No Power To Central Heating RCD Ok?

[Tbone455ci]

Hi, turned the central heating on but boiler didn't fire up. The switch is beside the timer switch (an old style dial type)

The red light above the switch is not on, so I checked the RCD which had not tripped. Turned rcd off & on a few times but still nothing?

Took switch & timer covers of their sockets & checked for power with electric tester/probe, no power?


Next I turned off power to fuse/rcd box & swapped rcd with another with the same rating & still nothing?

Next turned of power again & I checked continuity with a fluke tester & it was only the earth cable that was ok, live & neutral had nothing?

Checked boiler & as I thought no power to it, checked reset switch & that was ok?

So I'm thinking there must be a break in the cable from the rcd to the switch/timer but I'm not 100%

The switch is only 6ft away from the rcd box & don't have any rodent problems.

Has anyone had the same or similar problems like this?

Any help or advice will be much appreciated

 

[sparkwright]

At the switch you describe having a red light, I would have expected there to be a fuse built it into it.

A 3 amp fuse.

Do you have this?

If so, you should have checked this first, before all that other stuff you listed.

Most boilers specify a local 3 amp fuse.

 

[securespark]

Yeah and that indicator will extinguish when the fuse fails.

 

[Astra99]

post deleted. Not thinking clearly!

 

[Risteard]

Next I turned off power to fuse/rcd box & swapped rcd with another with the same rating & still nothing?

In the interests of ensuring that nothing illegal has taken place here, what part of Ireland are you in?

 

[Tbone455ci]

Thanks for the replies, I'm living in southern Ireland I'm not sure if that makes any difference or should I have posted in countries outside the uk?

The switch with the red light has no fuse in it, I thought it would of but it doesn't ?

I'm still confused as to why none of the cables going into the switch are not live & the rcd is ok?

 

[Risteard]

Thanks for the replies, I'm living in southern Ireland I'm not sure if that makes any difference or should I have posted in countries outside the uk?

Nothing to do with where it was posted, but simply that assuming that this is a domestic installation then work in the distribution board (e.g. replacing RCCB) is classified as Restricted Electrical Works, and therefore it is unlawful for anyone other than a Registered Electrical Contractor (REC) to do it. Therefore you should not have replaced it as this is against the law.

Visit the RECI website at www.reci.ie to find an REC.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Next I turned off power to fuse/rcd box & swapped rcd with another with the same rating

How come you've got spare RCDs lying around?

I checked continuity with a fluke tester & it was only the earth cable that was ok, live & neutral had nothing?

No continuity on L & N between where and where?

So I'm thinking there must be a break in the cable from the rcd to the switch/timer but I'm not 100%

So you didn't check the continuity of that cable? Why not, if you think that might be where there is no continuity?

Any help or advice will be much appreciated

Get someone who has a clue what they are doing would be my advice.

 

[Tbone455ci]

Thanks for the info, do you mean it's unlawful of me to remove the cover & change the rcd? Does that just apply to Ireland?

If so I wasn't aware that it's against the law but I did identify & switch of the main rcd before removing the fuse/rcd cover & checked with my fluke T50 voltage tester & voltfinder to make sure nothing was live.

Apart from that Would you have any idea why I'm getting no live feed to the switch for the central heating boiler? It's an oil fired burner if that makes any difference?

 

[Risteard]

It has been illegal since October 2013 in the 26-Counties. Click on the following link for more information: http://www.walshelectrical.ie/electrical-services.html#restricted-works

 

[Tbone455ci]

Ban all sheds, I just swapped the rcd with another as I thought it may of been a faulty rcd.

I made sure power was of and connected my fluke voltage/continuity tester from the boiler rcd to the central heating switch with the red light on the L or N on both sides of the switch & the timer switch if that makes Sense?

That's why I'm thinking there must be a broken cable but my gut feeling is it's not but I can't think what else it could be, surely the cable from the boiler rcd goes to the boiler switch?

I work on cars for a living and good with auto electrics, I know mains voltage is different & dangerous but surely turning of the power to the rcd board and then checking if a cable has a break will be the same?

Anyway, Thanks for the advice....

 

[Tbone455ci]

Risteard thanks for the link, as I said I wasn't aware and will be sure to call an electrician as I've done as much as I feel I'm capable of now.....

 

[EFLImpudence]

I made sure power was of and connected my fluke voltage/continuity tester from the boiler rcd to the central heating switch with the red light on the L or N on both sides of the switch & the timer switch if that makes Sense?

Nope.

 

[sparkwright]

Could there be another switch hidden somewhere, perhaps in a cupboard, that's accidently been switched off? This may account for L and N being broken, and not E.

Stranger things have happened.

 

[Tbone455ci]

Thanks sparkwright but no the switch for the central heating is in the utility room where the consumer box is and is only about 6ft from the rcd box.

Wish it was that simple

I also checked upstairs where the water tank is but no luck their either?