Socket screwed back trips rcd...

[Welshsparky]

Fitted a socket for a customer today, Job done.... 2 hours later call from the customer " All my power is off" turns out to be the rcd tripping, Went back checked the socket and all was fine, checked the rcd with the socket unscrewed from the wall and no problems, screwed the socket back and rcd trips... no sign off damage to any conductors ... any ideas?

 

[nickblake]

bet you any money the neutral is catching the earthed back box if the neutal slips behing the screw terminal when its screwed up can short out the screw to the neutral or just clip it it can be very hard to see as the damage can be like a very fine cut it will be the neutral as the live would go bang, im sure youll find neutral to earth is the problem

 

[telectrix]

agree. either that or there is a nick in insulation and cable squashed against back box.

 

[Guitarist]

Maybe a missing grommet on the backbox. Even a possibility that there is a fault with the socket itself which manifests itself when pressure is placed on the terminals...

 

[RISElectrical]

agree. either that or there is a nick in insulation and cable squashed against back box.

My money is on what he said!

 

[Richard]

agree. either that or there is a nick in insulation and cable squashed against back box.

+1

Seen it before with just too much comppression, no actually damage.

 

[jay sean]

I have had a problem like this, the problem is not with the socket that you screw back, for me the problem was with the leg of the ring connected to that socket, its hard to explain.
But try IR testing the cables with the legs split

 

[DurhamSparky]

YUP n-e fault...

check for small nicks and damage!

 

[needasparks]

Might be simpler than that. check polarity of the socket.

 

[mark ju]

Might be simpler than that. check polarity of the socket.

highly unlikely that polarity would cause this.
The main culprit is often the fixing screw, the ideal type of screw is round head or pan head. Countersunk screws stick out leaving a sharp bit all round just waiting to snag one of the conductors

 

[needasparks]

highly unlikely that polarity would cause this.
The main culprit is often the fixing screw, the ideal type of screw is round head or pan head. Countersunk screws stick out leaving a sharp bit all round just waiting to snag one of the conductors

Afraid i had just this, neutral and earth were reversed, painter took one off to do some work and left hanging off, as soon as he screwed back and touched the backbox with screw, click.

 

[Guest111]

Afraid i had just this, neutral and earth were reversed, painter took one off to do some work and left hanging off, as soon as he screwed back and touched the backbox with screw, click.

Yep seen that, also wired one up reverse myself once when the socket looked identical to the rest but obviously wasn,t and l and n were opposite way round at back.spotted it straight away on test though so luckily no harm done.

 

[nickblake]

YUP n-e fault...

check for small nicks and damage!

I know im not that tall , but it wasnt me

 

[mark ju]

Afraid i had just this, neutral and earth were reversed, painter took one off to do some work and left hanging off, as soon as he screwed back and touched the backbox with screw, click.

I stand corrected.