Two questions about my garage

[down2earth]

Wonder if anyone can help with the following questions (I am training to be a sparky so have a bit of knowledge)

Just tested the (BS-61008-1) 63A RCCB 'T' Test button in the garage, it didn't trip despite repeated pressing, I will obviously replace it but should I be looking for any other reasons why it didn't trip. I understand that the test button only tests the mechanical side of the RCCB but thought i would ask anyway. Also, is 63A not a bit of an overkill in a garage, it is only running a fridge and a tumble dryer and one flourescent, i would have thought a lesser ampage would have been appropriate.

Next question, when i looked at the light switch (going to one fluorescent) it was wired as the picture below, is this okay, not sure why he has used 3 core for a single switch.

All replies gratefully recieved.

 

[johnnyb]

Nothing wrong in useing overkill 63a its the 30mA that i would be looking for , and that light switch does not look as if its wired right to me personally, it is a 2g switch and in that sense the common terminals are usually well defined with a C and opposite each other, seems to me the feed is going into the strapper side of the adjacent switch, cannot just see the 2x C,s in your picture.

 

[flukey]

looks to me like your switching two things there, you sure its only the light thats on that circuit

 

[Spudnik]

looks to me like your switching two things there, you sure its only the light thats on that circuit

Agree with flukey.

Looks like its switching 2 lights somewhere maybe inside and outside light?

As for the RCD, its sounds like its 'stuck' as i know some do kind of fuse themselves open after a while.

This is why you have the label 'test quarterly' on them, to ensure it stays free to operate automatically.

Its entirely possible that the RCD may not work under fault conditions now.

 

[mrloy99]

Wonder if anyone can help with the following questions (I am training to be a sparky so have a bit of knowledge)

Just tested the (BS-61008-1) 63A RCCB 'T' Test button in the garage, it didn't trip despite repeated pressing, I will obviously replace it but should I be looking for any other reasons why it didn't trip. I understand that the test button only tests the mechanical side of the RCCB but thought i would ask anyway. Also, is 63A not a bit of an overkill in a garage, it is only running a fridge and a tumble dryer and one flourescent, i would have thought a lesser ampage would have been appropriate.

Next question, when i looked at the light switch (going to one fluorescent) it was wired as the picture below, is this okay, not sure why he has used 3 core for a single switch.

All replies gratefully recieved.
View attachment 187

Hi,
your 63amp doesn't refer to its rated tripping current,-it is the amount of copper in the terminals,.As
for your defective trip sometimes if you manually operate the switch a few times this can bring it back to life but if it still fails to operate on the test button you should indeed have it replaced.
As for your switch,it is oviously a two gang switch,maybe for "future" outside light

 

[Archie]

Hi, one thing to check.
Are you sure there is an earth to the Garage, have you done an earth loop impedance test?
The RCD needs an earth connection to work.

 

[jellen]

another thing to look at is where the RCD is fed from, if its on a 32a mcb for instance, then you will need to put a small CU or Fuse spur in for the lights as the overcurrent protection will be to high for the 1.5 or 1.0mm lighting cables.

Oh and put a bit of Brown sleeving on the Grey and black in that switch

 

[Spudnik]

We are assuming the OP has a small cu in the garage with the correct size MCB's and the 63A is a main RCD switch.

 

[jellen]

We are assuming the OP has a small cu in the garage with the correct size MCB's and the 63A is a main RCD switch.

Ah ok got ya

 

[thomsonminis]

RCD will only trip on test button if power is on and agree with other replys hope the the rcd is feeding a cu as rcds dont give overcurrent protection

 

[Archie]

RCD will only trip on test button if power is on and agree with other replys hope the the rcd is feeding a cu as rcds dont give overcurrent protection

Good point, I've seen a few installs with a RCD but no overcurrent protection.

 

[flukey]

well spotted. didnt read the op that way. think down2earth needs to confirm what the set up is before anymore advice is given. i took it that the rcd was acting as main switch in a cu but maybe it isnt