Electrics in kitchen cut out if I use more than 3 appliances

[bubachuba]

This sounds similar to a call out I had a few years ago, main RCD was tripping when fridge or TV was plugged in, after a lot of unplugging and plugging I had run out of ideas, as a last resort I had a look inside the shower and found a burnt back neutral, replaced it with some new cable and the problem disappeared

at times like that i wish everyone had rcbo boards!

 

[boilerfrustration]

I've not had the chance to move out all large kitchen appliances as I ran out of natural day light to see what I was doing. However, I was intested to see what would happen if I left the vacuum switched on and then attempted to reset the fuse box. The vacuum initially tripped the kitchen electrics but when reseting the fuse box, the electrics simply stayed on. I then switched on the appliances one by one at the grid, and still the electrics stayed on. However, when I turned the vacuum off and then on again, the kitchen electrics once again tripped. Baffling.

 

[boilerfrustration]

I managed to unplug all appliances in the kitchen this morning. As I am not keen on moving these heavy goods again, I attached breaker extention cables to each socket to make access simpler in future, reset the switch at the fuse board, switched on the vacuum in the hallway which is on a different circuit and one by one plugged back in the kitchen appliances. Nothing tripped. I repeated the process 3 times with no trip. I even tried plugging the vacuum in after plugging in all appliances but power remained. It appears all is back to normal. Needless to say I am pleased but left totally baffled.

 

[DaveHerns]

You say this has only happened in the last week . Did something happen to start this off ? Any DIY work ? Water leaks or heavy rain?

 

[winston1]

The hob and the boiler are the only items unaffected because they are on separate circuits. The microwave is the only item I can't actually unplug as it is hardwired straight to the isolation switch. Will unplug all appliances later today and plug in one at a time.

So now is a great time to correct this folly, replace the isolation switch with a socket and put a plug on the microwave oven (as the manufacturers intended).

 

[boilerfrustration]

Now you have brought my attention to the matter, the tripping started after i removed a loose cracked porcelain floor tile in the kitchen. I was not able to put in a replacement tile as the adhesion of the previous tile was on top of the electric underfloor heating. To preserve the heating, I simply poured a self leveling compound into the recess where the tile used to be and then when dry covered up with a runner. Could this have been the cause of the cut out?

I will get a plug on the microwave.

 

[bubachuba]

Now you have brought my attention to the matter, the tripping started after i removed a loose cracked porcelain floor tile in the kitchen. I was not able to put in a replacement tile as the adhesion of the previous tile was on top of the electric underfloor heating. To preserve the heating, I simply poured a self leveling compound into the recess where the tile used to be and then when dry covered up with a runner. Could this have been the cause of the cut out?

I will get a plug on the microwave.

absolutely, yes. I would be inclined to remove the supply to the under floor heating.

 

[boilerfrustration]

Luckily the underfloor heating has its own trip switch at the mains. The heating still works but was off at the mains throughout the time the electrics were cutting out. I will keep it switched off.

 

[boilerfrustration]

I'll get an electrician to cut off the power supply to the underfloor heating permanently.

We've established the microwave should have a plug rather than be hardwired. Should the microwave also have its own circuit similar to the hob? At the moment, it shares with the fridge freezer, oven, washing machine and dishwasher.

 

[bernardgreen]

Luckily the underfloor heating has its own trip switch at the mains.

If the fault is a Neutral to Earth fault in teh under floor heating then turning off the MCB in the consumer unit ( fuse box ) will not help as the MCB will only disconnet the Live and the Neutral will remian connected.

It would probably be best now to ask the electician to carry out a full set of insulation resistance checks on all circuits with the Neutrals disconnected from the Neutral when the s#tesng is being done. Unfortunately ( for their customers ) some electricians do not realise that Neutral to Earth faults can still trip the RCD even if the Live to that circuit is switched OFF at the MCB

This can help some electricians when they are searching for the cause of an RCD tripping

Neutral_Earth_trip

• bernardgreen
• 16 Jan 2011
• 48

 

[winston1]

I'll get an electrician to cut off the power supply to the underfloor heating permanently.

We've established the microwave should have a plug rather than be hardwired. Should the microwave also have its own circuit similar to the hob? At the moment, it shares with the fridge freezer, oven, washing machine and dishwasher.

No, a microwave oven can plug into a socket on the ring final.

 

[boilerfrustration]

Sadly, the problem of the electics cutting out has returned. I carried out the vacuum test last night a few times. On each occasion, the RCD tripped.

 

[bubachuba]

Sadly, the problem of the electics cutting out has returned. I carried out the vacuum test last night a few times. On each occasion, the RCD tripped.

hi. if the rcd trips whilst using the vacuum, can you not use it for a while (borrow another if needed) and see if you dont get any more issues? Is it under warranty with the manufacturer?

 

[boilerfrustration]

I had thought of that already. I tried plugging in an electric fire in the living room resulting in the electrics in the kitchen cutting out. Before I call an electrician, is it worth unplugging every single appliance in the property?

 

[crystal ball]

Do you have an electric shower/cooker/c/h boiler, my thoughts are that the problem lies elsewhere and the appliances that are tripping the RCD are ok,