rcd tripping

[martybee]

Hi there, would appreciate a bit of advice on a tripping rcd!
Fitted two showers a while back and as the original box was full, ran them through an auxilliary box with 2 x 40 amp mcbs and a 63amp rcd. Had no problems. Recently removed one of the showers and replaced it with a double socket which now runs washer and tumble dryer plus small electric fan via the original shower ceiling switch.Downrated the mcb to 16 amp on advice but now the rcd is tripping every few days.

Sorry if the answer is obvious (probably don't do diy electrics!) but would be grateful of any advice. Thanks

 

[EFLImpudence]

Assuming wired correctly.

Faulty appliance - probably heating element.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You have three appliance that all will have heating elements, so as above very likely a heating element issue.
Unplug and try each item individually and see if any single appliance trips the RCD or whether it is combination of them.
If you have another RCD protected socket( not on the above RCD), you can also try and see via extension lead if the issue is still present.

 

[RF Lighting]

Is it definately the RCD which is tripping? A washer, dryer, and a heater is an awful lot of load for a 16A circuit breaker.

 

[knowall]

The OP does not have a heater ? They have a fan-



KA

 

[knowall]

Can you confirm you have a washer and drier or a washer/ drier, i.e. 1 plug ? and a fan 1 plug into a twin socket ?

If you have 3 plugs and two sockets how are they connected.

NB the chances are the fan is class 2 double insulated and will not cause the RCD trip.


Regards,

KA

 

[martybee]

Hi,

Thanks for all the replies and sorry if I've confused a few!

The supply runs through the original shower ceiling switch. This when pulled now turns on the existing small extractor fan and powers the twin socket. A separate washer and condenser drier are plugged into these.

If the mcb is not high enough rated, would this cause the rcd to trip?

Thanks again.

 

[knowall]

No. How is the extractor fan connected to the circuit ?

You can safely put a 20a mcb on your circuit if you have fuse protected the fan at 3a.

Regards,

KA

 

[Iggifer]

The OP does not have a heater ? They have a fan-

How do you think the water in a washing machine / air in a dryer gets hot?

OP - if you have connected the fan directly to the old shower pull cord (which is how it sounds from your description you will need to add a fused connection unit (spur) with a 3a fuse in it to protect the fan.

Can you plug the washer / dryer into a socket protected by a different RCD (ideally individually) and see if the trip follows the equipment?

 

[Iggifer]

You can safely put a 20a mcb on your circuit if you have fuse protected the fan at 3a.

If the OP has fed his socket from the pull cord in 1.5mm then this simply isn't true

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

If the mcb is not high enough rated, would this cause the rcd to trip?

If the load was too great the MCB would trip, but as you have as you a tripping RCD, that suggest you have an earth leakage fault, coming with appliances with heating elements. As my previous post, removing each appliance from load and re-introducing them, would hopefully give evidence of whether this is down to a single appliance fault, a combined leakage or the circuit.

 

[knowall]

You can safely put a 20a mcb on your circuit if you have fuse protected the fan at 3a.

If the OP has fed his socket from the pull cord in 1.5mm then this simply isn't true

Can I suggest you READ the op.

KA[/b]

 

[knowall]

The OP does not have a heater ? They have a fan-

How do you think the water in a washing machine / air in a dryer gets hot?

OP - if you have connected the fan directly to the old shower pull cord (which is how it sounds from your description you will need to add a fused connection unit (spur) with a 3a fuse in it to protect the fan.

Can you plug the washer / dryer into a socket protected by a different RCD (ideally individually) and see if the trip follows the equipment?

RF stated "and a heater" the 3 items are 1x fan 1x washer 1x dryer the key word is AND ***************


KA [/b]

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I think it may have been me that has presented some misguided information, assuming the electric fan was for heating rather than extraction, so apologise regarding that.
But until the OP actually follows the guidance of elimination offered so far, we may as well point our member towards the wind and empty our bladders!

 

[knowall]

I think it may have been me that has presented some misguided information, assuming the electric fan was for heating rather than extraction, so apologise regarding that.
But until the OP actually follows the guidance of elimination offered so far, we may as well point our member towards the wind and empty our bladders!

Yes, and the shower is probably the cause of the problem !