Our CU has a single RCD protecting the sockets, immersion etc. Overnight Monday it looks like it tripped. I reset it in the morning and thought nothing of it. This morning the power went out, the rcd did not trip. After a couple of minutes the power returned. It wasnt just our house because we could hear house alarms going off. Approx 5 mins later the rcd tripped; again neighbouring house alarms could be heard. I reset it. Approx 5 mins later it tripped again; and more alarms could be heard. We have solar and battery and this morning when the incident occured the inverter was reporting a grid voltage of 213v. I reported it to the network operator but I am trying to work out: 1. Is our house causing some kind of grid issue? 2. Is the rcd tripping a victim of grid issues? 3. Is the rcd tripping unrelated and a separate fault which needs to be diagnosed? 3. Is low grid voltage causing the issue? TIA,
Cannot suggest anything on the problem but would suggest you moan at the neighbours to get their alarms sorted. A power outage should not trigger alarms - they should have battery back up to give 12 or more hours of resilience.
Clearly the alarms do have battery back up, else they wouldn’t be sounding when there’s a power outage.
When the external sounder loses 12v from the main panel it's own internal battery will cause it to activate, clearly the systems that are making a noise do not have a reliable battery in the main panel.
Theroy the supply should not cause a RCD to trip. However experience shows most likely spikes on the supply can cause them to trip, old house it would trip maybe 5 times in a fortnight, then nothing for two years, and no faults found. Over and under voltage solar panels will release their grid tie, only the battery backed emergency supply will continue to work. I would assume the reference to alarms is just to show the power failure was not only your house, the low voltage rings alarm bell, and one wonders if there is damage to the PEN, my software records over and under voltage, does yours? After losing two freezer full of food as not at home when the RCD tripped, with this house all RCBO consumer unit, and RCD sockets for freezers which are battery backed. And only time a RCBO has triped was when my roof leaked, when in old house RCD's were fitted, RCBO's were not around, today we have to consider how important is protecting against loss of power, new consumer units clearly cost, are you willing to pay?
Forums
Facebook
Twitter
You Tube
Instagram
Shop