Problem with circuit and confused!

[eastender3]

Hi folks,
Had intermittent rcd tripping last year, sparky worked on kitchen wall sockets which were problematic and fitted dedicated boiler breaker, so at least boiler would be working if there are problems else where. Few months later again had rcd tripping and no electricity.

The last one refused to come back. Called another sparky, he also worked on kitchen wall socket and wiring for couple of hours.
Last week 'boiler' breaker begun tipping but not only boiler but hob ignition and wall socket in the kitchen affected. last sparky refused to attend unless I pay for callout.

The second sparky must have included boiler with gas hob and wall socket. The last two sparkis blame original rewiring which was done 3 years ago. Don't know who to trust and when the do work, they blind you with electric jargon that you get confused as to what they actually done.

 

[Iggifer]

I think the first thing for you to do, for us to begin to help, is post a photo of your fuseboard/consumer unit. And then in relation to that photo, tell us exactly what is tripping.

If the boiler MCB is tripping, it's likely you have a fault with your boiler, but post some photos and we'll take it from there

 

[eastender3]

I think the first thing for you to do, for us to begin to help, is post a photo of your fuseboard/consumer unit. And then in relation to that photo, tell us exactly what is tripping.

If the boiler MCB is tripping, it's likely you have a fault with your boiler, but post some photos and we'll take it from there

Thanks for your reply.
Switching off the boiler still trips the breaker and after repeatedly putting on the breaker, trips one of the two RCD. We called another sparky yesterday and he tested the sockets in the kitchen and found to be faulty.

He would do another wiring for £200. But that's the same type of work the last one did. Now don't know what to do!

 

[JohnD]

I think the first thing for you to do, for us to begin to help, is post a photo of your fuseboard/consumer unit. And then in relation to that photo, tell us exactly what is tripping.

If the boiler MCB is tripping, it's likely you have a fault with your boiler, but post some photos and we'll take it from there

seems like a "no"

 

[theprinceofdarkness]

Switching off the boiler still trips the breaker

Do you mean that? If so you have a fault with the boiler switch. If there is a bad fault which trips the breaker it can also trip the RCD.
Frank

 

[eastender3]

Switching off the boiler still trips the breaker

Do you mean that? If so you have a fault with the boiler switch. If there is a bad fault which trips the breaker it can also trip the RCD.
Frank

Hello
The breaker marked as 'boiler' is also connected to hob ignition and dishwasher and washing machine, they also don't work. The last electrican found a fault with his testing tool on the wall sockets where washing machine and dishwasher is connected.
I suspect the rewiring that was done 3 years maybe at fault. I don't know what the best solution is.

 

[securespark]

Tripping the RCD indicates an earth fault.

You need someone who knows how to use an insulation resistance tester to check the boiler/ hob/ DW/ WM circuit. Something is obviously amiss and it seems intermittent.

Do you have an outside socket or garage or shed socket/ supply on the wall that backs onto the DW & WM or Hob?

 

[eastender3]

Tripping the RCD indicates an earth fault.

You need someone who knows how to use an insulation resistance tester to check the boiler/ hob/ DW/ WM circuit. Something is obviously amiss and it seems intermittent.

Do you have an outside socket or garage or shed socket/ supply on the wall that backs onto the DW & WM or Hob?

Hello and thanks for your reply.

The answer to your question in the end is no, we don't have shed or garage socket any external socket attached on DW or WM and Hob.

The last visiting electrician said to fix this he has to put new wiring from the problematic kitchen wall socket, but that the same thing the previous electrician did and he won't come back to remedy the situation unless we have pay him again. He is blaming the original rewiring for the whole house.

Don't know what to do and if I could trust another electrician, after having 2 in the past 1 year and paying over £400.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

How rewired the property?
Where they part of a domestic scheme provider?
Did you receive or take up a warranty protection plan for the rewire or any new related circuit since the rewire?
Have you asked the original installer to correct the fault?
If you did and they will not then call the scheme provider!
If the fault is down to the hard-wiring of the original instal, you could have a warranty to cover it.

 

[eastender3]

How rewired the property?
Where they part of a domestic scheme provider?
Did you receive or take up a warranty protection plan for the rewire or any new related circuit since the rewire?
Have you asked the original installer to correct the fault?
If you did and they will not then call the scheme provider!
If the fault is down to the hard-wiring of the original instal, you could have a warranty to cover it.

Hi,
There was no scheme and no warranty taken at the time, but the original installer was part of Niceic, but he refused to come back. The whole house was rewired 3 years ago as part of the renovation. The second electrician who worked in the kitchen circuit for several hours only to have the fault re-surface was also part of Niceic, he also refusing to come back unless we pay him, blaming original rewiring, but at the time, he told us that would cure the problem.

I'm worried if I hire another electrician the same problem would come back in few months time.

There seems to be no guarantee of work or ownership of the work carried out.

 

[securespark]

You can't go back to the first NIC guy as someone else has worked on your system since in an attempt to sort out the first guy's work.

However, you could ask the second guy back. If he refuses, the NIC should be able to intervene.

How long ago did the second NIC spark work on it?

 

[leighton92]

Have you tried removing the appliances from the circuit?

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

There was no scheme and no warranty taken at the time, but the original installer was part of Niceic, but he refused to come back.

So what paperwork did you get, as NICEIC are a scheme provider and I would expect and electrical installation cert, plus a part p compliance notice complete with the NICEIC warranty. This is their standard practice. Unless you applied under building regulation notification. If he refused come back, you should have contact NICEIC.

The second electrician who worked in the kitchen circuit for several hours only to have the fault re-surface was also part of Niceic, he also refusing to come back unless we pay him, blaming original rewiring, but at the time, he told us that would cure the problem.

Well I don't really blame the second electrician for requesting additional payment, if there are issues with the original rewire.
I would still contact NICEIC anyway and see what their take is on it, but if neither registered any work with them, you could be banging your head against a brick-wall!
Is there any trends to this fault appearing, any particular time, usage of appliances or bad weather?

 

[eastender3]

The fault happens (MCB trips) during usage of appliances, which includes the combi boiler.

As I mentioned before the first Electrician after the original rewire, put a dedicated boiler line and MCB marked 'Boiler' at least that's what he told me and thought what he did and also worked on the circuit. I asked him to put a dedicated MCB just for the boiler and do the necessary wiring, so that at least I could use the boiler when other things don't work. I saw the new cables for the boiler going all the way to consumer board.

The second Electrician came few months later and he worked for several hours on the circuit.

Fast forward few months to present, the last two did not come back, so called a new Electrician who came on a call out basis and spent an hour and paid £50. He checked with his tool and on the circuit and found fault and slight electric shock when pulling the washing machine out but he also found the Boiler is not a dedicated line, but includes WM DW and Hob ignition with problem circuit! I was quite annoyed. He did not do any work on the day but he told me he would charge £200 to fix the problem.

We filed a complaint with NICEIC but in meantime we can't use heating and hot water, so we need a remedy now.

I've looked at couple of Electricians on local searches on Internet under NICEIC which mentions Approval tag with 'Approved Contractor' 'Domestic Installer' and 'PAT'. Hiring someone with all three approvals might give some of fall back?

Now I don't mind paying someone their true worth but the job has to be done properly.

 

[DaveHerns]

If the latest bloke fixes it for £200, that might be a good result. You can't blame him for what the previous 2 did/didn't do. In the meantime don't touch the washing machine