Shop lights keep tripping

[Steve]

watts the typical total whattage of one of these sunbeds?

 

[JohnHamer1977]

I only see 1 failed MCB every 2-3 years.

Unless they're PROTEK.....

If they don't trip on start-up (halogens surge on start-up), but they do trip when the place is busy, do you think an adjacent mcb, when loaded, is heating up & causing the thermal trip of the 6A one to fail?

Is the front lighting circuit mcb next to a higher rated one?

If the tripping is load-related, it may be cured by fitting a C type. But you need to have your loop checked to make sure you can safely fit that type.

This is exactly my thoughts ^^^ I think it's a thermal conduction prob.
But as I am not an expert I'm open to other routes of investigation.
What is a type C?

 

[JohnHamer1977]

If you are are dead set on changing the breaker, just swap the two 6 amps over. See if the fault moves.
I have half done that, I fitted the 2nd 6 amp to split the 2 rooms as my spark left them on one... it still trips on the breaker that tripped.
So I know the tripping has stayed with that breaker and can eliminate a prob in the other room causing probs.

How are the lights connected? daisy chain
Does the MCB trip immediately you turn the light switch on? yes and no... no normally, yes when it's in it's tripping mode, even 20mins later, this time it took 2 hours before the trip would stay up
Does it trip randomly during use? randomly when we are busy on the sunbeds (which is why I think it's the thermal heat generated from that causeing this breaker to trip)
When it trips, can you turn it back on straightaway? never straight away, sometimes 2mins, others 5mins others 20 mins, this time 2 hours
Does it ever trip with the lights off? no, we have never come in to it already tripped.
I am thinking at the moment along the lines that it would do because of heat created by the sunbeds being busy

 

[JohnHamer1977]

watts the typical total whattage of one of these sunbeds?

not sure about watts but they are 50amp each

 

[DESL]

Just for further info - All the wires between the lights are new, the lights are new, the breakers are new, the consumer box is new.
(when I say new I mean about 4 monts old)

I suggest you get the installer back to sort it out

 

[JohnHamer1977]

I am the installer

 

[Spark123]

To put it streight you are in over your head. You clearly do not understand what you are doing, please call a professional electrician in before you end up doing someone some damage.

 

[securespark]

watts the typical total whattage of one of these sunbeds?

not sure about watts but they are 50amp each

50A each???

You didn't say whether the 6A breaker that is failing is next to a larger one or not.

 

[JohnHamer1977]

To put it streight you are in over your head. You clearly do not understand what you are doing, please call a professional electrician in before you end up doing someone some damage.

Why, what is wrong mate?

 

[JohnHamer1977]

watts the typical total whattage of one of these sunbeds?

not sure about watts but they are 50amp each

50A each???

You didn't say whether the 6A breaker that is failing is next to a larger one or not.

Sorry, where I put exactly my thoughts I was agreeing with those circumstances... so yes, it's next to a larger one.

 

[C&GStudent]

You are the installer!

JohnHammer. It's at this point you wish you hadn't been been such a skinflint and employed a pro.

 

[dingbat]

Hmm... commercial premises, recent DIY installation of equipment known to cause a variety of problems... now having those problems and, instead of investigating properly (lack of knowledge/equipment), repeatedly re-creating the fault in the hope it will go away...

Best check the small print of your insurance, matey.

 

[bernardgreen]

You are the installer!

JohnHammer. It's at this point you wish you hadn't been been such a skinflint and employed a pro.

Or sought in-formed and experienced advice BEFORE starting on the DIY project.

I assume that as the public use these rooms that in the event of the lights going out there is an alternative source of secure lighting to enable save exit from the room.

 

[viewer]

Not sure if this helps, but had a similar problem in a house which had had a flood from upstairs bathroom into the kitchen. After cleaning, drying etc., the lighting circuit seemed to work without problem and continuity/resistance seemed OK. No problem within any switch or fitting to be seen. After 20 plus minutes the fuse (5A wire) would blow. Turned out to be a problem with an extract fan (on the lighting circuit and near the ceiling) which, when removed, showed burned insulation near the switch. No idea why the resistance tests did not show a problem; can only think that the heat from the kitchen caused expansion and movement of the wires. All you can do is work through the sections of the circuit until the fault can no longer hide.
Best of luck
V

 

[ELZ4742]

do you have an outside/sign light?