RCD tripping after socket replacement help required

[Arc1001]

Hi All,

First post here and in a bit of trouble with the wife!

In short had ordered some new electirical sockets and light switches for upstairs.

Cracked on today fitting a few of them. Have put in 1 light switch (lights working fine) and 3 sockets (2 straight swaps for singles and one single to double convertor).

trouble is at some point of me working the RCD? that ALL the house sockets are on has tripped. I am unsure when as was uptairs and wife was out.

I now have no working sockets, i have rechecked the sockets ive changed and cannot figure what I have done wrong.......or why changes upstairs would trip the whole RCD even with upstair isolator turned off.

Help....I have no TV!!!!! and I am not popular!!!

 

[WabbitPoo]

Have you reset the RCD? It will trip if you touched earth and live or earth and neutral during your workking....

 

[Arc1001]

Hi

Yes...at least I think so. Have put lever back to on position.

Do I need to do anything with the button?

It is fine and back on with the two isolators for the sockets (up and down) in the off position but trips when I switch either of them to on.

Thank you so much for the speed of help!

 

[JohnW2]

Yes...at least I think so. Have put lever back to on position. ... Do I need to do anything with the button?

With some RCDs, you have to push the lever right down (into the 'off' position) before moving it up into the 'on' position will reset it.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Arc1001]

Ok tried that no change.

From what you say is it most likely something is shorting now?

I need to isolate which socket is causing this. would it all work with no socket attatched?

What I mean is could I remove them one by one to find out which one is the problem? Would it trip anyway if the wires are just not attatched to a socket?

Happy to just tape wires or put face plates on until tomorrow, I know not ideal.

I stiil dont get why a problem upstairs would make down stairs not work......are they all on the same earth and thats whats tripping?

Does that suggest its stiull shorting?

 

[Arc1001]

nipping to shop back in 10 mins.....I really appreciate this your a life saver btw!

 

[Taylortwocities]

You'll probably find that you've pinched a cable with one of the fixing screws, or there's a wire come out.

FIRSTLY don't try and find the problem now. You must turn the power off before you go looking. There may be a live wire waving about.


Share a bottle of Merlot with the wife and keep her occupied until morning. You'll not find the problem now.

EDIT.
PS Do not leave the wires unconnected. Sockets are on a RING. The wires must be connected or the ring does not work.

 

[Arc1001]

ive got the three sockets in question hanging out....all of the wires are in right places.

light and boiler and on diffrent rcd to sockets and cooker and shower....so i can still see with it all switch off (no current so no live wires)

Cheers though mate, as i say appreciate it.

As for the Merlot...fine for me wifes 8 months pregnant and not in the mood for wine or distractions lol

 

[Taylortwocities]

Did you fix it? Or are you in labour?

 

[Arc1001]

Well no. The plot thickens RCD tripping from down stairs sockets whenever I pull through...so phone charger fine fridge or TV trips it.

Now I haven't touched any sockets down stairs and they supposed to be different circuit? In fact any load through sockets up or down trips RCD.

Just gonna get a sparky out I think

 

[JohnW2]

Now I haven't touched any sockets down stairs and they supposed to be different circuit? In fact any load through sockets up or down trips RCD.

That's exactly what will/can happen if you have somehow introduced a neutral-earth short (e.g. by trapping a neutral conductor with a faceplate screw).

Kind Regards, John.

 

[Arc1001]

I'm gonna have one last look and pull it all out again will keep you posted!

 

[Arc1001]

Right have fully removed all 3 sockets and the 1/light switch...have taped up all wires separate...there are no covers on so all def not touching hanging out...... And its still tripping as soon as I out load through...

RCD kapput?

 

[Taylortwocities]

RCD kapput?

It would have to be one hell of a co-incidence that the RCD was just fine until you started messing around

Have you checked the light switch you changed?
Did you change anything else?


And as I tried to say yesterday. You cannot leave the wires taped up separate. They need to be connected to make a ring. Use some choc blocks to make proper connections between the line, neutral and earth circuits.

 

[JohnW2]

Right have fully removed all 3 sockets and the 1/light switch...have taped up all wires separate...there are no covers on so all def not touching hanging out...... And its still tripping as soon as I out load through...

Assuming that it's a ring circuit, if you have taped up the conductors of each cable separately you will have broken the ring, so couldn't expect much of that particular circuit to work. It still sounds as if you have introduced a neutral-earth fault somewhere, but it sounds as if you have eliminated most possibilities.

RCD kapput?

I suppose nothing is impossible, but it would be a mighty coincidence if the RCD died at the very same time as you tinkered with the accessories. I presume that all was working normally before you changed the sockets/switches?

It's sounding increasingly as if you're going to need an electrician to get this sorted out.

Kind Regards, John
Edit: typed (just) too slowly again