This morning the main RCCB unit in my house tripped out and would not reset. I switched off each MCB in turn and found the 'sockets' circuit caused the problem.
I went round every socket in turn and switched off and tried the RCCB each time. It would not reset until the last socket was switched off.
Thinking I had found the fault on the last socket, I switched one socket back on and the RCCB tripped immediately.
I then tried other appliances individually. Some tripped the RCCB immediately, other came live but then tripped the circuit when a load came on line. With further experimentation, the fault is consistent across different circuits with the same pattern every time.
For example, the cooker comes on and shows the clock, but the RCCB trips if I tun on the oven. The microwave switches on, but trips if it is started. Low drain items seem to be no problem - the broadband router has not tripped the RCCB, hence the internet connection. Even the TV can work, but normally it trips the RCCB as well.
I get the same fault pattern on each protected circuit even if all others are switched off to try and isolate the fault.
I do not know how to test the RCCB, but cannot see any other possible causes than this unit being faulty. I have checked the tightness of all terminals in the consumer unit and they are OK.
Any ideas how to fault find / solve this problem would be appreciated.
I went round every socket in turn and switched off and tried the RCCB each time. It would not reset until the last socket was switched off.
Thinking I had found the fault on the last socket, I switched one socket back on and the RCCB tripped immediately.
I then tried other appliances individually. Some tripped the RCCB immediately, other came live but then tripped the circuit when a load came on line. With further experimentation, the fault is consistent across different circuits with the same pattern every time.
For example, the cooker comes on and shows the clock, but the RCCB trips if I tun on the oven. The microwave switches on, but trips if it is started. Low drain items seem to be no problem - the broadband router has not tripped the RCCB, hence the internet connection. Even the TV can work, but normally it trips the RCCB as well.
I get the same fault pattern on each protected circuit even if all others are switched off to try and isolate the fault.
I do not know how to test the RCCB, but cannot see any other possible causes than this unit being faulty. I have checked the tightness of all terminals in the consumer unit and they are OK.
Any ideas how to fault find / solve this problem would be appreciated.