RCD tripped in a 2011-built house

[coldywire]

Hi everyone,

RCD breaker tripped one afternoon, 1-2 minutes after my missus switched OFF the electric oven (the vent fan within was still spinning).

No other big current drawers (or previous knickers) were on. Switched RCD back on, and everything powered up normally.

This semi house is (modern) built in 2011, CU is Wylex (so are all the breakers, including two 80A 30mA RCDs -- WRS80/2).

I briefly turned on the cooker today together with kettle and toaster, nothing tripped (even amped the oven to 11 - i.e. grill mode of 285 degrees).

Is this a one off, or should I start looking for an offender? Especially when I'm planning to have an EV in the near future (charging around 5-10A using the simple socket plug until a proper wall charger gets installed, but no rush with that).

Could I stress-test the system somehow prior to committing to an EV purchase, to avoid disappointment?

This RCD trip didn't add confidence, hence my first post on here Also, moved in to this place less than a year ago, thus not got much history of this electrickery.

Thank you all!

Coldy

 

[Murdoch]

RCDs don’t trip on load - they trip when they detect a fault.

if your house has only tripped once I wouldn’t be worried about it, and unless you have proper test kit and the competence to use it and understand the results there is not much you can do.

as for adding EV ... that shouldn’t be an issue unless you have a 60A fuse and all heating by electric

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hi everyone,

RCD breaker tripped one afternoon, 1-2 minutes after my missus switched OFF the electric oven (the vent fan within was still spinning).

No other big current drawers (or previous knickers) were on. Switched RCD back on, and everything powered up normally.

This semi house is (modern) built in 2011, CU is Wylex (so are all the breakers, including two 80A 30mA RCDs -- WRS80/2).

I briefly turned on the cooker today together with kettle and toaster, nothing tripped (even amped the oven to 11 - i.e. grill mode of 285 degrees).

Is this a one off, or should I start looking for an offender? Especially when I'm planning to have an EV in the near future (charging around 5-10A using the simple socket plug until a proper wall charger gets installed, but no rush with that).

Could I stress-test the system somehow prior to committing to an EV purchase, to avoid disappointment?

This RCD trip didn't add confidence, hence my first post on here Also, moved in to this place less than a year ago, thus not got much history of this electrickery.

Thank you all!

Coldy

It sounds like you don't really understand the concept of what an RCD actually does..?

It is nothing to do the the amount of load flowing..    That is the job of the MCB's  AKA "Overload protection"

RCD's are there to provide "Shock Protection" by detecting very very very small amounts of electricity Leaking from a circuit..

Such as when a person pokes their finger onto a live part..

Less than half an amp can kill a healthy adult..   So even a 6A lighting MCB wont offer much protection for shock!

You mention two "80A/30ma" RCD's..

The 80A bit is the maximum current the RCD is designed to switch.. 

The 30ma bit is what makes the RCD trip..

(e.g. light switches also have an Amp rating, such as this 6amp cord switch, 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/crabtree-6a-1-way-pull-cord-switch-white/63249

The 6A bit refers to the maximum current it is designed to switch..

The switch will not "trip" when it reaches 6A!)

An RCD measures the difference between the "Live" and "Neutral" currents..

If there is 15ma of difference it must NOT trip.

If there is between 16ma and 29ma of difference it MAY trip

If there is 30ma or greater difference it MUST trip in well under half a second to reduce the risk of fatal electric shock.

The actual total load could be anywhere from 0.1A to 80A 

Your biggest problem is not that the RCD tripped...

(that was probably doing exactly what it was designed to do)..

More the fact that you only have a dual RCD consumer unit.......

Where a single RCD is used to protect multiple final circuits...

This is poor design and is not a very good solution to comply with wiring reg 314.1..

which refers to minimising inconvenience in the event of a single fault..

In your case one fault could disconnect power to multiple circuits..

which could be very inconvenient if you cannot easily reset the power.

Oh..

I forgot to say..

Welcome to the forum..

If you get bored waiting for replies you can visit the virtual on-line refreshment bar, for all types of beverage and snacks to pass the time...

Once through the log-in double doors...  Just keep walking to the end of the corridor up the stairs, fifth door on the left...     

Guinness :Y :coffee opcorn utthekettleon :Welcome:   

Or is that Friday night end-of-week beer taking effect?

:C

 

[coldywire]

Thanks for the welcome; 8 months later and we haven't had another trip like this since ^-^