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RCD randomly tripping after earthing pipes.

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  • 06-06-2012 8:06pm
    #1
    GSPfan
    Registered Users Posts: 7,843 ✭✭✭


    After finally getting around to earthing the pipes to the boiler i have been getting Rcd trips at random intervals.

    The 6 sq earth was ran from the board to the boiler over a year ago during a re-wire. Only got around to earthing the pipes and within a few days i got my first Rcd trip. Reset it and a few days later it done it again.
    I have ruled out almost every appliance as the cause due to having everything plugged out. It happens mostly in the early hours of the morning before i get up and nothing is on a timer to come on at that time.

    So could it actually have something to do with the earthing?

    Also.... I live in Dublin 3, my mains comes from a two wire system which is fed off a street light pole outside the house. Could the street lights going on and off affect my rcd? It mostly trips in the hours the lights would be going off.

    Any advice would be great.


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    #2
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    Do you have an immersion heater? Maybe you do, and the earth to it was not great, and now you have improved the earth to it, but the immersion element had an earth fault, which is now tripping the RCD.


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    #3
    GSPfan
    Registered Users Posts: 7,843 ✭✭✭GSPfan


    Funny you should mention the immersion. I actually never hooked up the immersion until weeks after the RCD trips started.
    I dont even use the immersion now thats its connected. Just did it cause I was sick of looking at the cables.


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    #4
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,745 ✭✭✭meercat


    i assume you mean 10square earth for the bond
    i too would always check the immersion
    also check if you have a neutralized earth at your distribution board(pics would help,esb meter and board)


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    #5
    M cebee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,431 ✭✭✭M cebee


    obviously not an electrician doing the re-wire(not trying to be smart)
    If you have everything plugged out and all switches off prob best get a spark take a look


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    #6
    GSPfan
    Registered Users Posts: 7,843 ✭✭✭GSPfan


    This is the fuseboard. Has two wires coming in from the street into the main fuse and three coming out of the main fuse. The Live/Neutral go to the meter and the Earth goes to a Connector Block mounted outside the fuseboard but is connectedfrom there into the main earth terminal inside the fuseboard.

    Fuseboard 1.jpg

    Fuseboard 2.jpg

    Fuseboard 3.jpg


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    #7
    Bruthal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,422 ✭✭✭✭Bruthal


    With small overhead lines supplying a few houses, a neutral to earth short in the house can cause RCD trips even with nothing in the house on.

    But anyway, as said, get a decent sparks in to check it out.


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