circuit with outside plug keeps tripping

[JohnW2]

If the RCD is knackered, after replacing it and the problem returns simply remove the outdoor circuit from the FCU and monitor the problem. If it continues to happen your problem is not the outdoor circuit, (unless the FCU is also outdoors and may be the cause). If it no longer happens the indications point to it being the outdoor circuit.

All true, but unlike the situation with RCD trips (commonly due to water ingress in outdoor circuits), I don't think that there is any real reason to suspect the outdoor socket as being the cause of MCB trips any more than anything else connected to the circuit.

Indeed, if (as the OP seemed to imply) the "outdoor circuit" is, in fact, just one socket (presumably with nothing plugged into it), it would seem pretty unlikely that it would be the cause of intermittent MCB trips.

Kind Regards, John

 

[unclebob1]

Thanks for the updates all,

Clarification on current position :

Outside socket has nothing plugged in, and as of now, nothing is plugged into any socket on the ring!

RCD is working as normal - this one is either on or off, no mid position in my one. My father in law had mixture of user error and not following instructions which led to the confusion of Rcd not resetting : he had reset the MCB first, thet tried to reset Rcd. Fault on MCB caused RCD to trip.

Since Friday I have had one item unplugged at a time until trip. At which point I put the removed item back in, and removed something else. Saturday morning I unplugged an extension (nothing on the end of the extension but it has built in usb charger). Rest of the day, no trips, and all night nothing. This morning RCD and MCB tripped.

Unplugged new device and reset Rcd, then MCB. Stayed up for approx 1 hour, dishwasher started, used toaster for breakfast etc , and both tripped again. Unplugged new device and reset Rcd, tried to reset MCB and it tripped RCD immediately. So removed more items and tried reset of Rcd and MCB. Now I'm at the point where there is nothing plugged in anywhere, the extractor is isolated, and even the fused switch spur for outside is disconnected (load side for l,n and e) so as far as I can tell, 0 devices plugged in), yet RCD trips when MCB is turned on...

Funnily enough this is what my fil described happening on Friday morning, RCD won't stay up when MCB is up! So I'm suspecting something possible environment such as heat (ufl comes on in the morning to get room warm?) + bad connection somewhere causing short... Going to have to disconnect circuit at consumer unit side to test continuity and possible shorts I suspect as next step!


Any other ideas?

 

[unclebob1]

At the time of the above post (approx 1 hour ago) I turned ufh in the kitchen off, floor has cooled down a bit, reset MCB and all was fine... Plugged back in most items and see how it goes, left garden disconnected for now

 

[JohnW2]

At the time of the above post (approx 1 hour ago) I turned ufh in the kitchen off, floor has cooled down a bit, reset MCB and all was fine... Plugged back in most items and see how it goes, left garden disconnected for now

I look forward to hearing updates!

Given everything else you've done, if the UFH doesn't prove to be the problem, then I fear the only idea left will probably be to 'get an electrician' - since you are getting to the point at which the wiring itself is the only thing left.

Kind Regards, John

 

[unclebob1]

I look forward to hearing updates!

Given everything else you've done, if the UFH doesn't prove to be the problem, then I fear the only idea left will probably be to 'get an electrician' - since you are getting to the point at which the wiring itself is the only thing left.

Kind Regards, John

Thanks, so far no problems since ufh went off, but will have to wait and see tomorrow, gonna turn ufh in kitchen down so wait and see...

Most defo next step will be an electrician, regardless of heating, if it is the heating then I need to disconnect the current two ends of the ring and test continuity, and then the in between runs etc, I can do simple resistance between the conductors but no ir testing, and have no way to easily check which set of wires in each socket goes where... Is there a tool that will send a signal of some sort down the wire for me to then detect at the other end? I'm thinking disconnect all wiring in each socket, and at the consumer unit, and get an understanding of which is the first socket at each end of the ring, and where they are going. That way I can isolate off each run and see if I'm still getting trips?