Discuss American FF tripping RCD in the Electrical Wiring, Theories and Regulations area at ElectriciansForums.net

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hi I have a customer with an American Fridge freezer that trips the RCD every couple of hours. The FF is a couple of years old and cost £2000 apparently , so the customer says replacing it is out of the question. Obviously all domestic circuits are to be RCD protected but is there a get out with a risk assessment to take that circuit off the RCD? It is not a dedicated circuit as it is the kitchen ring. Any advice would be great.
Cheers
 
Beat me to it ruston.

I have a little earth leakage clamp meter set it to min max and leave it on suspect appliance.
 
could you install a non-RCD dedicated circuit and fir a FCU?
 
You are stuffed without test gear , is it when the fridge or the freezer is cutting that is tripping it ? long shot that it is noticed I know
 
could you install a non-RCD dedicated circuit and fir a FCU?

Here Tel, borrow my Tin hat!

No he is right , as long as the circuit does not require an RCD because of installation methods.
I was going to suggest that if it was only high earth leakage that is causing the problem
 
You are stuffed without test gear , is it when the fridge or the freezer is cutting that is tripping it ? long shot that it is noticed I know
Apparently in this model every now and then a heating element comes on to defrost the coil when needed and it is common to develop more earth leakage than an 30ma rcd will take. If it can't go on a non rcd circuit then there fooked by the looks of it
 
No he is right , as long as the circuit does not require an RCD because of installation methods.
I was going to suggest that if it was only high earth leakage that is causing the problem
That's the answer im looking for but is there exceptions in the regs to put ait on a non rcd circuit in domestic ?
 
Can’t see that happening in a kitchen where there is an American FF though!
Could bounce off of the other thread with the SWA going outside the house and then back in to an outlet!
No he is right , as long as the circuit does not require an RCD because of installation methods.
I was going to suggest that if it was only high earth leakage that is causing the problem
 
RCDs are required for...
1. Sockets.
2. luminaires.
3. cables buried <50mm deep in walls ( unless otherwise protected yadayada.

avoid 1.2.and 3, by 1.fitting FCU instead of socket, 2 is irrelevant. 3.choosing installation method .

 
The requirement is for socket outlets and installation methods . As long as your method does not require rcd protection and you are sure the FF is not faulty there is nothing to stop you using an fcu as @telectrix suggests.
 
Can’t see that happening in a kitchen where there is an American FF though!
Could bounce off of the other thread with the SWA going outside the house and then back in to an outlet!

If it is a posh kitchen it will probably cost as much to put in than to fix the thing. ;)
PS . It will depend on your board , you may not have an unprotected way . It might start getting ...
 
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