Rcd tripping

gunny · Dec 9, 2013

Hi,I have been called to my friends house who had lost power to some of his consumer unit,when I got there the rcd side was off (16th edition board) switched all circuits off that side and tried one by one the rcd button wont come up,so got new rcd and is exactly the same keeps tripping with no circuits on,button wont go up,I have voltage going to top of rcd and have checked connections. Any ideas ?

Hawkmoon · Dec 9, 2013

N-E fault? - what's your level of competence?

telectrix · Dec 9, 2013

N-E fault. first make sure everything is unplugged. then if it still trips, you need to diss. each neutral till you fing the faulty circuit. then IR test that circuit. pretty basic stuff.

skippy2 · Dec 9, 2013

Have they been doing any DIY ie banging in nails or screwing things to wall?

tony mc · Dec 9, 2013

Unless you k what you are doing and have the correct test equipment I would call a spark it sounds like a neutral to earth fault !

gunny · Dec 9, 2013

Maintenance electrician for my job don't really work on houses

SPARTYKUS · Dec 9, 2013

gunny said:
Hi,I have been called to my friends house who had lost power to some of his consumer unit,when I got there the rcd side was off (16th edition board) switched all circuits off that side and tried one by one the rcd button wont come up,so got new rcd and is exactly the same keeps tripping with no circuits on,button wont go up,I have voltage going to top of rcd and have checked connections. Any ideas ?

Yes call an electrician.

Hawkmoon · Dec 9, 2013

gunny said:
Maintenance electrician for my job don't really work on houses

Ok - As telectrix says, disconnect neutrals till you find the culprit then test as you would per your maintenance electrician training.

tony mc · Dec 9, 2013

gunny said:
Maintenance electrician for my job don't really work on houses

Its exactly the same with a neutral to earth fault get your Low ohms meter and IR tester out and it shouldn't take very long to ID the cct and find the fault !

gunny · Dec 9, 2013

I have correct equipment at work to test will get tonight,no they haven't been hammering walls or anything will have another look tomorrow,thanks for help.

monkeyelectric · Dec 9, 2013

gunny said:
I have correct equipment at work to test will get tonight,no they haven't been hammering walls or anything will have another look tomorrow,thanks for help.

Some mate you are! Leaving the poor bugger with no power tonight! How will he watch corrie?

gunny · Dec 9, 2013

monkeyelectric said:
Some mate you are! Leaving the poor bugger with no power tonight! How will he watch corrie?

Hahaha, the other side of the board works, I think he can survive one night without tv.

plugsandsparks · Dec 9, 2013

To save a bit if time, like tel says unplug all stuff in sockets, any DP isolators like for immersion and cooker, switch them off, if you still cannot bring RCD in its neutral pulling time

midgetman · Dec 9, 2013

If they have outside light that is where I would suspect first.

monkeyelectric · Dec 9, 2013

Yep most likely something outside or an appliance if no diy has been done! As has been said above start with the basics and go from there! Just don't do what some cowboy's on this forum do and move it to the non rcd side just for now!!