Overloaded circuit - trips RCD

[fred500]

Hi there

Every time we use an microwave oven along with the oven and plasma Tv, it trips the fuse.

We only had the new complete rewiring done 3 years ago when we renovated the house. But since then we've added couple of appliances in the living room, like security light for the drive way, porch light, and other set top boxes.

My question is there a solution to overload or do we just to have bear with it and ensure we don't run these appliancenes at the same time?

 

[flyingsparks]

Are you sure it's an RCD that trips, or is It an mcb. They are two very different things! An RCD will have a test button on it.
What markings are on the device that trips, it may say something like b20?

 

[fred500]

Sorry not sure if its RCD, but in the consumer unit, it trips when something is wrong.

 

[ricicle]

Overload is unlikely with the appliances you refer to. More likely a substantial, intermittent fault if it is only an mcb tripping.
If it is an RCD then it could be an intermittent earth fault or an accumulation of normal leakages and an over-sensitive RCD.

 

[Aragorn84]

take a photograph of the consumer unit and point out which device is tripping.

 

[fred500]

Thanks guys, will do when I go home.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

These are what you/we are looking for. You will see that the RCD/RCBOs have test buttons.

If you have an RCD/RCBO that is tripping when on load, it is highly likely an appliance fault. I would generally point the finger at appliances with heating elements, such as microwave and ovens.

It could be that when they are on individually, that the earth leakage is not greater than the 30mA and not enough to cause a trip, but when on simultaneously it is.

 

[fred500]

You may be right.

Two weeks ago, on this rare occasion, we used the microwave to cook an Aubergine on a extremely high heat but covered the egg plant with a plastic food covering, which melted badly.

The microwave oven is built in. When it's on by itself, without the electric oven, it's ok. But when used with all three appliances, it trips.

 

[fred500]

Here is the photo. It's the switch 3rd from the right.

Untitled

• fred500
• 16 Mar 2015
• 1

 

[xr4x4]

That's the one marked cooker yes?

 

[Aragorn84]

That board is only 3 years old?

Why on earth has it been hacked to bits already

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

BG MCBs are about £3-£4, so why is there mixed breakers in this board?
They are supposed to be type tested, who put them in?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Here is the photo. It's the switch 3rd from the right.

Untitled

• fred500
• 16 Mar 2015
• 1

Go on tell us which circuit it is? 3rd switch from right could mean a number of things, depending on what your interpretation of a switch is?

Is 32A MCB marked F/F (I assume that is first floor and not fridge freezer?)
or possibly the one with the yellow test button?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Two weeks ago, on this rare occasion, we used the microwave to cook an Aubergine on a extremely high heat but covered the egg plant with a plastic food covering, which melted badly.

You were lucky. If that hadn't happened you might have tried to eat microwaved aubergine.

 

[JohnW2]

Go on tell us which circuit it is? 3rd switch from right could mean a number of things, depending on what your interpretation of a switch is? ... Is 32A MCB marked F/F (I assume that is first floor and not fridge freezer?) ... or possibly the one with the yellow test button?

I imagine neither. Since we're talking about something which trips only when the cooker (and other things) is on, I would imagine that the B32 labelled 'Cooker' would be a good bet - and that is, indeed, the 3rd 'switch lever' from the right (at least, by one way of counting ).

Kind Regards, John