Discuss RCD tripping overnight with nothing connected in the Electrical Forum area at ElectriciansForums.net

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Too late!

If the RCD turns itself off with no neutrals connected, and all MCBs fed from it also off, it can only be a dud RCD.
So they are bulling me basically? Need to try and decide how best to put that into nice words and get them to fix it. Either that or get my money back and get someone else to fix it. I was initially offered either a fixed price for the install, or I could have had it done for an hourly rate, which worked out cheaper based on their estimation of the number of hours needed but could end up costing more if more time was needed. I stupidly chose the fixed price thinking they would fix any problems like this but seems not. I got burned by another guy a few years back accepting an hourly rate and the job took longer than it should have done and I was not around the whole time so probs ended up paying them for smoke breaks etc. Wondering if it would be reasonable to ask for a refund on the difference between the 6 hours of labour Vs the price I paid? Also ask for the receipt for the board so I can take it back to CEF if needed?
 
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If they are a professional outfit (doubtful looking at the pics) they would have no hesitation returning to sort out any problems, and hopefully tidy that mess up, including dressing the cabling properly, uprating those RCD's and installing the bus-bar cover. You shouldn't have to be inside the CU disconnecting anything to try and solve someone else's mess. Demand that paperwork too, or get straight onto PayPal.
 
I beat westward 10 to it, and got the company name from the video.
They have been around for over ten years, operate from a decent sized unit and get good reviews.
 
I beat westward 10 to it, and got the company name from the video.
They have been around for over ten years, operate from a decent sized unit and get good reviews.
Yep, which is why I choose them, so was not expecting to have this experience. To be fair, the average homeowner/landlord would not be aware of things like the excessive exposed copper, missing busbar cover etc and if the RCD had not been playing up I would have given them 5 stars as they were quick to respond to be initial enquiries etc, turned up when they said they would and got the job done on time which is more than can be said for some.
 
Leew85, I am sorry for your current predicament but please stop poking your fingers around inside the unit, of which I assume is live!
Once you have got the contractor to return, demand the EIC (Electrical Installation Certificate) and also confirmation that they have registered this job to building control, then post up the pages with all the results.
Regardless of any payment plan/agreement, they should not have left you in this situation. Had it been me (and it would certainly have not) I'd be on my way to you now to get this sorted asap without any additional cost to you.
If they refuse your demands, as said get directly onto the NICEIC and I would also contact PayPal for reimbursement. You can always pay again once the situation is to your satisfaction.
 
Yes, only at night, no night storage heaters, no timed or light sensitive or PIR lights. Only things on overnight are the alarm, gas boiler and Google nest thermostat for said boiler.
Any fridge or freezer?
 
Drop out the busbar to disconnect all the MCBs, and drop out the neutral link so the rcd is connected to nothing on the outgoing side. If it still trips out, then it must be a faulty unit, however this wouldn’t explain it only happens at night.

or

swap the left hand rcd with the right hand one and see if the problem moves with it.

These are only suggestions, and subject to competency level of the OP. But, ideally, the electrician that did the work should return and fix it. Preferably FOC.
 
oooooh. Afterthought! (and I don’t know if anyone mentioned it earlier) but was there any mention by the electrician of having an SPD fitted to the board?
 
Drop out the busbar to disconnect all the MCBs, and drop out the neutral link so the rcd is connected to nothing on the outgoing side. If it still trips out, then it must be a faulty unit, however this wouldn’t explain it only happens at night.

or

swap the left hand rcd with the right hand one and see if the problem moves with it.

These are only suggestions, and subject to competency level of the OP. But, ideally, the electrician that did the work should return and fix it. Preferably FOC.
Don't feel confident dropping out the busbar myself, getting a couple of others to come and have a look at it next week to see if they can find any problems.
I did see a thread on another forum where someone was having problems with an RCD tripping when the streetlights come on here rcd tripping from streetlight switch on - https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/rcd-tripping-from-streetlight-switch-on.146879/
Sadly the thread ends without a solution being found but would be interested to know how something external to an installation could cause an RCD to trip.
In my case it is long after the streetlights have come on but that does not rule out the possibility of something else in the street or even in a neighbours house affecting it?
Earthing is TN-S if that makes any difference.
 
Have you actually disconnected the loads from the Mcbs or just switched them off? Maybe you have a multiple issue e.g fault dodgy mcb letting current through to trip rcd with another fault like an earth fault or shared neutral which would explain why disconnecting neutrals hasn’t stopped issue. Very, very unlikely I know but there again so is an rcd tripping consistently at a certain time of day with zero current flow!
 

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