Tripping

[Dinny991]

We have an intermittent issue with this thing tripping. The meter tails are on one side and the other side is the CU. The CU looks fairly new.

The tripping has been very intermittent - like every 9-12 months it might trip in the past, but in the last 24 hours it's tripped 4 times. I've never really thought too much about it in the past, as I've always put it down to some "external" factors from a surge of power (can anyone tell me if this is even a thing?). Since none of the individual breakers trip in the CU itself. It tripped twice last night when virtually everything was off except the fridge/freezer. The weather was pretty bad, rain and strong winds last night - could that be the cause?? And without any obvious cause, as its doesn't trip when an appliance is turned on, etc., I'm at a loss.

Any ideas about what "might" be causing this?

Could it be that this thing is a bit more sensitive than the CU breakers and that's why it goes off?

I'm also confused what it's doing there - would someone have put it there so that they can isolate the CU, and would that be normal?

 

[Murdochcat]

Could you post a photo of the CU ?

 

[Dinny991]

Could you post a photo of the CU ?

Here you are:

 

[Murdochcat]

That separate RCD has no real use or requirement.

You could simply be suffering with accumulated earth leakage and this could be the reason for the tripping

My advice would be to get this separate RCD tested properly AND then get the rcd replaced with an isolation switch.

Doing this will then mean if the fault is within the home only one of your RCDs will trip

 

[Dinny991]

Ok thank you so much, I'll get that organised.

Quick question - would sparky be testing the separate RCD to see if it's faulty, or would I ask them to just replace it?

 

[Murdochcat]

Ok thank you so much, I'll get that organised.

Quick question - would sparky be testing the separate RCD to see if it's faulty, or would I ask them to just replace it?

You don’t replace that RCD it serves no purpose

However a test might reveal it’s tripping threshold - and this test takes a few minutes to do - and put your mind at rest

 

[Jurassicspark]

How long are the meter tails from that RCD to the consumer unit?

And what is the earthing arrangement?

When was the consumer unit replaced?

 

[Dinny991]

How long are the meter tails from that RCD to the consumer unit?

And what is the earthing arrangement?

When was the consumer unit replaced?

I would say the length is about 60cm

I know nothing about earthing arrangements?

Not sure, there's no date on it, but it doesn't look old, but I have no idea

 

[Dinny991]

You don’t replace that RCD it serves no purpose

However a test might reveal it’s tripping threshold - and this test takes a few minutes to do - and put your mind at rest

I understand - thank you.

 

[Jurassicspark]

Get an electrician to replace it with a main isolator.