RCD tripping after lightning storm

[norv]

I've had 2 calls last week about RCD's tripping after we had those thunder & lightning storms. One of them I went round to look at but couldnt find anything wrong. Any suggestions?

 

[steptoe]

tv amplifiers? picking up the static in the air?

or just plain old fashioned spikes on the line.

not very common anymore i know, but what with the sky sparks an all that.!!!???

 

[norv]

Yeah, felt a bit of a let down leaving her with a tripping RCD.

 

[Mr Sworld]

Is the RCD tripping all the time now after the lightning or just tripped during the storm?

 

[The Godfather]

I've had 2 calls last week about RCD's tripping after we had those thunder & lightning storms. One of them I went round to look at but couldnt find anything wrong. Any suggestions?

What tests did you do norv?

Don

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Not had experience of lightning tripping RCD's myself....

but thats not to say in the right circumstances it couldn't happen!

If you say you have checked the RCD & all is working OK and not over-sensetive....

Then I suppose you would need to know what other possible factors e.g..

Did the incoming supply drop for a short while due to surge on another part o the Grid local to your problems.

is there much external wiring acting as nice long aerials to pick up power surges from the storm?

As steptoe says.. TV amps & boosters are quite common to pop during a storm..

Has one or a similar piece of electronic equipment been zapped by the storm trippin the RCD?

Thats about all I can think of at the moment? :|

 

[The Godfather]

norv please come back to us?

Don

 

[norv]

Its tripping intermittantly after the storm. She said it was ok before. I unplugged everything in the whole house & did Ze, Zs, IR & tested the RCD from a socket. I thought an appliance had got a zap somehow so unplugged all appliances, turned everything back on & plugged 1 appliance back in at a time. RCD stayed on until I plugged the vacuum in. Unplugged the vaccum & then couldnt reset the RCD. Unplugged everything again, reset RCD & then basically ran round in circles for half a day

 

[The Godfather]

Norv, did you ramp test the RCD?

I suspect the RCD may be the problem here.

Don & The Boys

 

[Mr Sworld]

Very odd. Can only suggest ramp testing the rcd and possibly replacing it? ?:|

 

[Mr Sworld]

Damn it Don! Fast fingerwork there! X(

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Very odd. Can only suggest ramp testing the rcd and possibly replacing it? ?:|

I would ditto that!

got to prove the RCD first before progressing down circuits & appliances?

 

[norv]

Good thinking about the TV booster. I'll look into it. Going back on the 5th June so wont be able to do anything till then.

Is a TT setup with the 100ma RCD before the old plug in fuse Wylex CU

I wiggled the Main switch of the CU & the RCD tripped aswell.

 

[The Godfather]

In this instance (and probably most), where a lightning strike has taken place, the RCD will often taken the full force of any incoming surge.

Don

 

[The Godfather]

I wiggled the Main switch of the CU & the RCD tripped aswell.

Well it would.

Don

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Its tripping intermittantly after the storm. She said it was ok before.

One word of caution.....

Don't let statements like they said it was alright before an event

make you assume an event was the cause?

It may or may not be relevent... can sometimes just be coincidence! :|

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Good thinking about the TV booster. I'll look into it. Going back on the 5th June so wont be able to do anything till then.Is a TT setup with the 100ma RCD before the old plug in fuse Wylex CU

I wiggled the Main switch of the CU & the RCD tripped aswell.

One other thought????

How old is the RCD??

is this voltage operated

or current operated device?? ?:|

 

[norv]

Originally Posted by norv I wiggled the Main switch of the CU & the RCD tripped aswell.

Well it would.

Not up & down, left to right

 

[The Godfather]

Not up & down, left to right

That's fine but any 'brief' interruption of the Live or Neutral supply to the RCD (and where a current is flowing of the RCD threshold).

One would resonably expect the RCD to trip.

However the Main switch may be a suspect, but my boys have never seen this.

Don

 

[norv]

It was an old setup

The RCD wasnt a Voltage operated device, it was Current operated.