Alarm is Tripping New Consumer Unit

[kncowans]

Hello all

I hope you are well.

I had a new Alarm Panel installed in January and all was working well until I got a new Consumer Unit installed Last Week which has RCBOs.

The previous Unit was just a Fuse Box.

The Alarm Panel is on its own Circuit connected via a Fused Spur.

The RCBO for the Alarm Circuit will not turn on.

if the Wires in the Fused Spur for the Alarm Panel are removed then the RCBO will turn on fine.

As soon as the Alarm Panel is connected again, the RCBO Trips.

The connection from the Consumer Unit to the Spur has been Tested and it is fine.

The Alarm Panel is the following:

Texecom Veritas 8 Com 8 Zone Compact Alarm Panel​

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what may be happening?

Thanks in advance

Kevin

 

[brianmoooore]

Very likely that the neutral and earth wires in the flex from the fused spur to the alarm are swapped over at one end or the other.
Switch off the CU before checking.

 

[kncowans]

Hello Brian

Thanks for the Reply.

I did check the Wires and the Wires are consistant throughout.

I did notice that there is no Earth Connected in the Alarm Panel, only Live and Neutral.

Would having the Earth to the Alarm Panel connected in the Fused Spur but not in the Alarm Panel cause this issue?

Thanks in advance

Kevin

 

[brianmoooore]

Would having the Earth to the Alarm Panel connected in the Fused Spur but not in the Alarm Panel cause this issue?

No, this wouldn't cause problems.
Is the flex from FCU to panel 2 core or 3 core.

 

[kncowans]

Hello Brian

The Flex is 3 Core from the Consumer Unit to the Fused Spur and also from the Fused Spur to the Alarm Panel.

Thanks

Kevin

 

[brianmoooore]

You have flex from the CU to the fused spur? Unless this is a very short distance, this would be most unusual.

 

[kncowans]

Hello Brian

Sorry, I just meant it is 3 Core, not that it is Flex.

Kevin

 

[brianmoooore]

You probably mean twin and earth.
If it's 3 core flex to the panel, but earth not connected, what does happen to the end of the green/yellow? Any chance it's touching something it shouldn't?
Check that the insulation of the wires of the flex hasn't been damaged where the outer sheath has been cut.

 

[kncowans]

Hello Brian

The Earth to the Alarm Panel is connected in the Fused Spur but is not connected in the Alarm Panel as there is no Earth connection point.

From what I can see in the Alarm Panel is that the Earth Wire has been left behind the PCB, not ideal as it could be touching the back of it.

I have contacted the Alarm Installer and he is coming on Tuesday to look at the issue.

Thanks

Kevin

 

[kncowans]

Hello

The Alarm Company came out This Morning and has confirmed that there is no issue with the Alarm Panel.

The Issue is either the RCBO or the Wiring from the RCBO to the Fused Spur.

I have the Installer of the Consumer Unit coming Next Tuesday to look at the issue.

Is it possible that the RCBO is Faulty?

Thanks

Kevin

 

[kncowans]

Hello

Well, the Company that installed the Consumer Unit came Yesterday to Diagnose the issue.

It turned out that there was a Continuity between L & N on the Cable from the RCBO to the Fused Spur for the Alarm Panel.

They came back Today and replaced the Cable and I am glad to say that the Alarm Panel is working again.

Thanks

Kevin

 

[DPG]

Hello

Well, the Company that installed the Consumer Unit came Yesterday to Diagnose the issue.

It turned out that there was a Continuity between L & N on the Cable from the RCBO to the Fused Spur for the Alarm Panel.

They came back Today and replaced the Cable and I am glad to say that the Alarm Panel is working again.

Thanks

Kevin

Thanks for letting us know. Was there visible damage to it?

 

[kncowans]

Hello

Surprisingly, there was no damage visible to the Cable.

Kevin

 

[brianmoooore]

if the Wires in the Fused Spur for the Alarm Panel are removed then the RCBO will turn on fine.

As soon as the Alarm Panel is connected again, the RCBO Trips.

The connection from the Consumer Unit to the Spur has been Tested and it is fine.

That explanation is not consistent with the above!

 

[kncowans]

Hello

True and I have no explanation for it.

Just to complicate things there are three people involved, the original Electrician that installed the Consumer Unit, the Alarm Company and the Electrician who came Yesterday and Today.

Each did Tests.

At least everything is now sorted.

Kevin

 

[brianmoooore]

So it was a different electrician who did the repair from the one that fitted the CU?
That destroys my theory that the electrician discovered the stupid mistake he had made, and rather than repair it for free, makes up a cock and bull story so that the work is chargeable. Far from an unknown scenario.

 

[kncowans]

Hello

Well, surprisingly, I was not Charged for the replacing of the Cable.

Kevin

 

[brianmoooore]

We're a bunch of cynics on here, based on many years of experience of what we've come across and seen, so tend to see the glass half empty.
Looks like you may have found a honest and ethical electrical contracting company.

 

[kncowans]

Hello

It seems so.

It is nice to know there are still honest People around.

Kevin