely get a low reading, then go round unplugging/disconnecting re-testing each time until the low IR reading clears, fault found.
Remember re-the lighting mcb off, the RCD will still see a N-E fault.