With only three sockets, it might just be worth swapping them out, at a couple of pound each - probably unlikely to solve the problem, but it rules them out as the culprits?
Sockets tripping RCD after 10 - 15 mins
- Thread starter R1804
- Start date
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Hi, thanks for the response.
There are 2 security lights on the back fence that to my knowledge have never worked - The wire disappears underground but I would think that these are fed from the garage, everything is still on in the garage. See attached file for a bit of context.
Red - Unswitched fused spur
Green - Sockets
Yellow - Security lights
I will try to disconnect the security lights, see if this makes a difference.
Attachments
Edit - couple of replies as i was replying here
security lights maybe the issue - any rain recently ?
open the sockets again - do you have 2 cables - in/out going to 2 sockets and 1 to the 3rd
so a radial circuit in/out daisy chained
you maybe able to disconnect and see if its a run of cable between Fuse and 1st socket, then, 1st to 2nd and finally 2nd to third - maybe some vermin have chewed the cable
whats the conservatory made of and how are the wires run
solid floor - solid walls
security lights maybe the issue - any rain recently ?
open the sockets again - do you have 2 cables - in/out going to 2 sockets and 1 to the 3rd
so a radial circuit in/out daisy chained
you maybe able to disconnect and see if its a run of cable between Fuse and 1st socket, then, 1st to 2nd and finally 2nd to third - maybe some vermin have chewed the cable
whats the conservatory made of and how are the wires run
solid floor - solid walls
The only sort of testing you could do yourself would be to press its test button and make sure that it then trips. However, whilst that would give some reassurance that it would probably trip in anger "when it should", it obviously does nothing to tell you whether it might trip "when it shouldn't" (which might be your problem).
It's easy enough to test an RCD properly, but it requires an 'RCD tester', which any electrician should have (but you won't have).
Kind Regards, John
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Have a look back on this forum. When faced with a tripping RCD, just about every DIYer thinks the RCD is faulty.
It is most likely that the RCD is doing its job and there is a fault, somewhere.
The most common problem is because of an outside circuit. But you “think” the external lights are not from this circuit, and you haven’t mentioned an external socket.
The circuit would seem to be simple: a radial from the FCU, and round to the three sockets.
Suggest you turn off the power, remove the cables from the back of the three sockets. Safely insulating the cable ends.
Turn the power on. If everything is ok then connect up the first socket. Still ok? Connect the second socket to the first and so on. Sooner or later you’ll find the RCD will trip and that will point to the length of cable or the socket that might be the problem.
A proper electrician would use an insulation resistance tester, but you don’t have one of those?
He/she would but, as I've said, IR testing of the whole circuit wouldn't get them any closer to knowing the location of a fault.
Kind Regards, John
So I checked the security lights & they were full of water, I traced the cable which was behind the fence to a plug that was plugged into........ a pile of leaves on the ground. So that's the lights ruled out.
As for the cables, see attached photo. This is the spur and 1st socket, the second has 1 in 1 out and the third 1 in as you described.
The conservatory has half block walls and a solid floor, the roof has been insulated & under drawn with a plasterboard so the wires may chase up the walls into that roof void? (see photo).
I do have access to some 3core cable, so i'll do as you suggested an run a new cable between the sockets to test each one.
Attachments
Hi, thanks for the response.
I've ruled out the security lights and there are no external sockets. I'll give your suggestion a go, hopefully find the suspect!
Ok... just done what you suggested and the RCD hasn't tripped so its either socket 2 or 3!
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I'm not an electrician, so may be very wrong!
....but the wiring in your photo strikes me as a 'builders' installation, rather than an 'electricians' one!
With, for example, no rubber grommets in the back boxes.
It would also be interesting to know what was under the PVC tape on the earth sleeving (probably just joining two pieces together).
Apart from that, can I just clarify that the projection screen is manual, not motorised, and there isn't another hidden outlet to power a projector?
...and it looks a very nice space
....but the wiring in your photo strikes me as a 'builders' installation, rather than an 'electricians' one!
With, for example, no rubber grommets in the back boxes.
It would also be interesting to know what was under the PVC tape on the earth sleeving (probably just joining two pieces together).
Apart from that, can I just clarify that the projection screen is manual, not motorised, and there isn't another hidden outlet to power a projector?
...and it looks a very nice space
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Your photo shows single insulated wires passing through the holes of the metal boxes.
These holes need 20mm open grommets inserted round them.
With the sharp edges able to 'dig' into the wires, this is a very possible cause of your tripping.
Check to see if these wires are damaged, and get some 20mm open grommets.
***
I also see some cables come down the wall to the sockets, so check in case something has been screwed into the wall and damaged a cable.
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