Ladywood B16 8, Highgate, Spring Vale B10 0, Lozells, Aston, Sparkbrook, Edgbaston, Merry Hill B66 2, Nechells, Bordesley Green
Are you fed up with the constant tripping of your RCD and having it turn off the electricity in your home for no apparent reason? Perhaps the problem is that it keeps tripping even after you replace it. Why does this happen and what should you do about it?
Residual current devices (RCDs) are safety devices that can turn off the power if there’s a fault. They also act as trip switches. RCDs offer safety levels beyond those offered by circuit breakers and regular fuse fuses. An RCD can be found in the fuse box (consumer device). It may also be found between the circuit breaker and power sockets.
An RCD is typically located on the supply of the equipment it protects. This can be inside a fusebox, or on a board. An RCD could also be embedded into equipment. There are many different types that can fulfill different requirements.
RCDs generally work by monitoring the current flow in a lower voltage circuit. If they detect an issue with the current flow they shut off the power to the entire system, which prevents electrocution or severe injuries.
The RCD prevents electricity from flowing to your house or business in the case of a fault such as a short-circuit. In simple terms, the RCD acts as a failsafe device and can be a lifesaver.
There are many reasons your RCD may keep tripping. Here are some of them.
RCDs often trip due to faulty appliances. Technically speaking, RCDs are intended to protect electrical circuit faults that may result from defective appliances. RCDs are designed to remove faulty electrical circuits from the power system. A trip of an RCD is a sign that it has completed its job. This is usually caused by poorly maintained appliances.
If you suspect that your RCD may be trippable, unplug every appliance in your home. Next, check to make sure your RCD resets correctly. If it does, try plugging in each appliance separately and resetting your RCD after each.
Electrical Services
Electricians
1 Hour Response Time
Registered Electrical Contractor
If the RCD suddenly starts to trip again after plugging in a particular item, you have likely found the cause.
It may be necessary to replace your circuit breaker if it is rated higher than the electrical requirements of your home. Professional electricians can visit homes for visual inspection to determine whether or not the RCD needs to be replaced.
Each Residual-current Device is designed so that it trips when the current passing through it exceeds an a predetermined value. It will trip unnecessarily if it is below its rated value. Your RCD may be tripping frequently. This could indicate that it has the wrong rated current and should be replaced with one of the correct rating.
RCDs must trip when current exceeds their rating. An RCD that trips frequently, especially on small overloads, is an RCD that is not properly rated.
A low-quality RCD is a common cause of premature tripping. A genuine RCD will be able to reset itself in a matter of minutes. It should not trip while it’s resetting. RCDs of good quality should be able withstand currents for at least an entire hour.
Maintaining a high standard of electrical safety is crucial. A shortcut is created when the resistance of a piece or wiring exceeds a certain amount of electricity. Your RCD will trip if the path is contaminated with water or dampness. This protects you from electrocution.
It is best for a trained electrician to replace low quality RCD. This professional installation is usually necessary. It can even be dangerous for you to replace the RCD on your own. To avoid this, hire a trusted contractor.
If your lights dimming is due to another reason, you need to have it repaired immediately.
Over half of all domestic fires that occur in the region each year are caused by electricity. While a new appliance may emit a faint burning smell for the first few uses, it could also cause a fire in your home if an odd odour is detected from an outlet.
Need An Electrician To Replace Damaged Sockets
Call Now! 07782 805852
Try unplugging every electrical appliance in your home if you suspect a faulty appliance is triggering your RCD. If it resets correctly, then it was a faulty appliance. Plug in each appliance one by one and reset your RCD as you do so.
If your RCD trips and you can’t reset it, or if it trips again after resetting it, you may have a defective device. Your RCD should be tested regularly and according to the standards.
You might have moved one of the circuits where a neutral-earth fault already existed.
Make sure the earth resistance is zero with the RCD tripped. Check the resistance between the RCD neutral busbar and the old non RCD busbar with the RCD tripped. If there is continuity check each neutral from the RCD busbar in turn until you find the culprit.If it’s wired in twin and earth the fault may be fairly easy to locate.
The rcd trips each time a circuit breaker is turned off, so something is wrong with that circuit. Once all circuits are isolated, hopefully your rcd will reset.
One reason that an RCD may trip is: You have a faulty appliance plugged into the socket circuit. RCDs tend to trip for this reason most often. The easiest way to find the cause is to notice if you were using a device when it triggered.
Do You Have Any Of These Electrical Issues?