Earth to phase resistance?

[just_curious]

I have a ring main that's protected by an MCB and an RCD. With the RCD set and the MCB off there's a very low resistance between phase and earth (around 10 ohms). Why might this be?

The reading was taken at the site of a socket on the main; and the socket was removed, so the ring was also broken at that point.

 

[ChrisRogers]

do you have any appliances on the circuit still connected?

 

[Careful_Bodger]

Were there any appliances left plugged-in downstream of the test point?

 

[just_curious]

Doh ... good point.

Most things were off / unplugged ... but not the fridge/freezer. This turned out to be the culprit. There was no reading across the plug pins, so I tried it in the adjacent socket. It now seems okay in either socket, though the cable was trapped slightly when I went to move it (no visible damage). I still want to give things a more thorough check tomorrow.

But it was certainly the cause of my meter reading ... thanks.