RCCB tripping

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I have a consumer unit from about 1985. The RCCB B8003/2 keeps tripping when the fridge kicks in. I'm wondering if there is a way to tell if it is the fridge at fault (I suspect it is) or the B8003/2?

When we have had faults with appliances before, it has always been the B32 that trips but this time it is the B8003/2. Which one should trip first and why please? I have plugged the fridge in to different circuits and it is always the B8003/2 that trips.

I'm not going to be fixing anything myself. Just trying to work out if I need an electrician or an appliance repairer.

Thanks
 

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The RCCB B8003/2 keeps tripping when the fridge kicks in. I'm wondering if there is a way to tell if it is the fridge at fault (I suspect it is) or the B8003/2?
Yes. An electrician can test the RCCB.

When we have had faults with appliances before, it has always been the B32 that trips but this time it is the B8003/2. Which one should trip first and why please? I have plugged the fridge in to different circuits and it is always the B8003/2 that trips.
The B32 MCB and B8003/2 RCCB (RCD) measure different kinds of faults.

I'm not going to be fixing anything myself. Just trying to work out if I need an electrician or an appliance repairer.
An electrician first.
 
First thing- the B32 is a miniature circuit breaker- it'll only trip when the current being drawn by the circuit exceeds the rated value of the circuit breaker (for that one 32 amps).
The RCD does a different job- it compares current flowing up the live cable with current coming back down the neutral- if there's a difference greater than the rated value (30mA) then it'll trip.
Back to your problem. If the RCD only trips when the fridge motor starts and doesn't trip on any other occasion then your fridge is likely the villain- a portable appliance test would be useful, it should indicate whether there is a fault with it (could just be the suppressor cap on the pump is getting tired of life).
 
@EFLImpudence Thank you for the quick reply. Is there anything in particular that makes you suggest the electrician first to rule out the RCCB. Do you think RCCB fault is more likely?

We have borrowed another fridge today and that is plugged in and working without tripping anything. The borrowed one is lower power rating 75W compared to 100W on the original but I can't see that making a difference. With the RCCB only tripping when the fridge is switched on, it feels like the fridge is more likely to be the problem.

@oldbutnotdead Thanks. It does feel to me like the fridge would be at fault but without much knowledge of how the consumer unit works, I didn't want to waste money getting the wrong type of engineer out.
 
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@EFLImpudence Thank you for the quick reply. Is there anything in particular that makes you suggest the electrician first to rule out the RCCB. Do you think RCCB fault is more likely?
No. You asked if there was a way to tell if the fridge or RCCB was at fault.
One way would be to test the RCCB - easier than testing the fridge.

We have borrowed another fridge today and that is plugged in and working without tripping anything. The borrowed one is lower power rating 75W compared to 100W on the original but I can't see that making a difference. With the RCCB only tripping when the fridge is switched on, it feels like the fridge is more likely to be the problem.
Yes.
I did not realise you had fridge testing equipment. :)

Thanks. It does feel to me like the fridge would be at fault but without much knowledge of how the consumer unit works, I didn't want to waste money getting the wrong type of engineer out.
It would appear you have done it for free. Well done.
 
A frost free fridge/freezer normally has a mineral insulated element to do the defrosting, the mineral is hydrophilic that is it attracts water, and it relies on a seal on the ends to stop water getting in. If that seal is damaged then only way is to replace the element, but testing is not that easy, to find it with a portable appliance tester would mean the tester would need to be used long enough for the defrost cycle to trip in, in the main the switch only switches the line, so an insulation tester neutral to earth will normally find the fault, but this uses 500 volt for the test, a standard multi-meter is unlikely to find fault.

As an electrician I would not carry spare elements, so all I could do is disconnect the element, a refrigeration engineer likely does carry them, however when I had problems with a freezer I found minimum charge was £60, the freezer cost £100, so it was a case of DIY or scrap it, I found parts required on internet, so could repair, but it is all well and good saying get an electrician, but it depends on age of appliance, maybe more cost effective to simply renew it.
 
It is an American side by side fridge freezer. I looked at the cost to replace and they start at around £1k for a half decent brand so I think it is definitely worth exploring a repair cost first. We had a different issue with this a few years ago and lots of engineers wouldn't touch American style units. It is about 10 years old but apart from this issue, in very good condition.
 

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