New RCD Overload tripping randomly at night

Discussion in 'Electricians' Talk' started by WendyMT, Mar 4, 2019.

  1. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    Hope someone can help...

    I have had a new RCD board fitted along with new fittings on all electrical outlets (light fittings, sockets, fuse spares etc) prior to moving in.

    I moved in to the property a month ago. Everything was running fine until last Wednesday night around 1am. The overload switch tripped on the RCD. I had no power to sockets/fuse spares. I did have power to lights and water heater. Flicked the switch back up - no issues.

    The following night it tripped twice in the early hours. Again flicked the switch all ok.

    Over the weekend it tripped at 7am one night, followed by last night tripping 4 times (midnight, 1am, 1.30, 2 then 3)

    Last night the overload tripped when I turned the socket circuit back on. Tried it a couple of time and it stayed on in the end. The socket switch isn't turning off, just the overload. I removed everything that was plugged in, flicked the switch and started re-plugging everything. Switch stayed on, so went back to bed. 30mins later everything off. Repeated process, switch stayed on, went back to bed, 30 mins later all sockets off again.

    My electrician said it is an earth leakage - but I can't work out what is causing it.

    The electric meter needs replacing as the screen is not showing any text. The electric company have been out twice to 'fix' this but don't carry a 5 terminal meter as standard kit so I am still waiting. This has been the case since I moved in, so I don't think that is causing the overload to trip randomly.

    I live in a small block of flats, is it possible that my electric is being tripped by someone elses?

    Can anyone shed any light on how I can get a good nights sleep without my heating going off, my freezer defrosting and me having to spend time every day resetting all my timers!!
     
  2. You will need to get an Electrician out with the proper testing instruments.

    This is a prime example where it is always better to spend an extra few pounds and have an all RCBO fitted,you would only lose the circuit that the fault was on and not half the board.
     
  3. Sparkielev

    Sparkielev Screwfix Select

    Do you have storage heaters ?
     
  4. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    Thanks Deleted member 11267.

    I trusted the electrician in deciding what was needed. I live in a 1 bed flat.

    The electrician said to unplug everything and gradually plug stuff back in to see what was causing overload to trip. But as this only happens at night it's difficult. Especially as, for example Sunday morning at 7 am, I reset the switch and everything stayed on all day until midnight last night. It can then take 15-30 mins to trip again. Don't fancy doing that with all the appliances in the middle of the night then going to work!!
     
  5. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member


    I have electric heaters. Keep one on in bedroom at 18degrees at night. Then all three at 21 during the day when I am in. No issues during the day.
     
  6. Pollowick

    Pollowick Screwfix Select

    And it may not be just one piece of equipment ...

    There could be several, each leaking 5-10 mA when operational and then suddenly the threshold is reached when everything goes OFF.


    Has he fully tested the RCD? that could be tripping out at a very low threshold.
     
  7. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    Not sure. How would I know if the RCD had been tested fully?

    Surely if stuff was leaking it would trip when I use the most power, like the day time, rather than when very little is being used??
     
  8. Sparkielev

    Sparkielev Screwfix Select

    Do your heaters only come on during the night ? You said you have 5 terminal meter which suggests off peak heating
     
  9. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    I have three electric heaters. I use them in the day when I am in and only one at night at 18degrees
     
  10. Pollowick

    Pollowick Screwfix Select

    You may only use them during the day, however they heat up during the night.
     
  11. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    Two are turned off at night.

    They are not storage heaters. They are Econo GPWT20 glass fronted electric heaters.
     
  12. spirits are real 2016

    spirits are real 2016 Screwfix Select

    is your flat all electric no gas.
     
  13. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    No gas all electric
     
  14. Alan Redford

    Alan Redford New Member

    If this is an RCD covering a few circuits it is not an overload, it is just an earth leakage problem,
    this could be anything or as previously mentioned a combination of small leakages. As this is happening during the night when you are not using cookers / kettles etc. it is probably something that switches itself in randomly e.g. fridge / freezer.
    do you have a socket on your cooker switch that is on a separate RCD ( there should be more than one RCD unless you have a few circuits on RCBO) if so plug an extension into that and feed your fridge / freezer from this alternately. that could show up what is causing the tripping.
     
  15. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    Did you get a test cert when the consumer unit was changed? This should have various readings on it, one of them will be insulation resistance values, they will show if there is any problems with the wiring. Much more likely to be an appliance though.
     
  16. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    Thanks.

    The cooker is on a fuse spare so can't plug stuff in.

    It's the overload switch that is turning off as opposed to the socket switch.

    I'm so confused a out this and I don't really understand electrics.
     
  17. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    Maybe my landlord did.

    I have been living here 3 weeks without issue. All appliances are the same as when I moved in. Nothing added.
     
  18. peter palmer

    peter palmer Screwfix Select

    RCD's are not overload devices and don't have any overload protection built into them. What you have got is an earth leakage somewhere which means that some of the electricity is leaking into the metalwork of an appliance or the actual fabric of the building, the RCD detects this and trips off. It could be one of the heaters, anything with a heating element is prone to causing these sort of trips.

    I would unplug everything you can and switch everything else off for one night and see what happens, really needs an electrician round to test the actual circuits though to eliminate them. Get on your landlords case about it, he probably had to have the consumer unit upgraded so he could rent it out so I would imagine its a cheapo job.

    Post a picture of the consumer unit and show what exactly is tripping out.
     
  19. WendyMT

    WendyMT New Member

    The switch is labelled RCBO total load. I can't upload the photo as it's too big for the server to handle! Argh!

    Electrician due out tomorrow but want to sleep tonight haha!!
     
  20. seneca

    seneca Screwfix Select

    An rcbo is a circuit breaker and an rcd all in one so can be slightly more tricky to fault find as the fault could be either earth leakage or over current, i'm sure your electrician will solve it tomorrow.
     

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