Hi. I had an RCD installed in my garden last year to isolate my garden from the house but recently after cleaning my pond and reconnecting the pond pump its causing the RCD to be by passed and tripping the main fuse box in my house. I have tested the RCD by pressing the test button on the RCD and it appears to be working. I changed the fuse in pond pump to a 13amp. Worked briefly then tripped house again. Any suggestions
RCD not tripping
- Thread starter Misterpacey
- Start date
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It may simply be that the RCD in the house is slightly more sensitive, or reacts slightly faster.
You shouldnt really have stacked RCD's like that anyway, and this is the exact reason why.
Assuming appropriate cabling is present, the supply to the garden should come from a non-RCD part of the CU, or from a seperate switchfuse.
You shouldnt really have stacked RCD's like that anyway, and this is the exact reason why.
Assuming appropriate cabling is present, the supply to the garden should come from a non-RCD part of the CU, or from a seperate switchfuse.
It's tripping the MCB
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Then you have an overload or short circuit - could be the pump on the way out.
RCDs do not react to these.
Just replaced the pump last year and it's the only appliance on the RCDR apart from a radio which was put on a separated supply.
Well, it's either the pump or the circuit.
It is possible that the MCB as become faulty but this is unlikely.
What rating (amps) is the MCB?
It is possible that the MCB as become faulty but this is unlikely.
What rating (amps) is the MCB?
Do you know if the RCD does actually trip under earth fault within it's parameters?
The button test will not prove this!
Does the pond equipment really need 13A fuse.
The button test will not prove this!
Does the pond equipment really need 13A fuse.
... except that it's very unlikely that any of those would cause the MCB to operate.
Kind Regards, John
True, but if the RCD trips in response to pressing the test button, I think one could be very confident that it would also trip with an earth fault current high enough to operate an MCB!
As has been said, it's pretty apparent that the OP has an (L-N) over-current problem, not an earth fault, isn't it?
Kind Regards, John
Indeed it is, but do we actually know that the RCD has been proved ever to be functioning correctly.
Find it strange that this device was installed as isolation rather than protection?
It would be difficult to do one without the other (unless known to be faulty) although it does isolate faults from the house.
Is it not likely to be just inexperience of the terms.
We obviously don't know whether it was properly tested when installed, and we can't expect the OP to be able to do anything other than press the test button.
I suspect that has probably 'lost a little in translation'! It obviously serves as an isolator, but whoever installed it presumably felt (rightly or wrongly) that the RCD protection was also desirable. Don't forget that, as far as I can make out, we don't actually know whether the circuit is protected by any other RCD.
Kind Regards, John
Thanks for all the input guys. I think I need to get the electrician back out to have a look as its all a bit over my head. Surely it is possible to keep garden isolated from house and to have a pond with flowing water.
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