Rcd advice needed faulty or fault

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Stuportsmouth

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DIY
So had to fit a new shower as old one kept tripping the rcd after few seconds assumed the shower was to fault as made a buzzing noise and tripped, on fitting the new shower it had same faukt so checked pressure of water no issue then checked wiring at box also no issue so moved onto next possibiliy of short on cable.
Yes maybe should of used multimeter and tested each one out but easier as short run in walls so run new cable exactly the same.
So decided to wire a small flex with bulb holder on that trips rcd changed the 40amp mcb to a 16 amp tried light also trips could this be a faulty rcd its rated 80amp 30ma, we also tested the the curcuit with every mcb turned off with only shower circuit on and also tripped.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as would like to think in a 6 bedroom house with each room occupied that of rcd was faulty then it would trip as currently has approx 8 circuits on and only randomly started to happen nothing new has been added.

20171206_165052.jpg
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
Yeh I understand this however with the switch disconnected and a choc block with just a flex with light fitting there should be no extra load on circuit ie should work fine on the 16amp mcb and not trip.
I would understand if the shower was on and tripped but with a light bulb on didn't as would prove that there was too much drain on circuit to trip rcd of current load was overloading circuit.

However if rcd was faulty then it would surely trip with load of house appliances and rooms etc this is reason was asking here of anything else that could be worth testing before paying for it to be investigated to be told well yeh its something we have over looked .
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Ramp test RCD's and IR test the whole installation. It'll either be a faulty RCD or a N-E fault anywhere on the installation, assuming neutrals are correctly connected in the DB
 
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. . . .
Stuportsmouth said:
Yeh I understand this however with the switch disconnected and a choc block with just a flex with light fitting there should be no extra load on circuit ie should work fine on the 16amp mcb and not trip.
I would understand if the shower was on and tripped but with a light bulb on didn't as would prove that there was too much drain on circuit to trip rcd of current load was overloading circuit.

However if rcd was faulty then it would surely trip with load of house appliances and rooms etc this is reason was asking here of anything else that could be worth testing before paying for it to be investigated to be told well yeh its something we have over looked .
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oh dear!!!
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
Been doing electrics since the age of 10 mate dads fully qualified also worked doing electrics for both single phase and 3 phase air conditioning installs he is 18th edition certified and have been trained to the qualified standard of him.
I also run all the electrics in the house when was converted in the property it located in and as you can see was fully inspected and checked by a fully qualified electrician and signed off as you can see in the picture of the fusebox I am more than capable of checking things out.
Also I have checked all earths neutrals and lives on the mcb
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Please can you tell me what is in it so do I have to install earth rods.
 
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Having worked with a qualified electrician for many years you will obviously be fully aware of the basic testing procedures and understand that a multimeter will often give false readings on this kind of thing.

So in light if this can you tell us the insulation resistance of this and all other circuits connected to the RCD?
 
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davesparks said:
Having worked with a qualified electrician for many years you will obviously be fully aware of the basic testing procedures and understand that a multimeter will often give false readings on this kind of thing.

So in light if this can you tell us the insulation resistance of this and all other circuits connected to the RCD?
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Plus safe isolation and not reliant upon marigolds.
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
You know what don't care I can't here to ask a question just because I'm not qualified doesn't make me incompetent of knowing what I'm doing working with someone who's qualified from a young age and being overseen and checked on standards of work and also working on 3 phase and also being more than competent of doing so is more than some newly qualified electricians have in experience.
As most newly qualified electricians just goto college learn sit a test and have a certificate being trained alongside a family member rewiring houses at weekends and then working doing air conditioning from the age of 14 until I was 19 and being trained to a standard by a qualified person is more than anything on a piece of paper and all on this forum are so stuck up there as**s that I'll seek advice on a different forum
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I disagree, the price of paper is very important, as is the practical training and experience
 
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Matthewd29 said:
I disagree, the piece of paper is very important, as is the practical training and experience
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Not saying the piece of paper isn't important but it wouldn't come to use as I don't wanna be a sparky and would be a waste of time and money so cannot justify costs to needing it.

As I say I got asked to do a favour to change a shower then as it wasnt that got asked if I could have a look at electrics as I have helped my friend many of times always been Checked after and signed off by professional unless it' changing sockets or lights for him.
I am currently a mechanic dealing with fault diagnosing and ecu programming so getting paper for me is not really needed
 
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For the love of God it’s easy to test whether the rcd is faulty...test it with right equipment (and knowledge).

This thread smells fishy, and I don’t mean the contents of Baldrics Apple crumble.......

Stuportsmouth said:
The idea of this post is to find out if the rcd could be the possible fault or if it could be a fault somewhere else but surely with one wire direct feed when switched off the rcd doesn't trip meaning there shouldn't be a fault on the other circuits as it' been fine for over a week.
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Update have tested all n-e using multi meter no shorts found one of the 32amp ring circuits had come away from the mcb not physically visible but have now reconnected.

Seeing that was on rcd side hoping it was that just waiting for the 40amp mcb to come back as friend took it away yesterday, then hopefully will all be up and working as Can find no faults on circuit all neutrals are on correct side aseell.

20171207_095616.jpg
 
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The circuit/s need a 500V DC Insulation Resistance test, which your multimeter cannot do. Likewise, the MM cannot test the RCD. For your own sake, please get a spark to sort this out, using the correct equipment (a multifunction tester) else if there is a fire at a later stage, the insurance cover may be compromised.
 
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It's only a shower... Can't do much harm...

Seriously though mate, get a spark in to test. For the sake of £60 or thereabouts you are running a risk IMO. The thread to me is incoherent at times, and some good advice has been offered. I would not have a clue about ECU faults, similarly you are lacking electrical knowledge. Not having a dig, just stating a fact.
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
Problem is now fixed the live off 32amp mcb was obviously causing the circuit to trip as resistance check wasn' connecting thanks to everyone who has helped and I tested n-e with multi meter with no shorts anywhere so rechrckef lives to find one had snapped
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Good that it is working, but I don't quite understand the above - where and what was the actual fault?
 
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The fault seemed to be the live off one of ring mains had broken so instead of having the full circuit it was only fed one way the minute I exterminated that it stopped the tripping.

Also the breaker is slightly different size but exactly the same as the others on the buzz bar I tested the circuit as previusly said by others to check for n-e short which didn' show anything.

As for why it kept tripping before is because the water valve on the shower was flow controlled and was round the wrong way so poor flow was overheating the shower and causing it to trip.

Other than the broken live on ring main there was no other faults I could find I have spoken to a friend who's gonna do a test on it soon thanks to the people that helped and inwomt be returning here as people are not overall friendly.

20171207_102344.jpg
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
Problem is now fixed the live off 32amp mcb was obviously causing the circuit to trip as resistance check wasn' connecting thanks to everyone who has helped and I tested n-e with multi meter with no shorts anywhere so rechrckef lives to find one had snapped
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A high resistance connection will not cause an RCD to trip and a multimeter will not output sufficient voltage to show up most faults.
Good luck with your continuing electrical career.
 
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wirepuller said:
A high resistance connection will not cause an RCD to trip and a multimeter will not output sufficient voltage to show up most faults.
Good luck with your continuing electrical career.
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Well it's fixed I redone earths as Well as I think 1 had come out and exterminated all the neutrals I was going to tidy box up but left as it was as it was signed off like it before.

Things are all connected correctly it's not like ive added it to a non protected rcd circuit so a loose connection could have been there asWell, i haven't dangerously bypassed anything or added to a non rcd side like some cowboys would do it's all connected as should be and not tripping.

Also like I said yesterday when wired to a light bulb it also tripped so wasn't tripping under load even with shower was the same after doing fuse box today tested with light bulb and didn't trip fault is fixed not bodged or covered up.
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
Well it's fixed I redone earths as Well as I think 1 had come out and exterminated all the neutrals I was going to tidy box up but left as it was as it was signed off like it before.

Things are all connected correctly it's not like ive added it to a non protected rcd circuit so a loose connection could have been there asWell, i haven't dangerously bypassed anything or added to a non rcd side like some cowboys would do it's all connected as should be and not tripping.

Also like I said yesterday when wired to a light bulb it also tripped so wasn't tripping under load even with shower was the same after doing fuse box today tested with light bulb and didn't trip fault is fixed not bodged or covered up.
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Are you a dalek?
 
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Murdoch said:
Are you a dalek?
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Lmfao meant to say re-terminated that' Samsung auto correct for you and the fuse box is also being changed soon in the house as it's a plastic one.
Due to current regs with the 3 yearly check I am aware that being under the stairs that they now have to be metal and non combustible with current regs.

Will have to post a pic of my consumer unit in the property I rent you will all comment on that
 
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Murdoch said:
Are you a dalek?
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Its not the neutral he will be exterminating if it all goes wrong, it will be the poor sod in the shower or house when it goes kaput who will exterminated.... its okay though they might find his fingerprints all over the CU so guilty as charged your honour. I don't think he will be able to use the competent person defence!
 
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This has gotta be a wind up by admin surely. 3yr checks, needing to change board, broken ring and the 16A light cct.... It's not making much sense at all. I'm not gonna bite again after this message.
 
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Gavin John Hyde said:
Its not the neutral he will be exterminating if it all goes wrong, it will be the poor sod in the shower or house when it goes kaput who will exterminated.... its okay though they might find his fingerprints all over the CU so guilty as charged your honour. I don't think he will be able to use the competent person defence!
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No finger prints as I wore my marigolds
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
Lmfao meant to say re-terminated that' Samsung auto correct for you and the fuse box is also being changed soon in the house as it's a plastic one.
Due to current regs with the 3 yearly check I am aware that being under the stairs that they now have to be metal and non combustible with current regs.

Will have to post a pic of my consumer unit in the property I rent you will all comment on that
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what 3 year check?

Who says that they have to be metal?
 
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Murdoch said:
what 3 year check?

Who says that they have to be metal?
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Due to owning the house and renting out it needs to be electrical checked every 3 years and gas safety to be done each year maybe differet in other areas but here has to be complied with.
I know a few other landlords who have had to have consumer unit changed to a metal casing due to the new amendment regs being put in place so under current guidelines when the next inspection is due it will need to be changed and replaced.

Copy here of regs Consumer units - IET Electrical - http://electrical.------.org/wiring-matters/55/consumer-units/index.cfm
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
Due to owning the house and renting out it needs to be electrical checked every 3 years and gas safety to be done each year maybe differet in other areas but here has to be complied with.
I know a few other landlords who have had to have consumer unit changed to a metal casing due to the new amendment regs being put in place so under current guidelines when the next inspection is due it will need to be changed and replaced.

Copy here of regs Consumer units - IET Electrical - http://electrical.------.org/wiring-matters/55/consumer-units/index.cfm
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Deleted due to I said I was out
 
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Stuportsmouth said:
...landlords who have had to have consumer unit changed to a metal casing due to the new amendment regs being put in place so under current guidelines when the next inspection is due it will need to be changed and replaced.
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Reg.421.1.201 is applicable to new installations designed after 01/01/16 and there is currently no requirement to replace old plastic CUs with metal. However, I can see insurance companies picking up on this in the future and incentivising replacement with a discount (or should I say a smaller increase than otherwise), in the same way that if you have a monitored alarm system with RedCare, this greatly helps on home insurance costs, particularly on larger properties.
 
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Stuportsmouth

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Rcd advice needed faulty or fault
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