Real life examples of RCD fault

[Lainan01]

What’s a real life example of an imbalance between live and neutral?

For example, a faulty tumble dryer can trip a RCD on a split board - so I would assume there is an imbalance because of the difference in the magnetic flux between the Live and Neutral coils. But what would be the actual physical fault?

 

[mainline]

What’s a real life example of an imbalance between live and neutral?

For example, a faulty tumble dryer can trip a RCD on a split board - so I would assume there is an imbalance because of the difference in the magnetic flux between the Live and Neutral coils. But what would be the actual physical fault?

An example would be a resistance from live to cpc due to a faulty heater element or a faulty motor.

 

[James]

another example would be a silly billy putting their finger or any other part of their body against a live part such as a damaged cable or table lamp with no lamp in it (exposed live is in the lamp holder)

 

[Dustydazzler]

Water Ingress is a pretty common fault

And if you have a Neff oven like me about twice or three times every 6 months it will just trip the RCD at random

 

[Pretty Mouth]

And another example might be a circuit unprotected by the RCD 'borrowing' a neutral from a circuit that is protected by the RCD. This is often found when older installation have RCD protection introduced for the first time.

Slightly different from the other examples, as in this case current would be straying into the RCD circuit to create the imbalance, rather than out of it.

 

[James]

further to all the comments above, one of the most common usages of an rcd (used to be) protection of a property that has no suppliers earth provided.
Therefore the installation is "TT"
any live to earth fault in this circumstance is unlikely to produce enough current to trip the over current device (unless you have an exceptionally good earth loop impedance) therefore to trip the supply to the fault, often an rcd is required to ensure safe disconnection within the required time.

 

[Lainan01]

Thank you for the great answers

 

[Taylortwocities]

This'll do it.....

 

[mainline]

another example would be a silly billy putting their finger or any other part of their body against a live part such as a damaged cable or table lamp with no lamp in it (exposed live is in the lamp holder)

One of the things to consider with lamp holders that have lamps missing is that there is also a neutral pin, shoving your fingers across those pins is one of the scenarios where an rcd is unlikely to help.