Discuss Intermitent RCD tripping!! in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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M

Morty

Right ok, from the beginning....

I came across a fault at my auntie's house where the RCD trips as and when it please's, there are 7 circuits on the RCD side of the split load board consisting of Cooker, Ring mains 1,2 and 3, Kitchen feed, Washing machine 1, Washing machine 2.

My uncle thought it was ring main 1 causing the problems but as I investigated further it came to light that it didn't matter which circuit was turned on last, it would always trip the RCD. So basically when all seven breakers were closed it would trip.

I look into the obvious reasons why, sequence of neutral's - everything was fine, I unplugged all the appliances and all the breakers were able to be on without a trip, but when I went round plugging back in all the appliances it didn't trip again.

But I come to the 2 seperate circuits for 2 individual washing machines (dont ask me why), and i turn one on and the RCD trips (hooray ive found it), but no, turn it off again, re-trip in the RCD and turn the other washing machine on and it trips again. Cant be two brand new faulty washing machines surely!!! But as it was the only thing that had evidence pointing to it i told them to leave them off and see how it goes.

Back down to the basement having a bit of a chin wag at the board and bang, the RCD trips again. So quite obviously not the washing machines.....

The only thing I can now think of is too much earth leakage coming from all the appliances accumulated which is causing the tripping or because its an old property with old and new wiring, maybe a circuit on the RCD side is somehow linked (somewhwere in the 8 bedroom 3 storey property!!!!!) to a circuit on the main switch side causing an inbalance in the RCD.

If it wasn't family I would have walked away! And theres no help from the previous sparky who done the renovating because he now lives in France.

So any suggestions would definetly be greatly appreciated. Cheers lads

p.s Im going round to put a new board in for a few more spare ways needed for a kitchen they are going to have in the future so I will take a few circuits out of the original board and dab them into the new one to see if it narrows down the problem
 
It sounds that it could be just an accumulation of earth leakage.

Have you done a ramp test on your RCD?

If it was me i would try the 3 ring mains on seperate RCBO's as you seem to have quite a lot on 1 RCD.
 
No I didnt have my tester on me i was in my car with a selection of hand tools and a multi-meter. But if it is earth leakage when i install the new board on the weekend and take half the circuits off the original RCD and put it on the new one it should sort the problem.
 
No I didnt have my tester on me i was in my car with a selection of hand tools and a multi-meter. But if it is earth leakage when i install the new board on the weekend and take half the circuits off the original RCD and put it on the new one it should sort the problem.

Yes hopefully it will, or you will have lots more investigation to do.
 

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