Everything was working fine until I decided to change the outside lamps to LED low energy bulbs. The circuit is on its own contact breaker which goes to a timer (Time-guard TS900B). The timer stopped going round but I could use the manual on off to operate the lights. I replaced the timer with an identical unit which worked for a couple of days and then the contact breaker flipped, and I can no longer re-set it. There is a 5 core cable to the timer - Brown, Blue and Green/Yellow (Supply) and a Grey and a Black cable see video here - https://youtu.be/lm_V5pl3WJ4 With the consumer unit on - ALL of the cables are shorting out except for the Brown Live cable... With the consumer unit turned off The Black Grey and Blue still short but the Earth doesn't. Any suggestions as to where the problem may be? Many thanks for any suggestions Martin
Not sure of your problem yet, but do NOT use a multimeter (set to measure resistance (Bleeping)) on a live circuit. Set meter to read 1000V AC and measure all wires with reference to the BLUE (neutral) Take great care when doing this, as you could get a shock Where do the grey/black wires go. Circuit diagram (sketch) would help. E the F
Another question. What trips, an MCB (miniature circuit breaker) or the RCD main switch (that you turn OFF in your Video) E the F
I would assume the grey and black wires are the neutral and switched live and from the timer. The grey has a bit of sleeving on it but I cannot see what colour it is,If it was wired properly this should be sleeved blue and be the neutral. In my opinion I do not like what appears to be 0.75 flex and would like to see a larger cable, but do not know what runs from consumer unit to junction box and junction box to outside.
Do you still have a problem? I would recommend that you reconnect the timer as it should be. Then disconnect the outside load (transformers). Turn the supply back ON an see if the MCB trips. Then you will know if the problem is inside or out. My guess would be a "shorted turn" on a transformer. Good luck E the F
Thanks for the replies... I still have the problem. I removed all of the lamps and the MCB still tripped out. I then removed the timer and was able to set the MCB successfully. I tested the timer with my multimeter and found that the SL is always connected to the Live regardless of whether the timer was on or off and the Neutral was also always connected to the swicthed neutral does this mean that the timer is faulty. Also, I was using LED bulbs along with Halogen bulbs do you think that this may have caused the problem with the switch? See image for manufacturer's specs. Thank you for your help.
Unfortunately removing the lamps is not the same as disconnecting the outside load. The transformers are still in the circuit. I am assuming they are wire wound transformers (heavy) and not electronic ones. If the timer is as you describe (the live in shorted to the switched live out), then this would only connected the power (to the outside circuit) all the time without the switching action provided by the timer. So the outside lamps would remain on all the timer. E the F
It is possible that the timer contacts have become "welded" together due to a high current caused by a fault elsewhere in the circuit (outside). E the F
its been a couple of weeks with no input from Martin about his problem. I don't mind at all trying to help but get frustrated when the thread goes "cold" I would very much like to know if my input has helped fix a problem. If I was on the wrong track then I could learn from it. So if you are still out there Martin, please lets us know how you fixed the problem. I thought your use of U-Tube was excellent. E the F
Well, could be any number of reasons why he has not been on here to reply. Abducted by Aliens Gone to America to vote Got run over by a hedgehog Parachute failed to open when he jumped off of his wardrobe
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