RCD Tripping every few hours

Cool Breeze · 20 Apr 2010 at 09:26

Hi Folks,

I hope someone can help me trouble shoot this one. Basically my RCD in the flat at home has tripped out about 10 times in 12 hours. Now nothing has changed with regards to whats plugged in and whats powered up. I know it means that somethings got a bad earth. But what would be the best way to find the culprit appliance.

Cheers

Howard · 20 Apr 2010 at 09:27

Unplug things until it stops.

tres · 20 Apr 2010 at 09:28

unplug everything. Everything you can think of.

If it's tripped once every hour or so - is there anything on a timer that comes on?

Then plug a few things back in - maybe 3 or 4. Wait a few hours. If it's all still good, plug another 3 or 4 things back in. Process of elimination.

Cool Breeze · 20 Apr 2010 at 09:39

Cheers guys, Yes I am slowly unplugging every thing one by one. Nothing on a timer, and also it was ok all through the night.

Will keep troubleshooting.

feriso · 20 Apr 2010 at 09:45

Could be a faulty RCD, they do degrade over time

Adz · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:00

Unplug *everything* then plug back in one by one until it starts tripping again. Last time this happened to me it was a faulty dishwasher.

Cool Breeze · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:08

feriso said:
Could be a faulty RCD, they do degrade over time

Hmm yes hadn't thought of that I might get another I think, it's always been to sensitive.

BullBoyShoes · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:15

my guess is your fridge freezer - it fits the time profile

Cool Breeze · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:21

Oh Don't say that ..... thats all I need.

I'll check it out, and kinda makes sense the only thing thats on 24/7

Dj_Jestar · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:23

Do you have an electric boiler?

Cool Breeze · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:25

No we have a combi gas boiler and the central is off just now as the weather has been great.

Dj_Jestar · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:28

Probably the fridge/freezer then

NickK · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:31

Or a water leak?

Cool Breeze · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:32

A water Leak? where and how?

To affect things i mean

Goliath · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:44

Cool Breeze said:
A water Leak? where and how?

To affect things i mean

Behind the washing machine? It's happened to me - slow drip leak from the back of the worktop running down the wall into the socket.

stockhausen · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:50

Things that have resulted in an RCD tripping in my past experience:

junction box in the loft - God alone knows why but when I replaced it, the problems stopped
power shower pump that had a small leak that dripped through onto a light fitting below
immersion heater element in a hot water tank that developed a short

I eventually got in two electricians to identify the faulty immersion heater element which was virtually never actually used - I learnt a lot from watching them work

Cool Breeze · 20 Apr 2010 at 10:53

Cheers guys, looks like I gotta lot of testing to do!

Cool Breeze · 23 Apr 2010 at 09:18

Hi all,

after much fannying around unplugging stuff etc (RCD still tripping out) I have fitted a new RCD, and touch wood all is ok at the moment. I just hope it stays that way. the old RCD was a Wylex and apparantly they can be a bit rubbish, new one is protex or something.

Thanks to all who help with ideas to resolve this.

Cool Breeze out.

Glaucus · 23 Apr 2010 at 09:39

Dj_Jestar said:
Probably the fridge/freezer then

This. if it does it randomly at long intervals. Probably a fridge freezer as they only turn on every now and then.

As said just unplug one thing at a time until it stops.

edscdk · 23 Apr 2010 at 09:44

I would

1) unplug everything and see if it happens like everyone said
2) plug in half of the stuff, if it does not happen then unplug that half and plug in the other half.. and so on....

RCD Tripping every few hours

Capodecina