Discuss MCBs tripping randomly? in the UK Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net
If you start drinking it in Cornwall you'd better get your creative theories down on paper around the Bristol area, leaving it any later could be risky!Tim can bring his self calibrated Megger and I'll bring some southern comfort.
If I'm allowed to take over navigation then I propose a detour at J40 of the M6 - Venison Burgers at the Mill in Mungrisdale, a couple of pints of Old Peculiar at the Dog and Gun in Keswick, en-route back to the coach we pass the Castle and the Oddfellows Arms, then take the scenic route via A595 to Carlisle with a few nice village pubs on the way.If there is beer involved, count me in!
maybe even some cheesecake?
A simple way to test this would be to run the consumer unit with the cover off for a week if of course this can be done safely.
Sensible advice. Forgive me for I will not say any more in response.No that can't be done safely, and I'm surprised to see anyone suggesting that a CU could be left without its cover fitted for a week.
Moving the MCB to the end of the row would be a far safer way to prove this.
However I doubt that the cause of this problem is electrical. The MCB apparently trips with no outgoing conductor connected. I have seen protective devices trip with no outgoing conductor connected a few times and the causes have been faulty/damaged devices, vibration or mechanical impact.
In situations like this it is easy to get distracted by very interesting, vaguely plausible, technical explanations for the problem when in reality an over-tightened terminal screw may have caused the mechanism to twist slightly.
Marconi did say IF it can be done safely.No that can't be done safely, and I'm surprised to see anyone suggesting that a CU could be left without its cover fitted for a week.
The MCB has been replaced with a new one.In situations like this it is easy to get distracted by very interesting, vaguely plausible, technical explanations for the problem when in reality an over-tightened terminal screw may have caused the mechanism to twist slightly.
I am not inclined to add any more comment to this thread as in my first post (post 67).Having hastily read the thread,I suggested that the issue likely lay with the OP who I assumed (wrongly) was an amateur.I should have read the previous 66 posts more thoroughly.I want to offer my sincere apologies to the OP.Sensible advice. Forgive me for I will not say any more in response.
Got a pic of this cable Op?( it’s not a SWA it’s a wierd cable with loads of little cables as a neutral)
Op's first post (page 1)Don't recall the post quoted above, but that will be split concentric cable. The insulation on the individual neutrals in this cable is thin and fragile, making it more susceptible to neutral - earth faults than other cables.
I'm guessing it's this stuff but 6mm
25mm² Split Concentric Cable (Cut Length Sold By The Mtr)
Single-phase split concentric cablewww.cef.co.uk
So does that bundle of neutrals connect into the consumer unit? cuz on the pics the OP posted I couldn't see them?
Don't recall the post quoted above, but that will be split concentric cable. The insulation on the individual neutrals in this cable is thin and fragile, making it more susceptible to neutral - earth faults than other cables.
No particular brand. It's a characteristic of the cable - the insulation on the neutrals is thin and easily damaged, especially inside the CU.Interesting, is it a particular brand of cable that you've had this problem with?
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