Problem Moving Circuit on Split Load Consumer Unit

[Gonad]

I have power extended to my garage via an armoured cable and everything has been working OK.

I want to use a powerline/wifi extender in the garage, but it won't work properly because the house sockets (where one powerline adapter is plugged in) and the garage sockets (where the other powerline adapter is plugged in) are on different sides of a split load consumer unit.

This is a known problem and the solution is to move the garage circuit onto the same side as the house sockets.

However when I tried this earlier today, BOTH RCD's tripped when the power was turned back on.

All I did was to move the live wire on the "Garage" MCB to a spare MCB on the other side.

What have I done wrong? Is there anything else I should have done?

 

[EFLImpudence]

You have to move the Neutral as well.

It doesn't matter about moving the earth for RCD reasons but if your CU is in number order you might wish to keep it that way.

 

[bernardgreen]

What have I done wrong? Is there anything else I should have done?

Yes,
1) you should have moved the Neutral to the other Neutral Bus bar

2) intalled a data cable to the garage. PowerLine adapators create interference.

https://www.ban-plt.org.uk/what.php

 

[Gonad]

Thanks for the very quick replies. BTW I don't seem to get any interference problems with my powerline adapters. They are running at max speed with no problems caused to any other electrical equipment.

 

[bernardgreen]

BTW I don't seem to get any interference problems with my powerline adapters

You ( and your neighbours ) may be lucky and the radiation from your mains cables is minimal.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

As I understand it, the allegation made against them is that they are only legal because the manufacturers exploit a loophole in the certification process; they demonstrate that the box itself doesn't emit much interference and say that the interference subsequently emitted by the unshielded mains wiring is outside their responsibility. It's not unlike the situation with diesel engines that don't exceed emissions standards in lab tests but do on the road.

If they do cause interference, then they are only "legal" to use if the user is unknowing - as soon as they are told that the device is causing problems then they are knowingly causing interference, and action can be taken against them.

As well as https://www.ban-plt.org.uk/

see

• https://www.ispreview.co.uk/index.p...te-owners-bad-powerline-network-adapters.html
• http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/PLA_homeplug.htm
• https://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/publications/whitepaper195

Seriously - these devices may be technically legal in the UK because of our weakly worded legislation, and people may in practice get away with ruining other people's lives because Ofcom refuse to step up to their responsibilities (see https://community.talktalk.co.uk/t5/TalkTalk-TV/powerline-adapters/td-p/1736914 and https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/04/05/ofcom_plt_response/ [although things may have changed since that last article was published]), but no socially responsible person should ever countenance their use.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

All I did was to move the live wire on the "Garage" MCB to a spare MCB on the other side.

What have I done wrong?

Deciding that not understanding how RCDs work and how CUs are wired shouldn't be a reason not to fiddle.

Is there anything else I should have done?

Used an electrician.

 

[winston1]

BTW I don't seem to get any interference problems with my powerline adapters.

Do you use short wave radio or listen to ham bands? Do you listen to air traffic control (which is illegal anyway)? Do you have a DAB radio?

If the answer is no to these you cannot possibly know whether there is interference.