Urgent advice. Mains sockets keeps tripping and I'm supposed to be isolating.

[Worrier61]

Hi
I've been banished to the bedroom with covid.
Our mains keeps tripping. It is definitely main ringmain citvuit
We have pulled every appliance out of sockets and still tripping.
The saving grace is that I have one double plug socket near consumer unit which is its own circuit. So at present we are running fridge and freezer from this by extension leads (not ideal I know)
I am baffled by the fact that there is no load on ringmain and it is still tripping. Tomorrow when family is out, I might go into consumer unit (have done so before) and swap the feeds from the good circuit to to one which keeps tripping. I realise all this may do is cause the other switch to trip. Haven't explained that very well and it certainly isn't a lasting solution even if it give me more working sockets.
Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks

 

[chivers67]

Is it an RCD that's tripping rather than the mains?

 

[Worrier61]

Yes. It is. Hope that's good news.
I've tested the RCD ie small yellow button does trip it.

 

[Worrier61]

(Also have just realised we will have no heating. The electrics to boiler and the thermostat rely on ring main)

 

[Worrier61]

Yes. It is. Hope that's good news.
I've tested the RCD ie small yellow button does trip it.

Just to qualify, there is an RCD protecting about 5 or 6 circuits. They are all running fine. It's just when I switch on mains circuit, the RCD trips

 

[EFLImpudence]

Can we take it that you did not turn off the central heating/boiler main switch?

First suspect circuits for water and heat.

 

[Worrier61]

I don't quite understand. I doubt the boiler caused it's a combi.
It is now unplugged like everything else.
I agree water and heat can be issues.
Previously if anyone spills water on hob and it goes down knob we have had tripping but then it is absolutely clear the cause and just have to wait til it dies out.
This time nothing seemed to cause it and I am still baffled.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Ok if you have unplugged the boiler.
I thought when you said you didn't realise the heating would be off, you had overlooked it.

 

[Worrier61]

Massive apologies. I'm not at my best. My wife has just reminded me boiler is hardwired in on a switch. That was it. I'm confined to my room, certainly not allowed on kitchen and was going from memory. Eg I am often surprised that a hob has own circuit but a cooker had ordinary plug.
I now realise the boiler had its own switch. Would have been obvious to me if I was there.
Thank you for solving mystery.
So the good news is I don't have electric problems but the bad news is that our boiler has finally packed in.
It's been on its last legs for a while. It needs a new heat exchanger. Unfirtuntaty I haven't got the skills to access it / fit it
Thanks again and apologies if I was dismissive earlier

 

[EFLImpudence]

Thanks again and apologies if I was dismissive earlier

No, no problem. I didn't think you were.

 

[Worrier61]

Thank you.
Kicking myself that I got all the extension leads out
Oh well no harm done, and the boiler was on our list of things to be done anyway. It's just spoken clearly to us!
Have a good evening all