home electrics issue - trips under load/bulb fuses

[bigup]

Hi all

just wanted some advice on home electrics

we had a CU fitted 2 years back and since then we have had some issues with our electric

I run a few gaming pcs, servers, consoles for the kids, cctv at home and on occasions when i turn these systems on or off by the switch if trips the home power and we get a black out until i flip the trip switch

also when a light bulb fuses it will on occasion trip that module - is this normal?

we are also getting frequent light bulb fuses in our downstairs hall way and upstairs landing, we are forever changing the bulbs.

its got to a stage where i try not to turn my pcs off lol as don't want to risk damaging the electrical devices at home (tv etc)

pics of the CU:

http://s10.postimg.org/prl5fhzbt/2014_02_09_09_22_03.jpg
http://s10.postimg.org/pveyvr4t5/2014_02_09_09_22_36.jpg

anyone have any advise on what i need to check or get done to fix this? do i need bugger modules in the CU?

also say for example i want to add more servers at home (web site etc) how to i upgrade the power to accommodate this?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Taylortwocities]

I am assuming that it is the RCD (at the left-hand side that trips?)

Your basic problem is that it would seem that every circuit is protected by just the single RCD.

This is not correct. The board must not have a single point of failure. This is usually achieved by having more than one RCD or an RCD per circuit (RCBOs).
So that CU does not comply with the Wiring Regulations. Also, each switch should be properly marked with what circuit does what.

Who installed that?
Was he a member of one of the Part P schemes?
Did you get an installation certificate with test results?
Did you get a Building Regulations Completion document (ie did he/she notify the work?)

There is obviously something not right as an over load (eg a lamp bulb blowing) should only trip the separate MCB for that circuit. My guess is that your installation has more earth leakage than it should (maybe because of a lot of IT equipment) and the turn-off pulse is backfeeding through the mains filters on the PCs etc causing the RCD to trip.

It needs some detailed investigation to determine where the fault is. A look at the insulation results from the test certificate may help.

 

[bigup]

Thank you for the detailed reply.

Sometimes the smaller fuses trip when a bulb fuses but it's the big one on the left hand side

Not sure if the installer was certified. We had a bathroom done and the builders had a electrician Wo came in and fitted it.

Will need to get it looked at

Is there a website can go to to find Trustworthy electricians in Manchester area? Or any recommendations?

 

[Taylortwocities]

http://www.electricsaferegister.co.uk

 

[Risteard]

The board must not have a single point of failure.

If that were true then all installations would require multiple supplies. Inconvenience should be minimised in the event of a fault - risk assessment may not consider one RCCB to be a problem.

 

[Taylortwocities]

OK, I'll just cross out section 536 from the regs book then, shall I?

It would seem to me that the OP DOES consider one RCCB to be a problem!

 

[bigup]

thanks all, just found out we have British gas electrical wiring cover so have called them out to see what they can find

going for the free option first!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Good luck with that.
Do let us know the outcome, thanks!

 

[winston1]

This is not correct. The board must not have a single point of failure. This is usually achieved by having more than one RCD or an RCD per circuit (RCBOs).
So that CU does not comply with the Wiring Regulations. Also, each switch should be properly marked with what circuit does what.

It may not comply with the current regs, but the regs are not retrospective. If it complied when it was installed it is OK.

 

[winston1]

also when a light bulb fuses it will on occasion trip that module - is this normal?

Quite common. The fix is to use compact fluorescent or LED lamps.

 

[Aragorn84]

This is not correct. The board must not have a single point of failure. This is usually achieved by having more than one RCD or an RCD per circuit (RCBOs).
So that CU does not comply with the Wiring Regulations. Also, each switch should be properly marked with what circuit does what.

It may not comply with the current regs, but the regs are not retrospective. If it complied when it was installed it is OK.

He said it was installed two years ago though... It wouldnt have complied then would it?

 

[ericmark]

A caravan only has one RCD for all circuits and the point is will the tripping of the RCD produce a danger and since a caravan also has battery lights then there is no danger.

There is no indication on that box to show if all MCB's are on the RCD it would seem odd to make a consumer unit that way. I would have thought was designed to have mixture of RCBO and MCB but clearly not configured that way.

I have a CU feed from a 30ma RCD but I also have a second consumer unit off another RCD plus emergency lights so although fitted in days of BS7671:1992 it complies with BS7671:2008 it is too easy to jump to conclusions when the cover is in place.

I find now with LED and CFL MCB trip is rare. But RCD tripping seems to go in batches it may trip 5 times in a week then not trip again for two years. I have planned to fit a new CU with all RCBO but just not got around to it.