Intermittent tripping - earth fault?

[dazC]

Hello all,

Sorry for the long post. Had a contactor do some work to the house for a new kitchen going in. Wall coming down, rads plumbed in and a load of new sockets. Noticed a problem a couple of nights ago.

Wed night:
- Fuse tripped (fuse wire type - 15A) so was replaced
- Microwave and washing machine had been used from single socket via extension (kitchen not yet fitted so temporary) but only micro on standby when blown.
- Later electric shock recieved from washing machine after wash
- Unplugged washing machine and extension lead and plugged in micro to single socket. Seemed fine.

Thur night:
- Fuse went again. Still only micro plugged in.
- Replaced fuse and plugged micro into diff socket on same ring.
- 20 mins later the fuse went again with only micro plugged in and on standby.

Nothing else connected to this ring and micro was left plugged in to another circut all night with no problems. Micro had been plugged in forever on another socket before all this work was done and never had any problems.

Spark is supposed to be coming back today.

Any ideas?

Cheers,

D.

 

[bernardgreen]

Did the contactor ( contractor ) move any sockets or cables allow the wall to be demolished ? If so then my first thought would be a badly connected temporary (?) joint or socket in the wiring that was moved.

 

[Chri5]

Or rubbish extension leads, poor temp connection, cables distrubed, wet works (plaster, paint etc).

The reasons could be vast and only a site visit and assessment of the state of the current temp works will tell.

I'd suggest you angle this one as a client requirement that all works is safe and functions correctly, even if temporary. Temporary and faulty still causes harm.

A 15 amp wire fuse needs about 25 amp overload to pop

 

[dazC]

Contactor!! My bad...

All sockets are in permanently. Spoke to spark who is coming this afternoon. Hopefully he'll get it sorted. He reckons maybe water is getting in somewhere? Cables are running through a small attic above the extension but it has never leaked beore and other wiring is up there and has been for years. Roof is in great condition and is only a few yaers old. Rain has been heavy the past few nights though. Knowing my luck this will result in more £££££ spent. Fingers crossed and thanks for the replies.

D.

 

[bernardgreen]

deleted duplicate

 

[bernardgreen]

Spoke to spark who is coming this afternoon. Hopefully he'll get it sorted. He reckons maybe water is getting in somewhere?

While not impossible that explanation is unlikely

There would have to be a very large area of contact between wire and water to pass enough current to burn out a 15 amp fuse.

And if his installation is prone to water damage it is not a well planned installation. Is he a real electrician ?

 

[dazC]

turned out to be a bad earth in one of the existing sockets he had wired into. got it sorted anyways. i hope!

D

 

[RMS]

turned out to be a bad earth in one of the existing sockets he had wired into. got it sorted anyways. i hope!

D

A bad earth! Sounds plausible

 

[bernardgreen]

turned out to be a bad earth in one of the existing sockets he had wired into. got it sorted anyways. i hope!
D

A bad earth! Sounds plausible

And sounds like it wasn't tested.

A "bad" earth wouldn't explain the fuse blowing unless a loose earth wire was intermittantly touching a live somewhere around that circuit.

 

[1john]

" A bad earth " sounds good to a customer, who's going to question that.

 

[dazC]

A wire coming from this socket had melted somehow, hence the tripping. Whatever he has done it's sorted now. But no, he hadn't tested the socket originally. I think he was looking extra money for sorting this but no way was I paying.