RCD tripping on a light circuit

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Hello,

I have an RCD that is tripping. I have by elimination found it is a lighting circuit.

When closing the breaker for that circuit the RCD trips with the light switch in either position. I've tried replacing the switch with the same result.

I am assuming the fault is on the cable to the breaker, the breaker or the RCD. Would that be a fair assumption?

Is there anything else I can try? Or is it time to get some professional help?

Many Thanks.,
 
what else is on that lighting circuit - any outside lights - with all the rain - water will cause that
or are you saying the circuit is just 1 light to the mcb - 1 cable only to the light rose and switch
 
Any outside lights on the circuit? They can cause this if it's been raining
 
PartID_CU.jpg
A RCBO supplies one circuit, when it trips we are 95% sure it is that circuit, note the yellow test button, it may be twin or single pole, but since it is unlikely be protected by an upstream RCD it does not matter. The MCB is normally single pole, so even when switched off, there can be a neutral to earth fault, and with a neutral to earth fault the higher the load the more likely it is to trip, so switching on a load can cause a trip, even when that load has no earth fault its self. The Isolator is just a two pole switch, and should never trip as such, the RCD detects an imbalance between lives and earth, both line and neutral are classed as lives.

So it is not 100% but turning off all circuits with MCB protection other than the suspect one, does in many cases remove the background leakage, shown here
Diffrence line neutral 8 Feb 24 reduced.jpg
without the meter it is guess work, and since the meter will only show leakage with energised circuits, once a circuit is tripping it is not much use. The insulation tester VC60B.jpgwill find most faults with dead circuits, but since some faults will only pass AC it again is not 100%. We also have in our arsenal the RCD tester, RCD tester ramp.jpg but that is an expensive meter, so unlikely for a DIY person to have one.

So we in the main us experience, and look for likely faults, outside lights, damp walls, areas likely to have rodents, and also places where spiders, slugs or other wild life may have got ingress. So one is a test with only the lights turned on, and the other is a walk around looking for any item which may have water ingress. You can try removing bulbs, unlikely that will help, but I have found a bulb full of water when a shower leaked above it. In theory, it should not have caused tripping of RCD, in practice it did. You can try removing switches with the power off, and looking for spiders/slugs etc.

But due to the cost of the test equipment shown, if you can't see the fault, then likely only option is to call an electrician who will have the test gear.
 
Thank you for the replies. Much appreciated.(y)

There are no outside lights.

There are 6 spots on the circuit. The circuit trips with the light switch in either position so I thought the fault is not related to the light fittings or that part of the circuit. Is that a safe assumption or should I still remove and check each light fitting.

We are however in a basement and I suspect the cables run under the floor between the light switch and the breaker.
It's a converted Victorian building, floors are wooden and I suspect there is also a void under the floor which increase towards the rear of the building which backs onto a communal garden so I can't rule out rodents, probably rats.
 
Yes, I've taken the switch off. Clean and dry.
Is it worth checking the light fittings or will they be OK, given the circuit trips regardless of the position of the light switch?
 
Not really, there could be a neutral - earth fault, so may be a problem not involving the switch, but unlikely. I have already shown the tools used by the electrician, not worth buying yourself, so I would say time to call an electrician.
 
Yes, I've taken the switch off. Clean and dry.
Is it worth checking the light fittings or will they be OK, given the circuit trips regardless of the position of the light switch?
Is it just 1 light on the circuit?
 
Do you have a neutral connector in the back of the switch, something like this (except in your case there will likely be only 2 cables)
1770036479367.png
 

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