I recenlty had a new consumer unit installed as part of an extension (including a new kitchen with lots of new, high powered appliances). The CU is a hager and has a 16A MCB for the garage circuit, which includes the boiler, unvented cylinder + emmersion heater, electric doors and 3 double sockets, one of which has a fridge freezer permanently plugged in.
When I try to use my Clarke Power Washer, while plugged into one of the garage sockets, it always trips the garage MCB circuit - every single time! I managed to get is started once and it then ran okay, but haven't been able to repeat this. If I plug the Power Washer into a utility/kitchen socket, which is on a 32A MCB circuit, it works fine. Prior to the new CU I never had this problem.
The electrician that did the work (at the recommendation of the builder) charged a lot more than was expected (even the builder was surprised), so I'm reluctant to use him again. However, as he is familiar with my setup I've asked him to give me an idea of cost to resolve this issue and asked what he might do. His response was to arrange to come round and spend a couple of hours investigating the issue, then he would be able to tell me what the problem and solution is.
A couple of hours sounds excessive and costly to me. Clearly, the issue is with only the garage circuit and only the Power Washer causes it to trip. By the way, I had the Power Washer checked by machinemart as I had assumed it had an electrical fault. They told me there is nothing wrong with it!
Anyway, I was reading about Type B and Type C MCB's and to me as a layman, it would seem that replacing the hager 16A MCB Type B, with a 16A MCB Type C may resolve the issue according to some info on the TLC website:
"....for electric motors or low voltage lighting the use of a type B MCB may give unwanted tripping and the choice of a type C MCB will probably solve the problem."
I totally understand that I'm not qualified, but I get the feeling this issue has a simple solution and the electrician's suggestion that a couple of hours will be required is a little excessive.
Please feel free to put me in my place, but is there anything in the possibility of using a type C MCB? If so, I will discuss it with the electrician. I don't want to do this if it is a stupid idea
When I try to use my Clarke Power Washer, while plugged into one of the garage sockets, it always trips the garage MCB circuit - every single time! I managed to get is started once and it then ran okay, but haven't been able to repeat this. If I plug the Power Washer into a utility/kitchen socket, which is on a 32A MCB circuit, it works fine. Prior to the new CU I never had this problem.
The electrician that did the work (at the recommendation of the builder) charged a lot more than was expected (even the builder was surprised), so I'm reluctant to use him again. However, as he is familiar with my setup I've asked him to give me an idea of cost to resolve this issue and asked what he might do. His response was to arrange to come round and spend a couple of hours investigating the issue, then he would be able to tell me what the problem and solution is.
A couple of hours sounds excessive and costly to me. Clearly, the issue is with only the garage circuit and only the Power Washer causes it to trip. By the way, I had the Power Washer checked by machinemart as I had assumed it had an electrical fault. They told me there is nothing wrong with it!
Anyway, I was reading about Type B and Type C MCB's and to me as a layman, it would seem that replacing the hager 16A MCB Type B, with a 16A MCB Type C may resolve the issue according to some info on the TLC website:
"....for electric motors or low voltage lighting the use of a type B MCB may give unwanted tripping and the choice of a type C MCB will probably solve the problem."
I totally understand that I'm not qualified, but I get the feeling this issue has a simple solution and the electrician's suggestion that a couple of hours will be required is a little excessive.
Please feel free to put me in my place, but is there anything in the possibility of using a type C MCB? If so, I will discuss it with the electrician. I don't want to do this if it is a stupid idea