Help...RCD keeps tripping

[DIY_Has123]

The RCD keeps tripping.

Its got to do with the kitchen sockets labelled here.

If I push that back up then the RCD trips.

NOTHING is plugged into the kitchen extension sockets I double checked.

It was very random last night and no one was in the kitchen.

What could be the cause?

 

[Bazza]

NOTHING is plugged into the kitchen extension sockets I double checked.

Not plugged in maybe, but often there are other things attached to the circuit. These would need to be disconnected to identify the culprit (assuming it is something attached and not a wiring fault). Other appliances like wash machine, dishwasher, water softener, etc.
Boiler circuit, is a common cause. Also, do you have any outside power to shedds, lighting, etc?. this is also often connected to a downstairs circuits.

Do tell us what you find..its always a Sherlock Holmes task to reveal what is causing it. Good luck!

 

[Roys]

Any work been done recently. Sockets removed refitted for decorating perhaps? Skirtings replaced, pictures hung.
Or
Outside light fed via a FCU from the kitchen sockets and outside lights filled with water?
Everything definitely unplugged?
At least if the fault is there all the time it is a lot easier to find, if nothing obvious it shouldn’t take a decent spark long to locate.

 

[Bogle Crag]

Some of the reasons I have found in the past

Water - leaky waste under sink, Outside accessories/junction boxes
Slugs - inside socket
Screw through cable - been there many years and eventually wore through with movement of floorboards

 

[DIY_Has123]

So had the electrician round just now...he located and fixed the problem.

He disconnected one of the wires in kitchen island socket.

Now I only know basic electric so don't understand 100% what he said but he explained there was a ring in kitchen socket circuit and now the ring is open.

He said this part needs a rewire (very difficult as its all tiled and buried) or the 32a breaker currently fitted should be replaced with a 20a one. He said should be the same brand. I assume this is the correct one:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/wylex-20...VDrwYCh0d_gCzEAQYASABEgJNZfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Does this make sense to you sparkys?

 

[DIY_Has123]

P.S. all the sockets are working now.

 

[jonathanc]

If you are seriously saying that he has broken the ring and effectively created two radials on a 32A breaker he needs to come back and make it safe.

 

[DIY_Has123]

If you are seriously saying that he has broken the ring and effectively created two radials on a 32A breaker he needs to come back and make it safe.

But will replacing with this 20amp breaker make it safe?

Last thing I want to do is rewire, like I said have to break up tiles and locate buried cables.

 

[Ind spark]

But will replacing with this 20amp breaker make it safe?

Last thing I want to do is rewire, like I said have to break up tiles and locate buried cables.

Yes but it might not be big enough for all the loading in your kitchen, maybe it can be split into 2 x 20amp radials.

Wonder why the ring just broke by itself, did you have any work done or put up any pictures etc?

 

[jonathanc]

And more to the point why not fix the problem rather than frankly leaving your house in an unsafe state. At least before he turned up it was safe.

whilst some may say I am being a bit dramatic, you now have the risk of overloading that circuit with the potential for further problems including fire. In my view it should not be left like this even temporarily.

 

[DIY_Has123]

Yes but it might not be big enough for all the loading in your kitchen, maybe it can be split into 2 x 20amp radials.

Wonder why the ring just broke by itself, did you have any work done or put up any pictures etc?

No noone was in the kitchen yesterday evening when it went off. A bit random was working fine all this time. The wiring has always had slight issues in the kitchen extension...I've had a couple sockets turning faulty where microwave, toaster and kettle plugged and after replacing the sockets they went faulty again.

Maybe a silly question but when you say splitting
2 x 20amp radials does that need rewiring or can that be all done at fuse box?

Kitchen does have a few appliances, washing machine, dish washer, 2 fridge freezers, microwave, cooker etc....

 

[DIY_Has123]

And more to the point why not fix the problem rather than frankly leaving your house in an unsafe state. At least before he turned up it was safe.

whilst some may say I am being a bit dramatic, you now have the risk of overloading that circuit with the potential for further problems including fire. In my view it should not be left like this even temporarily.

I know mate but I guess he didn't have the mcb with him. He found the fault and got the sockets all working again and gave those 2 options.

Anyway not here to argue about the quality of my hired tradesman, which I often find some people on here just criticise rather than offering a solution.

Just want to make sure everything is done properly and don't get issues in future.

 

[Ind spark]

No noone was in the kitchen yesterday evening when it went off. A bit random was working fine all this time. The wiring has always had slight issues in the kitchen extension...I've had a couple sockets turning faulty where microwave, toaster and kettle plugged and after replacing the sockets they went faulty again.

Maybe a silly question but when you say splitting
2 x 20amp radials does that need rewiring or can that be all done at fuse box?

Kitchen does have a few appliances, washing machine, dish washer, 2 fridge freezers, microwave, cooker etc....

Maybe the ring has always been broke.
Before making it in to 2 circuits id see if he can rewire the leg that's broken.

 

[DIY_Has123]

Maybe the ring has always been broke.
Before making it in to 2 circuits id see if he can rewire the leg that's broken.

Like I said the faulty wiring is between kitchen island and one of wall sockets...so only way a rewire is possible is by breaking the floor tiles and running wire again I suppose. Electrician said if fault was between two wall sockets would have been a bit easier to rewire.

For now if fitting a 20amp MCB makes it safe then I rather go with that.

 

[Ind spark]

Like I said the faulty wiring is between kitchen island and one of wall sockets...so only way a rewire is possible is by breaking the floor tiles and running wire again I suppose. Electrician said if fault was between two wall sockets would have been a bit easier to rewire.

For now if fitting a 20amp MCB makes it safe then I rather go with that.

Don't think that will work for long.
Looks like 2 x radials might be the best option.

 

[Comlec]

Splitting the ring into two radials is an option but how effective a solution it is often depends on where the break in the ring is. If you are lucky the break will be in the middle of the loads but if you are really unlucky then it could be that all the significant loads are left on one leg.

 

[adgjl]

The “break” is likely to be cable damage. As both cables that make up the ring to the central island probably run together, you don’t know if the other one is damaged too.

 

[DIY_Has123]

Don't think that will work for long.
Looks like 2 x radials might be the best option.

Okay thanks.
So let me get this right....simply replacing the current 32amp MCB with a 20amp MCB should make it safe, but long term may not be enough, for instance, when many kitchen appliances are plugged in?

(The cooker has its own separate 40amp MCB btw)

Better option is to split to 2 x 20amp MCB and this would not need rewiring and all done at fuse box?

 

[adgjl]

Whether two 20A radials is possible depends on whether you have space for another rcd protected circuit in the consumer unit.

 

[DIY_Has123]

Whether two 20A radials is possible depends on whether you have space for another rcd protected circuit in the consumer unit.

Yeah these are free and not being used I believe. Switch the middle one off and everything was working, lights sockets etc...