Is this right or is it a fault with my board?

[trickymicky69]

I have a 10 way consumer unit

When I turn the breaker for "downstairs lights" to the off position the lights go off downstairs.

When I fitted a light in the dining room and one in the front room both times it tripped the main breaker with the "downstairs lights" breaker in the off position?

This only happened when I connected the last wire to the light both times.

Is this correct?

All lights are working fine and nothing blew as far as I know.

Should i have turned the main breaker off as well when doing it? (I didnt want to work in the dark) I had three cables on one light fitting and two on the other so I figured it was a loop. I wired switch wire to the live on the light, earth to earth, neut to neut and the remaining brown wires were onto the loop part of the terminal so I hope that was ok.

 

[securespark]

When you say main breaker do you mean RCD?

It is possible you shorted N & E together when fitting these fittings, thus tripping the RCD.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

RCD trip by the sounds of it, it's normal they do that!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Chances are that at some point you shorted neutral and earth. The circuit breaker only disconnects live, so a N-E fault will trip the RCD.

Yes - you should have turned off the main switch, or removed the neutral conductor from the neutral bar in the CU.

 

[Electrifying]

(I didnt want to work in the dark)

Should have done it in the day, then.

Not advisable to work on a singularly isolated circuit without fully understanding how the installation is wired - you should have isloated the whole board and proved 'dead' with an approved voltage tester.

 

[trickymicky69]

Thanks - I must have touched the wires as it was very fiddly

Can I have a technical explanation but for someone who is clever but not with electrical routing etc?

Why does the rcd trip with the breaker to that part of the circuit off?

Thanks

 

[trickymicky69]

Sorry answered my own question

Why didnt I get a shock if it was enough to cause a trip?

 

[trickymicky69]

(I didnt want to work in the dark)

Should have done it in the day, then.

Not advisable to work on a singularly isolated circuit without fully understanding how the installation is wired - you should have isloated the whole board and proved 'dead' with an approved voltage tester.

I know that now - when you have a pregnant partner that needs her chandalier put up, that goes out of the window

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

http://www.greenbrook.co.uk/pdf/pbcatpg21-22.pdf

 

[Electrifying]

Thanks - I must have touched the wires as it was very fiddly

Can I have a technical explanation but for someone who is clever but not with electrical routing etc?

Why does the rcd trip with the breaker to that part of the circuit off?

Thanks

You'll probably get a load of replies to this - fastest typist and all that

As BAS stated, the MCB only isolates the line conductor.

The neutral is connected to the neutral bar in the CU - which means it's connected to the neutrals from other (live), circuits.

If you touch the neutral of your isolated circuit to earth, you are creating an additional path for the neutral current of other circuits to flow down, but bypassing the RCD........this, in turn, causes it to trip.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I know that now - when you have a pregnant partner that needs her chandalier put up, that goes out of the window

Why would you install a chandelier that goes out of window? is it correctly IP rated?

 

[trickymicky69]

I know that now - when you have a pregnant partner that needs her chandalier put up, that goes out of the window

Why would you install a chandelier that goes out of window? is it correctly IP rated?

Nice window joke!

Do I need to check Ip rating for a lounge - its from B and Q?
The dining room isnt in a safe zone either so didnt think I needed to check that as well?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

My dining room has not been a safe zone for days and now the bedrooms looking unsafe too

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Do I need to check Ip rating for a lounge - its from B and Q?

You got a lounge from B&Q

 

[trickymicky69]

Do I need to check Ip rating for a lounge - its from B and Q?

You got a lounge from B&Q

Very funny

The house was rewired in July and the pendant (normal type) in the dining area of the kitchen/diner is 3.2m from the edge of the sink so hopefully this is ok regarding safe zones?
The spark fitted a proper safe zone moisture resistant jobbies in the kitchen.

I have another question - would adding a connector block to the light (to facilitate connection) be part p notifiable as in it may be deemed to be a "permanent change to exisiting wiring"? or am I reading too much into it