10A breaker tripping problem

[LukeScotty]

Just connected 16 x gu10 50 watt lamps to a 10a breaker, wired in 1.5 T + E, havnt had time to look at the problem yet, but it trips out after a few minutes., whats the possiblities of why its tripping out, and taking so long to trip out. cheers

 

[Cirrus]

It hasn't exceeded the rating of the breaker Luke as you are only at about 3 Amp at the most. I would look to something else such as a fault with the terminations maybe?

 

[LukeScotty]

if there was a short circuit fault, at 3-4amps, would it trip a CB straight away, or would it take a while to trip

 

[Cirrus]

it should trip right away I think but maybe a neutral to earth fault that is causing the problem when something moves under the boards.

 

[Unregistered]

Guys,

If its a 10A BS EN 60898 MCB Type B then it has an instanteneous trip current of 3 to 5 times In (nominal value). Type C is 5 to 10 times In

So a 10A takes between 30-50 amps to trip straight away

A quick check of fig 3.4 (bullrush chart for 60898's) in the 17th edition tells me that at 15A a 10A breaker would take 10,000 seconds to blow, any less current and it would sit there happily forever

at a trip time of 5 minutes you've got about 18 amps flowing

Now isnt that the kind of simple, informative and accurate answer that you guys miss........


Jesus, this place is like a morgue........


regards


the ghost of a departed friend.....................

 

[Grae79]

ahhhh....Casper the friendly ghost has returneth.....so why'd u get booted Casper?

 

[Cirrus]

haha long live Casper!

 

[deano]

Hi LSCOTTY

Take a current reading just to check, its most likely a faulty CB try another 10A CB.

Regards Deano