Hedge trimmer shocker!!

[Jonboy18111]

Hi everyone totally brand new to the forum, hope every one has been enjoying the nice weather, getting the grass cut CUTTING THE HEDGES and in my case cutting the fu***ng wire aswell, which has resulted in the rcd switch to my kitchen sockets tripped and in a permanent state.... I know i should of had an rcd on my extension but never did ... Can any one give me any idea on how to get my kitchen sockets back on, do i need a sparky or is ther any thing i can try my self safely first? Thanks in advance

 

[westie101]

Unplug the lead before doing anything else!

A lot of RCDs once tripped need moving to the OFF position to reset them before you can switch them back to ON

 

[slup]

Sometimes you need to push the switch all the way off before you can then switch it back on.

Cutting through your hedge trimmer cable shouldn't have permanently damaged anything, but it's not impossible that it did.

 

[Jonboy18111]

Unplug the lead before doing anything else!

A lot of RCDs once tripped need moving to the OFF position to reset them before you can switch them back to ON

Thanks, ive tried to push it right down and it seems all the way already, just springing right back down

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

Connecting live to earth on an RCD can destroy it so it needs replacing. I know, I did it once in a german holiday flat and it was most embarrassing.

If the circuit still doesn't work after removing the fault, you may need an electrician.

 

[Jonboy18111]

Connecting live to earth on an RCD can destroy it so it needs replacing. I know, I did it once in a german holiday flat and it was most embarrassing.

If the circuit still doesn't work after removing the fault, you may need an electrician.

What do you mean by removing the fault?? What can i remove?

 

[slup]

Unplugging your strimmer... Which I'm sure you have done!

 

[Jonboy18111]

Unplugging your strimmer... Which I'm sure you have done!

Oh yes of course, that was the first thing i done!!!

 

[slup]

One other thing you could try.

Turn off all your other breakers (leave the big main switch on).

Now try and turn on the RCD. If it stays on this time, turn your other breakers back on one at a time.

To be honest, it sounds like your RCD is fried though - you'll need an electrician.

 

[Jonboy18111]

One other thing you could try.

Turn off all your other breakers (leave the big main switch on).

Now try and turn on the RCD. If it stays on this time, turn your other breakers back on one at a time.

To be honest, it sounds like your RCD is fried though - you'll need an electrician.

Tried and no success . Are thet expensive to replace??

 

[EFLImpudence]

Connecting live to earth on an RCD can destroy it so it needs replacing. I know, I did it once in a german holiday flat and it was most embarrassing.

Do you know what had happened to it?

It would be expensive and unsatisfactory if that were the case.

There is usually no earth on an RCD.

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

What happened was that when I go on holiday in Germany I take a uk socket strip with a German plug. My two strips got lost at a plug-fest I attended in Belgium (don't ask), so I made a new one. the earth wire got nicked by the live connection when the plug cover was put back on, and no I didn't do any checks - more fool me.

First thing we did in the flat was plug in the extension strip. So as you see live shorted to earth through the main (Hager) RCD.

Couldn't switch it back on. It couldn't take the fault current without being destroyed.

At the time it surprised me, but I'm not really surprised in retrospect.

 

[Jonboy18111]

Connecting live to earth on an RCD can destroy it so it needs replacing. I know, I did it once in a german holiday flat and it was most embarrassing.

Do you know what had happened to it?

It would be expensive and unsatisfactory if that were the case.

There is usually no earth on an RCD.

Yes i bleazed right through the wire, causing my kitchens sockets to trip, just looked and it seems rcd's retail from £20-£30. How many hours labour are we talking for a sparky to fit one? Looks like theres only 2 brown wires going into the grub screw at the affected rcd??

 

[Jackrae]

The 'trauma' that you imposed on the system when you cut through the cable may have caused a subsequent fault within your kitchen circuit before the RCD tripped. Unplug all appliances that are connected to the circuit and try resetting the RCD. If that doesn't work then it's a leccy you need.

Are you sure it's an RCD you are talking about. Usually there is only one or two 'master' double pole RCDs and then a bunch of MCBs doing the distribution. On the basis that you still have power elsewhere then I suspect you don't have an RCD protected system (feel free to advise me otherwise). If this is the case then the fault current is what would have pulled out the MCB and there is therefore a possibly goosed MCB or/and a major fault still sitting on the system.

 

[Jonboy18111]

The 'trauma' that you imposed on the system when you cut through the cable may have caused a subsequent fault within your kitchen circuit before the RCD tripped. Unplug all appliances that are connected to the circuit and try resetting the RCD. If that doesn't work then it's a leccy you need.

Are you sure it's an RCD you are talking about. Usually there is only one or two 'master' double pole RCDs and then a bunch of MCBs doing the distribution. On the basis that you still have power elsewhere then I suspect you don't have an RCD protected system (feel free to advise me otherwise). If this is the case then the fault current is what would have pulled out the MCB and there is therefore a possibly goosed MCB or/and a major fault still sitting on the system.

Im assuming so, its in the section of green RCd switches and the only one down is the kitchen sockets one. It has a sticker above them all saying " sub circuit RcD