Strange fault

[bodders22]

Hi All,

I was called out yesterday to a customer that has been having trouble with the electric tripping on various circuits (16th edition mem2000 board)
When I got there I had a quick look and couldn't find anything obvious anyway cut a long story short did a full eicr, all circuits good.
She's phoned the dno no reported problems in the area.
Ive explained it's probably something they're using as it never trips when they're out, or maybe could be a water leak after a shower etc, but still no pattern.
I've isolated the outside lights and it still occurred last night.
The strange bit though is its the non rcd side and she's claiming the main switch tripped along with some mcb's.
I thought perhaps a faulty switch so replaced with one I had in the van but as I said it happened again ! Is this possible as I've never come across a switch that switches itself off and no its definatley not an rcd. It's 1990's house and doesn't appear to have been messed around with too much.
Confused please help!!
:rolleyes4:

 

[telectrix]

Thanks KFH

I'm beginning to think someone is messing her around, good idea about taking photo's i'll ask her to do that tonight.

better still get a cctv camera set up with a HDR. maybe you'll capture a ghost image.

 

[Rampantchilli]

It would not be the first time a customer has been adamant they were right, and turned out not to be. Ignore the big red switch issue, as this is actually a big red herring.
you have 2 mcbs tripping randomly, which can't be recreated, and your EICR shows nothing wrong with circuits. I'd suggest you have fault mcbs as you can't test these, or you need to carry out EICR again but go much further in depth this time as you could be missing something, or you have mice/rats/rodents causing faults, IR won't always show up damaged cables, make sure you test IR between circuits as well as each conductor of a circuit.

 

[DPG]

2 mcbs tripping randomly at the same time and both on lighting circuits - that would be a hell of a coincidence if they were both faulty! I'm with Tel's camera idea - get a hidden CCTV camera and record exactly what's going on, as obviously the whole truth is not being told. Daz

 

[Rockingit]

Bodders - next time you're there, put a tiny blob of nail varnish on each lever/housing - that way you'll be able to see exactly which has moved and broken the seal. It can also be an idea to get the customer to keep a proper diary of what is happening on each occasion - what the time is, who is in the house, what's going on, etc. If nothing else it keeps them occupied and focused and off your back for a bit!

 

[telectrix]

could this cause the problem?

 

[KAS1]

I think the woman of the house is lonely and she likes the attention so be careful next time you go visiting lol

 

[dan86]

I think the woman of the house is lonely and she likes the attention so be careful next time you go visiting lol

meet a few of them!

 

[Toonlad]

Has she got a isolator between meter and board. If so she still has a means of isolation, along with mcbs (although not dp). Then do as suggested lock out mains on board (in on position). Then see what happens.

 

[Guitarist]

ectoplasm shorting the mcb's?

 

[guinnessgixer]

people get up to allsorts when sleep walkin ;-)

 

[telectrix]

does it only trip when it's a full moon?

 

[itselectric]

Is it definitely a switch and not an MCCB. (I KNOW IT SHOLDN'T BE).

 

[decolad69]

Hi, I have just checked a MEM 2000 unit i have,the RCD has a RED SWITCH ! which is the same colour as the main switch. I think your customer may have been on the sherry ?:rolleyes4:

 

[Nipex83]

Did u test between the two circuits for erroneous connections.. The live on one lighting circuit could of by mistake got connected onto the second circuit.. Do u no what i mean?

 

[bodders22]

Hi all sorry for not replying last night it was my boys birthday so I was out,.
It tripped again twice last night and these were the photo's she sent me.
On the first time everything is off except the rcd ! and the second just the main switch.
I reckon it could be the daughter as she was near the downstairs toilet (where the cu is) both times, customers not having it mind!
Please tell me it's not me being thick this is impossible isn't it.
Also I never mentioned when I did the eicr I tried to find out which circuit it was I swapped one at a time all the circuits onto the rcd side and they all functioned normally for me.
Thanks for all your replies.

 

[44ALLAN]

It's just a switch mate and doesn't trip.
Internal mechanism might be shot though causing it to open but you would tell that when closing it surely !

 

[bodders22]

I know mate it feels fine when closing, def think someones messing around.

 

[Guitarist]

Maybe someone thinks that green means "go".
There is no way I can think of that all the MCB's, plus the main switch would end up in the off position unless..
a) Someone is messing
b) There is a ghost

You have done all that you possibly can, so maybe suggest to the homeowner that they get someone else to come and have a look at it.
I know you won't want to walk away from the problem, but I really can't see how it is anything other than human interferance.

 

[bodders22]

I'm gonna tell her to not let anyone use the toilet downstairs lock the door (its got the lock you can operate from outside) and see what happens tonight.

 

[44ALLAN]

I know mate it feels fine when closing, def think someones messing around.

I would disconnect the main switch inside the consumer(without telling them) and just have the rcd covering the board....I'm guessing there's another isolator on the tails?
If it opens again then someone is extracting the proverbial mate lol

edit
and put another mcb in, but not wired up, and see if that trips lol

 

[bodders22]

Thats a good shout 44Allan there is another isolator in the meter cupboard I'll try that today I think.

 

[Rockingit]

^^^ was going to say pretty much the same thing....short out the switch out of circuit, you're not leaving the install any less 'protected' temporarily, see what happens. If it only happens night, might be someone sleep walking?? Kids do do this!

 

[zap]

Get some carbon paper and deposit carbon on all the switches. If it happens again get her to check her daughter's hands for evidence.

 

[DPG]

Get a a camera in there. Its the only way youre gonna prove exactly what's going on and who's doing what. It's also going to save you visiting every day. Unless you want to visit every day of course ;-) daz

 

[bodders22]

Cheers Rockingit, It's been happening between 5pm and 10pm at night which I think is when the daughter goes to bed, and it never happens when their not in.
So definatley points to her !