So, I Took Alice Out For Her Afternoon Walk And An Rcd...

[OnlQQker]

Conversation developed with a middle aged lady who has recently lost her husband.
Note to self, stop walking dog around the graveyard

Anyway this lady who I find extremely polite and respectful, said to me her electrics started tripping out early Saturday morning @5:00am

To cut a long story short I walked back to her house and had a quick look.

Twin Rcd cu, 4 mcb's, 2 either side.
The 2 on the right said, sockets and down lights
The 2 on the left said , cooker and up lights

(4 bed detached house with big kitchen)
She mentioned that her husband dealt with the electrics when he was alive.

So on this one circuit (32amp mcb) is kettle, toaster, dishwasher, fridge freezer, tumble dryer, washing machine, underfloor heating as well as other things throughout the house which don't pull much power. (no heaters or high powered curling tongs) Just tv, lamps, and a battery charger for toothbrush.

The only thing that was left on all night into Saturday morning that wasn't normally left on was a 3 bulb table lamp in the lounge. This has now been turned off and pulled from wall.

The underfloor electric heating is left on all the time for her dog, the underfloor heating is 12 years old and turns on and off from a fused spur.
another note to self, in my next life come back as a dog

I've heard underfloor heating can be problematic, I'm trying to build a picture before she gets an electrician in so to hopefully keep the cost down, as she says she can't afford to pay out any more money.
And she must be skint cuz I didn't even get offered a cup of tea!

 

[pc1966]

Without any test gear the only real option is to turn something off for a while and see if the tripping stops. But if it is a rare trip and/or too much goes out of use that is hardly acceptable.

I too would suspect underfloor heating as my first call, but either a clamp ammeter that can resolve mA to check for live leaks (can be had for £35-ish), or proper IR tester for dead testing of insulation faults, would be needed for any sort of quick diagnosis.

 

[buzzlightyear]

The only way is wait until the little old lady puts the kettle on and sit there and wait for it to rcd drop.

 

[littlespark]

Anyone else?

“Alice! Who the f@@k is Alice?”

 

[OnlQQker]

She's one of those pug things, which does as she pleases, when she pleases. Totally female in everyway!

And though when she came here as a gift for my ex wife, despite all the rolls of fat and wonky eyes. The pug still seemed to like her.

 

[OnlQQker]

Just met the lady again and it was the dishwasher.
Though she had turned the switch off on the plug, she hadn't pulled the plug from the socket.
I pulled it yesterday with the table lamp and no more tripping until this morning when she plugged the dishwasher back in.

So, one happy dog walking lady, who when I first talked to her thought the whole house needed rewiring as she was quite panic stricken.