There is still life in it.

[westward10]

We had some old rcd testers in the office so I bought them home to see if they still function. Tester 1 no trip, tester 2 no trip go to my consumer unit and hit the test button no trip, shock horror how long

has it been like that. Today I performed surgery and fitted a new device and it lives on.

 

[buzzlightyear]

I hope you have done a minor on that dad.

 

[OnlQQker]

We had some old rcd testers in the office so I bought them home to see if they still function. Tester 1 no trip, tester 2 no trip go to my consumer unit and hit the test button no trip, shock horror how long View attachment 102333has it been like that. Today I performed surgery and fitted a new device and it lives on.

I've always found the old stuff is the best stuff.

 

[Dustydazzler]

i reckon there must be 100s if not 1000s of RCDs out there that would fail to trip

 

[westward10]

Starbreaker is great kit all plugs in just the neutrals to connect. Here's the connections on the old one.

 

[westward10]

i reckon there must be 100s if not 1000s of RCDs out there that would fail to trip

Without a doubt. Strangely it randomly tripped back in the summer, switched it back on never tripped again maybe that was its dying breath.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Without a doubt. Strangely it randomly tripped back in the summer, switched it back on never tripped again maybe that was its dying breath.

That is the big problem, it seized up and died in the ON position meaning it would never trip under a genuine fault in the future

Which reminds me I should trip test my RCD as it has been about 6 years since we moved in which was the last time I pressed the Test button

 

[Pretty Mouth]

I suppose a type AC RCD is better than no RCD

 

[westward10]

I suppose a type AC RCD is better than no RCD

Can't get a Type A to fit but I'm not losing sleep over that
Found a couple of wholesalers with new stock £51 with p&p bargain.

 

[freddo]

What models were the old RCD testers?

 

[westward10]

What models were the old RCD testers?

Megger CBT3 I still use one daily.

 

[nicebutdim]

Can't get a Type A to fit but I'm not losing sleep over that
Found a couple of wholesalers with new stock £51 with p&p bargain.

Same fitment as current starbreaker, surely?

First link I saw was screwfix. Oddly enough you can buy one from them in a board, for less than they sell them individually.

 

[Dustydazzler]

Make sure you put the faulty RCD on Fleabay as spares or repairs

Some numpty will probably pay a tenner for the faulty unit

 

[timhoward]

Megger CBT3 I still use one daily.

Still got a CBT2 kicking around somewhere. Still worked last time I tried it. I think the CBT3 was the first to have a plug on the test lead so you could use probes on these new-fangled RCBO things....

 

[Dustydazzler]

Still got a CBT2 kicking around somewhere. Still worked last time I tried it. I think the CBT3 was the first to have a plug on the test lead so you could use probes on these new-fangled RCBO things....

Love these old style hand-held testers

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[timhoward]

Love these old style hand-held testers

I wish I could figure out why this one doesn’t work. It was a great tester and the first “expensive” one I ever owned!
No signs of life at all, nothing screamingly obvious I could see wrong, so probably beyond me to fix!

 

[westward10]

Same fitment as current starbreaker, surely?

First link I saw was screwfix. Oddly enough you can buy one from them in a board, for less than they sell them individually.

I'm not sure I just put the part no in but it is three module wide so I suspect the new style won't fit.

 

[nicebutdim]

I'm not sure I just put the part no in but it is three module wide so I suspect the new style won't fit.

Newer units are all two wide, but busbar spacing would surely allow one to be fitted with a blank?

Just curious to know if starbreaker compatibility has remained unchanged over the years.

 

[westward10]

Newer units are all two wide, but busbar spacing would surely allow one to be fitted with a blank?

Just curious to know if starbreaker compatibility has remained unchanged over the years.

Mcbs and rcbos are still compatible you can see I have newer mcbs in mine the originals were broken. A two module wouldn't fit as the busbar is fixed with socket points to plug in, one picks up the non rcd busbar the other to the outgoing rcd side there is nothing inbetween.

 

[ipf]

Without a doubt. Strangely it randomly tripped back in the summer, switched it back on never tripped again maybe that was its dying breath.

Tripping for no reason could have been a dying word or message, maybe?

 

[nicebutdim]

Mcbs and rcbos are still compatible you can see I have newer mcbs in mine the originals were broken. A two module wouldn't fit as the busbar is fixed with socket points to plug in, one picks up the non rcd busbar the other to the outgoing rcd side there is nothing inbetween.

Of course. I was picturing a solid busbar, which obviously isn't going to be found in a split board.

 

[Dreaded]

I wish I could figure out why this one doesn’t work. It was a great tester and the first “expensive” one I ever owned!
No signs of life at all, nothing screamingly obvious I could see wrong, so probably beyond me to fix!
View attachment 102338
View attachment 102337

Most of the time and this goes for any tester it is the switch contacts that go bad first. It is usually dirty or corroded contact to the power on circuit.

 

[brianmoooore]

Most of the time and this goes for any tester it is the switch contacts that go bad first. It is usually dirty or corroded contact to the power on circuit.

Failing that, a blanket change of all 12 electrolytic capacitors might pay dividends.

 

[timhoward]

Failing that, a blanket change of all 12 electrolytic capacitors might pay dividends.

I've cleaned all the switch contacts, still zilch.
Please can you expand a little on this, what sort of voltage should I give them?
It runs at 9v dc btw.

 

[brianmoooore]

Unsolder the old ones, and fit good quality new ones of the same voltage and capacitance They're not expensive.
This doesn't look to be a circuit where the electrolytics are as stressed as in some, but they do have a limited life, and a blanket replacement is often easier than careful independent testing of each one.

 

[timhoward]

Unsolder the old ones, and fit good quality new ones of the same voltage and capacitance They're not expensive.
This doesn't look to be a circuit where the electrolytics are as stressed as in some, but they do have a limited life, and a blanket replacement is often easier than careful independent testing of each one.

Thanks for some reason I read your post as “charge”not “change”. Makes sense now! Cheers

 

[littlespark]

Have you checked that little fuse if there’s no life at all?

Oh no… you can’t… your tester’s bust.

 

[timhoward]

Have you checked that little fuse if there’s no life at all?

Oh no… you can’t… your tester’s bust.

Yep, fuse checked, 9v applied straight to the two main battery lugs, all contacts cleaned.
Sad as it is, I don't think it's worth spending long on. I have multiple alternative testers, this one just had a bit of sentimental attachment being my first ever decent tester!

 

[oracle]

Mine is a PrimeTest 100. Simple, handheld, practical.