Desperately Seeking Advice

[binky]

you do occasionally get faults that clear themselves, particularly relating to damp, the arcing through the damp can remove the damp and hey presto everything is ok for a while... very annoying. I would still install RCBOs regardless, it's just a better set up, and RCBOs can be had for around £15 each these days, not the £25-30 they used to be. My own board I converted to avoid the annual Xmas morning tripping session and irrate wife. Basically we have a double oven, but the small oven only ever gets used at Xmas. The rest of the year it sits doing nothing and accumulating a bit of damp, meaning I had to nurse it 'on' every Xmas morning as it tripped the shared RCD every time otherwise. Now the oven is on it's own RCBO the problem has gone completely, and Xmas morning is a harmonious affair ( almost :slap )

 

[Phoenix]

Gut feeling says cable damage on the ring if the MCB trips as well.

Needs IR testing and even if its not below the allowed minimum needs tracing out if it seems 'lowish'

Was called to a library for lights tripping in the back room and corridor, someone had been out, reset the breaker and left, it tripped just after he drove off. I tried flicking the breaker on and it stayed on for at least the 5 minutes I left it.... thought after hearing about the previous that I best dig deeper here. IR tested to 0.3 meg. Narrowed that down to cable between third and fourth fittings in back room, which was testing at 0.3meg L-E with both ends disconnected. Circuit that the board went back upto 30meg. Pulling the slack out the ceiling at the fittings showed rodent damage. But it didn't trip straight away, just from time to time. Left the last light disconnected and passed it back to facilities management company to have the rodents evicted

 

[Murdoch]

I'm still curious what the previous 5 sparks did and whether they gave you any readings of any tests they did?

 

[NozSpark]

I had a job testing something similar..

It all passed, some with only 50Mohms for IR, however that's well above the requirements...

So, what did I do?

I recommended that they replace the consumer unit (single upfront RCD) for one of SBSdaves RCBO cu's because I felt that the RCD was tripping due to cumulative leakage.... I've not had a call back yet so hopefully all is ok.... Crossed fingers

 

[kerching]

I'm still curious what the previous 5 sparks did and whether they gave you any readings of any tests they did?

Turned up

Reset rcd

Pressed test button

Reset rcd

Presented invoice

You think I am joking?.........

 

[Sharpend]

Turned up

Reset rcd

Pressed test button

Reset rcd

Presented invoice

You think I am joking?.........

Was it you?

 

[mole2006]

I had something where the client told me it was the outside lights tripping the rcd(two other companies had looked and one even changed all the outside lights). It turned out to be the insulation worn on a twin and earth on an oyster fitting inside.

Can I ask what make rcbo's you use that are only £15

 

[Ross Stoddart]

Great Stuff

great stuff