Sockets tripping at Consumer Unit

[MarkWalms]

Hi,
Last week the wall socket circuit tripped at the consumer unit when I switched on the toaster. I thought I must have overloaded as the dish washer and tumble drier were on at same time. I turned them off, reset the trip and put the toaster back on. Immediately tripped the circuit again.
I guessed the toaster was at fault, so threw it away and purchased another.

A few days later, the circuit tripped again. I wasn't aware of anything particular being switched on at the time but with 2 kids in the house I wasn't sure. But certainly wasn't the toaster or the socket its used in.

It's now tripped again tonight and all members of the house were in the lounge. No one had turned anything on at the time it tripped and no high load devices running elsewhere (kettle, dishwasher, cooker etc)

The switch that's tripping has a test button on and states 30mA on it.

All other circuits fine

Any ideas?

Obviously I'll get a qualified electrician out to do any work but I always like to be a little informed before getting tradesmen involved.....help prevent being ripped off if you know even just a little

Thanks

 

[martinxxxxxx]

Some RCD can get a bit "Trigger Happy" if you don't regularly press the yellow test button. Try doing it a few days and see if the situation improves.
Really an RCD tester would show if this is the problem, but you probably have not got access to one.
Also there may still be a faulty appliance that is to blame. So unplugging as many things may help to eliminate them from further enquiries

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Does this RCD only cover/protect the socket circuit in question?
Is it an RCD or a RCBO?

 

[MarkWalms]

Thanks guys.

It's a Wylex and says its a 63/2 - not sure rcd vs rcbo
It seems to be "linked" to 3 other switches as it states "these circuits protected by rccb" highlighted in green - which continues under 3 other switches. 1 states sockets, 2 also states sockets and 3 states shower.
The shower one is switched off (removed old electric shower years ago when I retiled the bathroom and didn't need to replace). None of these trip - its just the Wylex one that keeps tripping.

Edit: it's like this eBay item: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RCD-WYLEX...tBreakers_RL&hash=item20c9b679ea#ht_500wt_922

 

[bernardgreen]

You say the MCB that supplied the shower is turned off. What happened to the cable that fed the shower after the shower was removed ?

The fault might be a short circuit between Neutral and Earth on that cable. If the Live is disconnected ( switched off ) but the neutral is still connected then some of the Neutral current from an appliance on another circuit can make it's way via the short ciruit to earth bypassing the RCD and this will cause the RCD to trip.

If the end of the cable that fed the shower is tucked out of sight behind the new tiles then that may be the cause. Removing this cable from the CU is something the electrician should do.

Neutral_Earth_trip

• bernardgreen
• 16 Jan 2011
• 48

 

[Risteard]

It's a Wylex and says its a 63/2 - not sure rcd vs rcbo
It seems to be "linked" to 3 other switches as it states "these circuits protected by rccb" highlighted in green - which continues under 3 other switches.

RCCB then. Really he should have asked you whether it was an RCCB or RCBO as both of these are RCDs so RCD or RCBO actually makes no sense whatsoever.

 

[MarkWalms]

Cheers all...I'll get an electrician in and thanks to you guys at least will know a little what I'm asking for rather than going in completely blind.
Even if it's not the shower circuit, sounds like I should get removed anyway and can test everything else at same time.

Thanks again

 

[securespark]

You could try disconnecting the L & N of the shower if you feel competent.

If it stops tripping the likelyhood is you've found the issue. But it's more likely to be a RF issue, probably something plugged in, and the best way to sort that is with the aid of an insulation tester.

 

[MarkWalms]

Just had a check in the garage because I recalled buying a cheap multitest unit several years back. Found it and it has got an "appliance test" where you insert the plug and it does a "continuity test". Will that suffice if I check all my appliances with that or is that checking for a different thing to what you mentioned?

As you can tell, I'm not very knowledgable in terms of electrics so any work that needs doing I think I'll leave to the professionals But if I can isolate the problem myself using simple test equipment then saves me some electricians labour if it's an appliance I can identify.....not until you start thinking about it you realise just how many things are plugged into sockets.....could take some time. :/

Cheers

 

[JohnW2]

... But it's more likely to be a RF issue ..."

What do you mean by "a RF issue"? If I don't know, I doubt that the OP will understand, either!

Kind Regards, John

 

[pjcomp]

Possible culprits to cause the tripping include sparker units on gas cookers, often forgotten because, hey, it's a GAS cooker, and it's always plugged in behind the cooker or in the back of a cupboard. And don't forget our old friends the outside lights and sockets, particularly with all this wet weatehr we've been having.

PJ

 

[securespark]

... But it's more likely to be a RF issue ..."

What do you mean by "a RF issue"? If I don't know, I doubt that the OP will understand, either!

Kind Regards, John

Well, I understand I may be guilty of using abbreviations, but I did qualify it further:

probably something plugged in, and the best way to sort that is with the aid of an insulation tester.

and that was the important bit.

 

[JohnW2]

What do you mean by "a RF issue"? If I don't know, I doubt that the OP will understand, either!

Well, I understand I may be guilty of using abbreviations, but I did qualify it further:

... probably something plugged in, and the best way to sort that is with the aid of an insulation tester.

and that was the important bit.

You did, indeed, and I took that qualification as meaning that you felt that 'something plugged in' was the most probably sort of 'RF issue'?

... but you still haven't told me what 'a RF issue' is (I'm probably just being slow, or dim!)

Kind Regards, John.

 

[securespark]

Ring Final.

Of the three circuits protected by the RCD, two are RF circuits.

I made a fair assumption that the fault is more likely to lie there than with a disused shower circuit.

 

[JohnW2]

Ring Final. Of the three circuits protected by the RCD, two are RF circuits.

Ah - I was being a bit slow, although I would have been impressively fast if you'd typed 'RFC'

Mind you, I don't really like 'RFC', because it could just as easily be 'Radial Final Circuit' (like the disused shower circuit!)!

Kind Regards, John.