Power Shower Broken RCD

[EssexMike]

Hi Folks, hoping someone can help with an issue I am having relating to my shower unit. Last night I switched on our power shower that has been fine for the past 2-3 years but is used extensively and it sort of struggled for a split second and died along with all the lights upstairs as well. The consumer unit downstairs is all still on with nothing tripped including the RCD. A freind who is an electrician came over and narrowed it down to a fault with the RCD that is attached to the shower and upstairs lighting. Firstly it wont trip when you test it and he also measured power into the RCD but found that there was no output which supplies the upstairs and explains why I dont have lights or shower power. He seems to think a replacement RCD is needed.

He did mention he could try and clean it up and give it another go but reccomnded I purchase a new one. I guess my question is.....has anyone experienced anyhthing similar and what was the solutions

Thanks for the help guys and a big hello based on this being my first post

 

[securespark]

Clean it up and give it another go?????

What kind of electrician is this guy?

How does he propose to do that?

You sure the RCD hasn't tripped to a central position?

Get another electrician to disconnect the power shower from the lighting circuit, then IR test the lighting circuit to ensure it is free of short circuits.

Then, with the outgoing wiring disconnected from the RCD, test the RCD to ensure correct operation.

If the RCD and lighting circuit are testing OK, reconnect.

I would connect the power shower to the power circuit, not the lighting.

But I strongly suspect a fault with your power shower which needs sorting out first.

 

[swampy2]

No idea what he means by clean it up?.
He could test it, to see if it is operating within spec, but seeing as he said there was no power on the load side off rcd(did he disconnect existing load from rcd and then try testing?) maybe its goosed, testing would confirm.

 

[kbdiy]

Surely your friend has given you the answer and could do it for you? Why would you want to wait around for other opinions when you don't have a shower or lights?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Hello and a warm welcome EssexMike.

If the electrician has narrowed the fault down to the RCD unit, then logic would say replace it.
Do you have a picture of the unit that is causing the issue, we like picture here!
I have often come across faulty RCD units, it is not unknown for them to become faulty.
If the supply side of the RCD is testing live and the load side not, that would suggest that the closed contact has gone.

 

[stillp]

Hi Mike, there's no way your friend could "clean up" the innards of your RCD without destroying it. You need a replacement, and tests on the circuits to see what caused the trip.

What make of RCD is it?

 

[EssexMike]

Thanks for all the info guys much appreciated. Not sure what he meant either by cleaning it up....he mentioned something about the fins inside but I have no idea.

PrenticeBoyofDerry that sounds like the most logical explanation to be honest. I do want to have a quick look at the terminals on the shower pull cord isolator as well to see if anything has burned out or come lose but it does sound like the RCD is at fault. As I mentioned it all worked fine and nothing tripped off when it happened. He used his electricity meter and measured the input at the bottom and top of the RCD and found current going in at the bottom but not out at the top. The pic below is the exact setup I have and with the RCD on the left and two MCB's . 1 that controls the lights upstairs and one with a huge cable powering the shower. When it all went off last night the switches all stayed in the up position. Worth adding as well that the test button also doesn't work

assuming the closed contact is an internal part of the RCD?

Untitled

• EssexMike
• 27 Nov 2013
• 1

stillp its a Niglon one.

 

[stillp]

When it all went off last night the switches all stayed in the up position. Worth adding as well that the test button also doesn't work


stillp its a Niglon one.

No surprise there then.

 

[EssexMike]

When it all went off last night the switches all stayed in the up position. Worth adding as well that the test button also doesn't work


stillp its a Niglon one.

No surprise there then.

Are they not much good?

 

[stillp]

Are they not much good?

Not in my (admittedly limited) experience.
Better makes are Schneider, Hager, MK, Wylex.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Do you have a dual RCD board with any spare ways?
I would be tempted if possible to swap the lights over to main CU, but there could be a reason why they are not there already?
Then just have the shower powered by the remote/external unit.
You can get a Crabtree shower unit for about £35-£40, I fitted a MK not so long ago, wasn't that impressed by it!

 

[EssexMike]

Are they not much good?

Not in my (admittedly limited) experience.
Better makes are Schneider, Hager, MK, Wylex.

Thanks for the info. Does anyone else have similar experience with these components?

Assuming its probably this thats at fault then. Could switching on the shower have basically finished off the RCD assuming it was on the way out anyway

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Assuming its probably this thats at fault then. Could switching on the shower have basically finished off the RCD assuming it was on the way out anyway

It's possible, but do you have any evidence to say the RCD was ever functioning correctly? It could also be a fault on the lighting circuit that has caused the issue.
How old is this unit? If less than twelve months return it, if not, you may still have a right to a refund under the sales of goods act.

 

[swampy2]

Get your mate to test it to see if it is faulty.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Out of interest does the main isolator switch of the RCD lock in and out in the open/closed positions?
If so on occasions does it energies the load side?