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Socket skeeps tripping intermittently

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  • 20-01-2022 3:29pm
    #1
    lennyclon
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭


    Hello

    The switch on our fuseboard for all our sockets keeps tripping, usually in the middle of the night sometimes once, sometimes twice. It doesn't happen every night so the idea of trying to isolate what's causing it proving very difficult.

    Last night it went twice. I pushed the switch on the fuseboard up and everything worked again. No problem all morning and it is now 2.30pm

    Any ideas???



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    #2
    Explosive_Cornflake
    Registered Users Posts: 2,125 ✭✭✭Explosive_Cornflake


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058229015/socket-skeeps-tripping-intermittently

    Loose connection somewhere probably. Although it could be something coming on during the night like a fridge or freezer, but in that I'd expect it to trip when turned back on as the fridge would run then.

    You could plug as much stuff as possible out over night and see if it trips that night.

    Other than that, I'd be checking every plug and every socket for loose connections. I am not an electrican though, just some random person on the internet.



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    #3
    lennyclon
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭lennyclon


    Power has just gone again 2.48pm!

    Can't understand why it doesn't trip immediately if something faulty



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    #4
    Escapees
    Registered Users Posts: 617 ✭✭✭Escapees


    Hold your horses... The switch for "all the sockets" is an ELCB, which basically trips if a leakage earth current is detected. You shouldn't just flick this back up after it trips in case the fault is still there, but flick down the main fuse for the building first and then flip back up the tripped switch, followed by the main fuse.



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    #5
    Escapees
    Registered Users Posts: 617 ✭✭✭Escapees


    As to what the cause is, it could be caused by a genuine leakage current (e.g. due to a corroded immersion element or frost/condensation forming at an outside boiler connection). But often the cause is due to a sudden heavy current drawn by something like a motor or pump starting up (fridge, outdoor pump etc.), and in this case the circuit breaker will reset fine without retripping. I've also heard of ELCBs becoming faulty and over sensitive over time, and simply needing replacement.



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    #6
    lennyclon
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭lennyclon


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506365#Comment_118506365

    It's the RCD switch that trips. Is that they different to ELCB?



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    #7
    MuttonDagger
    Registered Users Posts: 44 ✭MuttonDagger


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118506650#Comment_118506650

    Showing your age 🤣



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    #8
    meercat
    Registered Users Posts: 4,746 ✭✭✭meercat


    As another poster pointed out

    id make Sure that immersion is switched off first.


    it’s generally something with an element that causes the rcd to trip.



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    #9
    lennyclon
    Registered Users Posts: 9 ✭lennyclon


    thanks to all. The immersion is not on but will make sure disconnected.



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    #10
    Bruthal.
    Registered Users Posts: 209 ✭✭Bruthal.


    Intermittent trips are often from a faulty RCD, or N to E fault, or water getting in somewhere causing phase to earth fault, each of which can cause intermittent trips. High loads mentioned earlier shouldnt cause it unless there is a N to E fault of some sort also.



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