Crabtree Starbreaker not Tripping when tested.

[jenicks]

Not long moved house and realised over the weekend that when the yellow 'TEST' button on our Crabtree Starbreaker Consumer Unit is pressed, nothing happens. Nothing trips.

Is that bad, or really bad. Many thanks.

The house was renovated (totally gutted) about 3 years ago and rewired.

 

[Pensdown]

Now theres a coincidence, I've just contacted crabtree about the same problem. We have just installed 10 starbreaker RCBO's and none of them trip via the button but are all OK when tested. I will post the reply when I get it

 

[Qedelec]

Get it tested by an electriciain. That test button is only to check that it will trip and ensure the mechanics are free to operate. Sounds like its faulty, price is about 50 + vat + fitting.

 

[JohnD]

They don't last forever. I have a 100A RCD for the house, test it occasionally, needed a replacement after about 10 years. I don't know if it's the terminals on the test button that get tarnished, but on the (very infrequent) ocasions when I've had a faulty steam iron, or touched N+E when replacing a cracked socket, it's always tripped immediately.

 

[securespark]

You do indeed need to test it.

An auto test will tell whether it trips within 200ms at rated current and within 40ms at 5x.

You could also do a ramp test which will tell you what current it trips at. Much below 18 means a dicky unit.