Earth fault with a boiler

[paulholmes127]

Hi

I am fairly sure we have an earth fault with our boiler. Every time we put our boiler on it either stays on for about 5 mins then trips out our electrics (the whole house). We have been told by an electrician thats its an earth fault. But a plumber has said that its unlikely to be the boiler as it has 2 fuses to stop the circuit board blowing up ? We have now had 2 electricians out and a plumber and we seem to be in no mans land ! We have had the boiler off for 4 days now and the electrics havent tripped out once. Any ideas or suggestions please. Thanks - Paul

 

[JohnD]

What is printed on the thing that trips? All the letters and numbers. Post a photo of it please.

Is your boiler powered though a plug and socket, or a fused wall switch?

Earth leakage faults are most often associated with water getting into electrical parts.

Boilers sometimes have internal water leaks, but carefully inspect your circulating pump and your 3-port valve if they are outside the boiler, for example in an airing cupboard.

Boiler fuses protect against overcurrent. They are almost entirely irrelevant to earth leakage faults. Your heating engineer sounds surprisingly ignorant.

 

[Dan Robinson]

A make and model of the boiler might be helpful.

But get a different boiler engineer 'cos your current one is obviously clueless.

 

[paulholmes127]

Hi John

Its tripping out at the Distribution Board - (the main fuse box in our garage). Would you recommend getting another heating engineer as opposed to an electrician ? Thanks - Paul

 

[JohnD]

Its tripping out at the Distribution Board - (the main fuse box in our garage).

I still want to see the device that trips, and to know what's printed on it. I could guess, but that's not a good approach.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Is it the RCD that's tripping? In which case, usually an earth type fault.

You need a decent heating engineer to have a look.

 

[paulholmes127]

http://s119.photobucket.com/user/ooh_bugster/media/0JcJGBXFTXuVEs1MLTwMHw.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

this is the RCD that is 'tripping out

'http://s119.photobucket.com/user/ooh_bugster/media/0JcJGBXFTXuVEs1MLTwMHw.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[JohnD]

OK, it is a 30mA RCD, as expected.

It looks like it might protect the whole house, which is now considered poor design, as there may be multiple small leakages on several circuits which together approach the trip level. Stand back and photograph the whole CU please.

Is your boiler powered via a plug and socket, or by a fused switch on the wall?

 

[paulholmes127]

https://www.diynot.com/diy/media/a7pvkoxirwimkkkxoignww.101141/ rest of the DB Board -

 

[paulholmes127]

Its a fused switch on the wall not a socket

 

[DP]

Make and model of boiler NEEDED
Sorry about the capitals
It is like getting into a taxi and telling the driver to take you home.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I'm out.

 

[paulholmes127]

Its an Alpha HE CB33

 

[Only me]

Maybe a water leak somewhere inside the boiler.
Did the plumber chap take the casing off and have a look inside?
Not all plumbers are good with finding faults inside boilers. Find a boiler break down engineer instead.

 

[AGAS]

a plumber and 2 electricians and still no result , FFS's .
why dont you try a service and repair engineer