neighbours lawnmower tripping rcd

[kevtherev]

Hi,
I live in a house which has been converted into two flats, which we both own and don't rent, mine is the upper one, when my downstairs neighbour uses his lawnmower it trips my rcb, and cuts off all my power, we are both on separate meters so has anyone any ideas as to the cause, and can I get any help from my supplier for this problem? as I don't really want a large bill for it.
Many Thanks for any help

 

[DetlefSchmitz]

When this happens - does his lawnmower stop too?

 

[kevtherev]

Thanks for getting back, no his mower keeps on going

 

[westie101]

I came across this some years ago (1980's), where the use of a lawnmower on a church's land was tripping the RCD in a solarium in the large house next door.

Overhead network, so we first checked all our kit and all the earthing values (TNCS)
We tried everything even down to purchasing and installing specific equipment with a new RCD to power the mower.
It still tripped this RCD next door.

In the end it was decided to change the RCD for a new one of the same rating & make (it was part of a CU in the solarium).

Lo and behold it cured the problem.

The same occurred in another town locally a few years ago (TNS earthing this time), residential street and only one house affected when the next door neighbour used their mower.
Same cure

 

[AndyPRK]

For once the similar threads at the bottom maybe worth a read, as I have heard about it on here before.

//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/tripping-rcd-by-neighbours-mower.53582/

//www.diynot.com/diy/threads/neighbours-power-tools-tripping-my-rcd.380471/

 

[Lectrician]

I have seen it before with two neighbouring buildings sharing the same TN-S supply (but separate supplies).

There was a common earth between the buildings due to a metal oil pipe, and a fault from N-E on the non RCD side of the board in the house that was tripping. It would trip when any heavy load was quickly switched in the other property. It was only noticed when builders where in.

I am at a loss as to explain exactly why this occurred, but sorting the N-E fault cured the problem, as did removing the parallel earth path. Both would stop the problem from occurring (we played and tested).

 

[ericmark]

I have old RCD's and thunder storms and any other spike can cause them to trip. Including re-setting one can trip the one feeding the other consumer unit.

I tend to get a batch of trips then no problems for years. I keep saying I will change them to a modern one better able to resist spikes but fault always seems to go away before I get around to it.

 

[JohnW2]

I have old RCD's and thunder storms and any other spike can cause them to trip.

Around here, it seems to be the DNO's protective devices that suffer from that - a flash of lightning anywhere within a few miles of here will frequently cause a power loss - often only for a few seconds, but sometimes appreciably longer!

Kind Regards, John

 

[westie101]

Around here, it seems to be the DNO's protective devices that suffer from that - a flash of lightning anywhere within a few miles of here will frequently cause a power loss - often only for a few seconds, but sometimes appreciably longer!

Yep, but in that case the strike as usually hit the line (they're a good target don't you know)
That is why we have auto-reclose on rural networks