Fuse box tripping?

[Benty1985]

Hi everyone,

I'm not sure if it's an RCD or MCB I've got but over the past few days it's tripping about once a day on the downstairs lights when they aren't even on, but it didn't do at all yesterday. Random.

It's not something I'm going to muck about with but has any encountered this before or have any idea what it might be? Currently in the process of looking for reliable electricians.

Thanks

 

[CountryFan]

Depending on which type is tripping, could depend on what it could be. If you’re saying it’s the lighting circuit then, imo, it’s likely an mcb. Could be a fault on the wiring, loose connection et al.

 

[pete01]

Water in an outside socket or light, first place I'd check.

 

[Benty1985]

Ta mate. Forgot to mention i don't have outside lights. I don't have a socket outside as such but there is a conduit to one of my plug sockets. Would that not trip the sockets though instead of the lights? Cheers for the reply

 

[ericmark]

An RCBO is an MCB and RCD combined, both an RCBO and an RCD will have a test button. Had you not said lights, my thoughts would be a freezer with an auto defrost function.

Most lights don't have a connection to earth, so only way would be rodents, slugs and spiders chewing wires or getting into boxes, old fluorescent lamps do use an earth, but not many of them left.

 

[flameport]

or have any idea what it might be?

Water leak from upstairs, check any lights in the room directly below the bathroom.

 

[SUNRAY]

My personal first go to for intermittant RCD tripping is mains filters in domestic white goods - Dishwasher, washing machine, tumble drier etc.

Unplugging those when not in use may be a useful starting point.

I mean unplugging and not just switching off.

 

[Benty1985]

Cheers everyone. Had a guy come out today. He found a faulty bulb that was slow powering down and a loose wire in the ceiling rose. It just tripped again so I've been in touch and he said next step would be replacing the breaker box. Then after that taking up the upstairs floorboards to check each wire.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

I'm not sure if it's an RCD or MCB I've got but over the past few days it's tripping about once a day on the downstairs lights when they aren't even on, but it didn't do at all yesterday.

You need to determine which it is. RCD, or RCBO will have a button, maybe yellow or blue, marked 'test' or 'T'. An MCB will not.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

It just tripped again so I've been in touch and he said next step would be replacing the breaker box. Then after that taking up the upstairs floorboards to check each wire.

The lighting circuit, appears to be on an RCBO.

OK, but none of that work will be necessary, to at least localise the actual fault and may not even find the fault.

Does the trip happen, when you happen to have been up and about upstairs by chance? Leave a low power light on, so you can at least, know when it trips.

 

[pete01]

he said next step would be replacing the breaker box.

Find a new electrician

 

[Benty1985]

You need to determine which it is. RCD, or RCBO will have a button, maybe yellow or blue, marked 'test' or 'T'. An MCB will not.

Not sure if you've seen but I've attached a pic of it on this thread. It's a yellow test button

 

[flameport]

He found a faulty bulb that was slow powering down and a loose wire in the ceiling rose.

'slow powering down' is a made up story. Loose wire in a ceiling rose would not cause intermittent tripping.

next step would be replacing the breaker box

No, that one is pretty much brand new and even if it wasn't, replacing it won't find or fix the problem.

after that taking up the upstairs floorboards to check each wire

No.

Actually testing the circuit would be the first thing to do.

 

[Benty1985]

Testing the circuit, would that be testing each of the individual wires?

 

[flameport]

Testing the circuit, would that be testing each of the individual wires?

It's disconnecting the circuit from the consumer unit and then testing the whole circuit.
If a problem is found, then you disconnect at a light or switch about halfway, and test each half.
Repeat until problem is found.

If the 'electrician' used doesn't know this, tell them to get back on their horse and ride away.

Taking up floorboards would be the absolute last thing to do, and only after a fault has been confirmed for a section of cable concealed under those floorboards.
Most problems are at the accessories, not along lengths of wire under floors or in walls.