RCD tripped while changing light, coincidence?

[terryhawkins]

I have just replaced a light in our hallway, obviously switched off the appropriate MCB first.

Whilst in the middle of changing the light, the RCD for the whole house tripped.

I've now finished replacing the light and switched everything back on and it's all fine.

Is it possible to trip the main RCD whilst working on an isolated circuit? Or does this just seem like a coincidence?

 

[RMS]

Yes its possible,

you probably shorted out neutral and earth. This most likely tripped the RCD as you only isolated the line through the MCB.

 

[terryhawkins]

Many thanks!

 

[Taylortwocities]

Although you should not have a single RCD for the whole house. That is an accident waiting to happen.

Any fault at night will plunge the whole house into darkness. Not best practise!

 

[RF Lighting]

Someone should write a wiki article for this question. I bet it's asked at least once a week on here.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was Wiki article to be written and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.


So you'd better write it, RF.

 

[bernardgreen]

Although you should not have a single RCD for the whole house. That is an accident waiting to happen.

Any fault at night will plunge the whole house into darkness. Not best practise!

Memories of 1980 when the meter man refused to connect the new supply to our caravan because there were two RCDs " Not permitted ". One was for the caravan ( single ring of sockets ) and one for the building site ( we were building our own house ) His boss accepted the need to have lights to find the first aid kit after an accident on the building site. Meter man was sent back to connect it the next day.

 

[bernardgreen]

Someone should write a wiki article for this question. I bet it's asked at least once a week on here.

If this drawing is useful for the article in the Wiki please feel free to use it.


View media item 29443

 

[ban-all-sheds]

If this drawing is useful for the article in the Wiki please feel free to use it.

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was Wiki article to be written and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.


Go and put the drawing in, Bernard.

 

[bernardgreen]

Go and put the drawing in, Bernard.

First I wanted to be sure it was acceptable and secondly I will need to work out how to put it in the Wiki.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Go and put the drawing in, Bernard.

First I wanted to be sure it was acceptable and secondly I will need to work out how to put it in the Wiki.

Umm. Go to WIKI, use EDIT THIS PAGE

follow the WIKI SYntax (this link tells you how to do it - including how to insert an image -
//www.diynot.com/wiki/wiki:syntax

Go on Bernard, you can do it!!

 

[terryhawkins]

Although you should not have a single RCD for the whole house. That is an accident waiting to happen.

Any fault at night will plunge the whole house into darkness. Not best practise!

Really? The house we just purchased is only 15 years old, don't they do anything properly any more?

 

[riveralt]

duplicate

 

[riveralt]

Really? The house we just purchased is only 15 years old, don't they do anything properly any more?

That was deemed best practice then. Things change sometimes for the better - sometimes for the worse. And with all things you learn something new each day and I'm sure the next time you work on a circuit you will remember to turn the RCD off before you work on a circuit:

The key thing is that your RCD worked - although you do need to remember to test the mechanical part i.e. press the test button every three months.