Some Advice, a curious series of events?

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I have had a curious series of events take place, which I am happy to write off as just one of those things. But, I thought I'd get some further thoughts.

I was preparing a property to re-let. Previous tenant had no reports of issues with things not working etc.

Property was empty for a few weeks which was enough time to do a few remedial issues.

It is an all electric property with storage heaters (circa mid to late 00s)

I also in that time got a full ECIR and although only recommended, upgraded to a new consumer unit with all rcbo's. There was no RCD protection previously. The installation prior was perhaps late 90s?

Anyway, everything seemed fine.

But shortly the first week after the tenant moved in, the washing/dryer developed a fault, an endless drying loop (it may also have actually given the tenant a small shock), the machine was only 4 years old. We replaced it immediately for expediency. We felt it was not worth trying to fix it.

Then the older solid stove top developed a fault.I assume the element died in that too. It was old and ugly, so it got replaced too.

Then the electric shower failed, stopped heating water, element?. Again, we just decided to replace it.

Now, suddenly one of the three storage heaters seems to be on the blink. It seems to be tripping one of the RCBOs.

Just one of those things where everything fails at the same time?

Now, regarding the storage heater. I think had an insulation resistance test on the ECIR which I assume showed no issue. Granted this was a few weeks ago and something can fail any time.

Is there anything I can do with a simple multimeter continuity test? Could this be done without dismantling the thing to get at the heating elements?

Or do I need something more beefy to test it, like another insulation resistance test.

In the mean time I may do the basics, like check the fuse spur connections. I assume the electrician checked them as part of the ECIR, but perhaps there was/is a loose connection.

Apologies for the long post. I felt I should supply as much context as possible.
 
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Can you post the EIC issued when the new board was fitted?
 
ecir12.jpgThis is the one that relates to the storage heaters.
 
My dad had an issue when he had a new consumer installed with all rcbo at the same time as his extension.

My dad rewired the house himself on the old board, and was working fine.

The. The extension was but and this was left to the electrician to wire and install the consumer unit.

A couple of hours after it had been signed off mum flicked the kettle on and electric went off.

Switched electric back on, flicked the kettle on fine.

Dad plugged in the free standing freezer they had in another room and electrics tripped.

Mum plugged he phone charger in the lounge and electrics tripped.

The fault rarely reared its ugly head in the same spot more than once, and occured in both the section the electrician done and what my dad had done previous, but happened more often in the new kitchen which the electrician wired. Turns out there was an earth leakage (can't remember where) it wasn't enough to trip the old fuses, but was playing havoc with the RCBO's in the board.

It got sorted in the end, I think there was a nicked cable in the CU.

Anyway sorry for long post, appears to me to be to much of a coincidence..
 
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Is there anything I can do with a simple multimeter continuity test?

No

but a PAT tester will probably spot a defective appliance. Some electricians do a lot of PAT testing, it's quite a tedious job. I have an idea I've seen PAT testers on hire.

It's usually a watery appliance, like a kettle, immersion heater or boiler, or an outside light exposed to rain; sometimes a heating element, such as oven or old storage heater.

You may however have wiring faults, including rodent damage, which are more tiresome to trace. A water leak, onto, say, a central heating pump; or a light fitting in the ceiling underneath the bathroom, may be intermittent.
 
I have had a curious series of events take place, which I am happy to write off as just one of those things. But, I thought I'd get some further thoughts.
No-one yet seems to have said it, but I think your first reaction was probably the correct one, and that you have simply been very unlucky in suffering a series of co-incidental equipment failures in quick succession. As you go on to more-or-less acknowledge, 'they' do say that "things come in threes", and that probably extends to "fours" :)

It is extremely difficult (at least for me) to think of any way in which anything to do with the electrical installation could have been responsible for these several different events. I suppose than an excessive supply voltage could affect multiple things, but even that would be nothing to do with your installation.

Kind Regards, John
 
The insulation tester I got cost me around £35 no calibration certificate, but good enough for home use. There does not seem to be an insulation resistance reading on the sheet you show, seems odd no date either. I moved into a new to me house, and it also seems I have had a lot of faults, as if the owners before me had done no maintenance. But I am sure they had, I am just unlucky.
 
Yeh, I'm sure it's just one of those things. I was fully accepting of the situation until the storage heater also join in the fun :LOL:. Also the fact it is tripping the RCBO.

I was hoping I could do some self-diagnosis without taking the damn thing to bits and inspecting the heating elements.

So an electrician with a pat tester is my best bet?
 
We're the appliances actually checked for faults or were they just replaced on the assumption that it tripped the rcbo and thus must be faulty?
 
We're the appliances actually checked for faults or were they just replaced on the assumption that it tripped the rcbo and thus must be faulty?
As I understand from what we've been told, the three appliances which were replaced all 'stopped working' (rather than just tripped RCBOs), so were clearly faulty (albeit they may have had minor, possibly easily repairable, faults).

That seems to leave only the storage heater, which the OP thinks is tripping an RCBO. However, that has presumably not been replaced, since the OP asked whether there is a way in which he can test it himself (and, since he's been told that isn't really possible, now plans to get an electrician to look at it).

Kind Regards, John
 
Yes, in the case of the appliances. Based on the age of some of them, they could do with replacement anyway. I also wanted minimise any downtime via problem solving, initial fixes potentially not working, ordering parts etc.

But the storage heater is not an immediate requirement with the current weather.

It's hard to get confirmation, but it sounds like the RCBO was reset and the heater seemed to be working fine for a a good week before it tripped again.

Other than checking a socket connections. Is there any other basic checks to do before passing it on to a spark to look at? Based on how simple storage heaters are, I guess it is likely to be either the thermal switch or an element fault perhaps?
 
Other than checking a socket connections. Is there any other basic checks to do before passing it on to a spark to look at? Based on how simple storage heaters are, I guess it is likely to be either the thermal switch or an element fault perhaps?
Yes - or, as has been said, conceivably a problem with the wiring of the circuit (gnawing rodents or whatever!).

I don't think there is much/anything more you can do yourself by way of 'investigation'.

Kind Regards, John
 

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