Intermittent Tripping

[MarcMCFC1986]

Tell her not to plug anything into the socket ,if you haven't already.
Did you notice last night if the switch on the " dead" socket ,felt stiff or loose in operation ( assuming it has a switch)?

It does have a switch yes, and it’s a double socket - but no it didn’t feel stiff or loose, just the same as normal but with no power.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Did you have to pay for the damage you caused when you flooded the basement Harry ?

No the bank did, or rather they didn't bother claiming off YWA, who had a leaky main passing down the road outside.

 

[terryplumb]

It does have a switch yes, and it’s a double socket - but no it didn’t feel stiff or loose, just the same as normal but with no power.

is this socket ,by chance ,what the party fridge and freezer were plugged into ?

 

[MarcMCFC1986]

is this socket ,by chance ,what the party fridge and freezer were plugged into ?

No they were plugged in the ‘garage’

 

[MarcMCFC1986]

It is a vacuum cleaner.
The make is irrelevant - other than to indicate you have been ripped off.

The Dyson is pretty good actually - and you'll be relieved to know we got it half price in the Sale, and used gift vouchers for the bulk of the payment, so very little money was actually handed over.

[/QUOTE]I presume you mean put a blank plate on top of the socket.[/QUOTE]

Blank/Blanking - over/on top of...does it matter? You know what I meant. I already stated that I'm a novice, so picking up on things like this is a little petty.

[/QUOTE]Heaven forbid you actually remove the socket and do things properly.

Why don't you learn how things work? It really is quite interesting.[/QUOTE]

I'm literally on this forum asking questions so I can learn how things work, and already stated on a previous post that I appreciate everybodies advice and I have learnt a lot.

[/QUOTE]Edit - I now see you might 'have a go' - brilliant.[/QUOTE]

It was the electrician who said "...have a go at replacing it yourself." Hence why I began the sentence with He said...

 

[MarcMCFC1986]

Final Update: The switch next to the back door stopped working as it happens that that socket is on a circuit of its own - which was labelled on the CU as 'Water Heater'. So, I can only guess that when the water heater that used to be in the kitchen was disconnected and the combi boiler was installed, the previous owners just stuck a plug socket on there. When I switched off the MCB labelled Water Heater, I didn't realise I was actually switching off that one socket - and the timing of that socket being switched off at the CU coincided with me removing all the water off the flat roof, and so the two things happening at the same time made me believe they were linked.

After a few more trips, and RCD instantly resetting - it eventually gave in and didn't actually reset, which gave me the opportunity to actually start unplugging items around the house until it stayed on. After all this, turns out the freezer is the problem. Unplugged that, and the RCD held, and then after a few minutes I plugged it back in and the RCD tripped almost immediately. Unplugged it, reset the RCD and left it an hour, all stayed on, plugged in the freezer and it tripped again. Brought the party freezer in from the 'garage', transferred all the food into that and left the freezer unplugged - and we're now on the 8th day without a trip, so I think (touch wood) I'm out of the woods!

Thanks again for everybodies advice and help.

 

[dannyboi2003]

Has nobody noticed that one of the lighting circuits appears to be on a 15 amp MCB, that needs looking at!

 

[EFLImpudence]

I suppose you are correct in saying it needs looking at.

The strange thing really is why British lighting circuits have 5A or 6A OPDs with the usual 16A cables.

Someone will say the accessories are only rated at 6A but they do not carry the full current and there probably is no more than a few Amps of total demand anyway.

 

[JohnW2]

The strange thing really is why British lighting circuits have 5A or 6A OPDs with the usual 16A cables.

Indeed - but I suppose it's not toio 'strange' in the minds of those who believe that, as a general principle, one might as well use as low-rated an OPD as is appropriate to the load, even if a much higher-rated one would still adequately protect the cable.

Someone will say the accessories are only rated at 6A but they do not carry the full current and there probably is no more than a few Amps of total demand anyway.

Yes, someone will say that - probably the same person who can get upset about "20A" DP switches 'protected' by a 32A MCB in a 32A ring or radial sockets circuit - on the basis that the full load current of the circuit may go through conductors connected to its terminals (although not 'through' the accessory itself)!

Kind Regards, John

 

[plugwash]

I don't know if it's an actual reg or not, but i remember reading somewhere (probablly TLC's "guide to the 16th edition")of maximum protective device ratings for different types of lampholder. IIRC it was 6A for SES and SBC and 16A for ES and BC.

 

[JohnW2]

I don't know if it's an actual reg or not, but i remember reading somewhere (probablly TLC's "guide to the 16th edition")of maximum protective device ratings for different types of lampholder. IIRC it was 6A for SES and SBC and 16A for ES and BC.

I don't know about the historical situation (pre-17th), but both the 17th and 18th editions (559.5.1.203 {in AMD3} and 559.5.1.204 respectively) have imposed a maximum OPD of 16A for lighting circuits involving any/all of those lampholder types (SES, SBC, ES & BC) (and also GES/E40), with no mention of a 6A maximum for any lighting circuit (even for SES and/or SBC).

Goodness only knows what is the thinking behind that reg, but I find it hard to believe it's got anything to do with the 'current ratings' of lampholders - since I think one would probably struggle to find (if one ever did!) even a BC, ES or GES lampholder rated at 16A, and even more so in the case of SES or SBC ones (which surely would never be 'rated' at 16A?).

Kind Regards, John​