Rcd tripping

[winston1]

The blue thing is not a socket it is an RCD. It trips because you have a leakage fault. The one labelled sockets kitchen is an MCB and trips due to overload.

You really need an electrician who will have the equipment to test and fault find.

What blue MCB ??
Blue socket ? What are you referring to Ricky786 ??
The blue levers on both

 

[JohnW2]

@Ricky786 ... just to be clear ... are you saying that two things always trip (lever goes down) at the same time - the "kitchen sockets" one (MCB) and the one with the blue lever (RCD), or is it sometimes only one of them?

If it's sometimes only one, is it always the same one (and, if so, which?), or can it be either?

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

In the absence of test gear, have you got a long extension cable- if yes then plug the fridge into- oh that's annoying, what idiot configured that CU.

Yes, as you say, it's a crazy way to configure a CU. However, IF (I've just asked for clarification) sometimes (or always) an MCB (as well as, at least sometimes, the RCD) operates, then plugging an appliance into a socket on a different circuit should establish whether the appliance in question is at fault.

However, I'll be interested to hear the 'clarification', since an intermittent fault (or 'occurrence') which trips both an MCB and an RCD is presumably pretty unusual.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Ricky786]

Yes, as you say, it's a crazy way to configure a CU. However, IF (I've just asked for clarification) sometimes (or always) an MCB (as well as, at least sometimes, the RCD) operates, then plugging an appliance into a socket on a different circuit should establish whether the appliance in question is at fault.

However, I'll be interested to hear the 'clarification', since an intermittent fault (or 'occurrence') which trips both an MCB and an RCD is presumably pretty unusual.

Kind Regards, John

So basically what happens is most of the time the blue lever goes down aswell as the brown lever (kitchen sockets) yesterday evening I disconnected everything apart from the washing machine and fridge. And it tripped again at around 12. I checked and both blue and brown were Down. I flicked the blue one back up and the fridge freezer turned on however the lights did not (until I flicked the brown one back up) today since 12am till 10am nothing happened then it tripped. But this time it was only the brown one was down. Fridge and washing machine only connected.

 

[Ricky786]

@Ricky786 ... just to be clear ... are you saying that two things always trip (lever goes down) at the same time - the "kitchen sockets" one (MCB) and the one with the blue lever (RCD), or is it sometimes only one of them?

If it's sometimes only one, is it always the same one (and, if so, which?), or can it be either?

Kind Regards, John

Not always but most of the time yes. But today it was just the brown

 

[pcaouolte]

Reading the thread it appears that the washing machine has always been plugged in when something has tripped. Can you unplug the washing machine for a day and see if that cures the fault?

 

[Ricky786]

Reading the thread it appears that the washing machine has always been plugged in when something has tripped. Can you unplug the washing machine for a day and see if that cures the fault?

I can do yes. The only thing it’s really intermittent after a couple of hours it just trips or after many hours
I’ll do that as soon as I get home

 

[JohnW2]

Reading the thread it appears that the washing machine has always been plugged in when something has tripped. ....

... and also, as I understand it, the fridge/freezer.

It would seem extremely unlikely that a WM that was not 'running' would cause intermittent faults which tripped a 32A MCB (and sometimes also an RCD), but just about credible that a ('running') fridge/freezer could do that.

I would have thought that, unless there is a problem in the wiring, our money probably should be on the fridge/freezer.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Ricky786]

... and also, as I understand it, the fridge/freezer.

It would seem extremely unlikely that a WM that was not 'running' would cause intermittent faults which tripped a 32A MCB (and sometimes also an RCD), but just about credible that a ('running') fridge/freezer could do that.

I would have thought that, unless there is a problem in the wiring, our money probably should be on the fridge/freezer.

Kind Regards,

... and also, as I understand it, the fridge/freezer.

It would seem extremely unlikely that a WM that was not 'running' would cause intermittent faults which tripped a 32A MCB (and sometimes also an RCD), but just about credible that a ('running') fridge/freezer could do that.

I would have thought that, unless there is a problem in the wiring, our money probably should be on the fridge/freezer.

Kind Regards, John

Washing machine has not been on. Like you stated only the fridge freezer has been running. I’ll plug it into a different circuit and see what happens and leave washing machine connected to the current circuit

 

[pcaouolte]

Washing machine has not been on. Like you stated only the fridge freezer has been running. I’ll plug it into a different circuit and see what happens and leave washing machine connected to the current circuit

That's fair enough, make sure that the socket you plug it into is not on the Kitchen circuit. Just make the one change and let us know exactly what happens.

 

[Ricky786]

That's fair enough, make sure that the socket you plug it into is not on the Kitchen circuit. Just make the one change and let us know exactly what happens.

I will do as soon as I’m home

 

[Ricky786]

That's fair enough, make sure that the socket you plug it into is not on the Kitchen circuit. Just make the one change and let us know exactly what happens.

It can’t possibly be the boiler right ? It tripped when all of those appliances were disconnected someone on here said a possible leaky main heat exchanger

 

[JohnW2]

It can’t possibly be the boiler right ? It tripped when all of those appliances were disconnected someone on here said a possible leaky main heat exchanger

Very little in this world is impossible, but it's very unlikely that water leakage, per se, would cause an MCB (black/brown lever) to trip, although that can (and often does) cause an RCD (blue lever) to trip. However, even if it were due to water leakage, one would expect the problem to persist (unless the leak stopped and everything electrical dried out).

Kind Regards, John

 

[CBW]

It can’t possibly be the boiler right ? It tripped when all of those appliances were disconnected someone on here said a possible leaky main heat exchanger

Who, I’ve just skimmed over it, no mention of heat exchanger.

 

[JohnW2]

Who, I’ve just skimmed over it, no mention of heat exchanger.

Maybe "on here" includes other threads, and maybe other DIYnot forums?

Kind Regards, John