Socket wiring question

Garvan

Hi all

I'm just doing up a spare bedroom. There is only one double socket in it. I'm adding 3 more (1 in each corner)

Using the image below the original double socket is at B

I have fed socket C from B

I have also fed socket A from B

I have fed socket D from A

But D trips the fuse board every time I switch it on. I checked the wiring a number of times and it's fine. I tried a different double socket and no joy.

Is socket D a step too far? Am I overloading the original socket B?

Any ideas (besides paying a fortune for a registered leccie to call and check :eek:)

Thanks

G

tomdempsey200

it's restricted works.. more than a socket addition to circuit

so you'll have to get a REC

Garvan

Is that something built in to the double socket?

What can the rec do that I can't? What's the secret 😉

G

Sleeper12

Garvan wrote: »

Is that something built in to the double socket?

What can the rec do that I can't? What's the secret 😉

G

I believe that you are being told that It is illegal for you to do this. I'm pretty sure you are being told that you need a reci carted electrician (rec)
If it is illegal for you to do it I don't believe anyone here will help you.

tomdempsey200

a qualified electrician can't even do this legally now

.G.

Yes it is illegal these days.And since you are tripping your MCB with your handy work it's also unwise as it appears you have little idea what you're doing.You'll be needing a Registered Electrical Contractor.

Garvan

Yeah. I know there's regs in place. It's madness all the same.

I couldn't handle paying a guy €100 for 10 mins work when I can do it for free.

Thanks anyway

Diggerdunne

What is tripping? The MCB or the RCD? If the mcb trips you have a dead short most likely, if the RCD trips its an imbalance between live and neutral. There is a leak to earth somewhere along the line...

Bruthal

Garvan wrote: »

Yeah. I know there's regs in place. It's madness all the same.

I couldn't handle paying a guy €100 for 10 mins work when I can do it for free.

Thanks anyway

Yea, 10 minutes to add 3 new sockets. Must be them new wireless ones you just screw to the wall.

Garvan

Diggerdunne wrote: »

What is tripping? The MCB or the RCD? If the mcb trips you have a dead short most likely, if the RCD trips its an imbalance between live and neutral. There is a leak to earth somewhere along the line...

Thanks. It's the mcb!

G

Garvan

Bruthal wrote: »

Yea, 10 minutes to add 3 new sockets. Must be them new wireless ones you just screw to the wall.

You have them too????

By 10 minutes I meant wiring one socket when the cut out and feed is already there.

I didn't realise we were being pedantic tonight!?!?!?! Come on!!

Sir Arthur Daley

Bruthal wrote: »

Yea, 10 minutes to add 3 new sockets. Must be them new wireless ones you just screw to the wall.

Are they the new apple ones?

Garvan

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Are they the new apple ones?

iSocket ™

Sir Arthur Daley

I cannot see how you have a short in you new cable, did you drive a cable clip nail through the cable maybe?

hufpc8w3adnk65

Bruthal wrote: »

Yea, 10 minutes to add 3 new sockets. Must be them new wireless ones you just screw to the wall.

Ya these magic sockets that don't take any time or effort too do!!

OP get a professional your neither competent enough too, A. Do the installation and B.rectify any problem that arises!

Bruthal

Op says the breaker trips when D is switched on.

What do you mean by that?

Sir Arthur Daley

Is what he is plugging into it faulty?

Garvan

Bruthal wrote: »

Op says the breaker trips when D is switched on.

What do you mean by that?

If any of the other sockets are switched on there's no problem. It's only the last socket in the chain that's the issue. 😯

Bruthal

Garvan wrote: »

If any of the other sockets are switched on there's no problem. It's only the last socket in the chain that's the issue. 😯

So when you switch on the switches on the socket itself, the MCB trips, with nothing plugged into it?

Sir Arthur Daley

What are you plugging into socket d?

Bruthal

If you connect neutrals into earth, and earths into neutral on one socket on a circuit, everything works until something is plugged into the wrongly connected socket. This then trips RCD.

Garvan

Bruthal wrote: »

So when you switch on the switches on the socket itself, the MCB trips, with nothing plugged into it?

No. I'm using a desk lamp to test the (switched) sockets. I plug that in to each socket and it's fine.

I get to the last socket, plug in the lamp, switch it on and the mcb trips.

If I just switch the socket on and off it's fine too. The mcb does not trip. Sound weird????

G

tomdempsey200

Bruthal wrote: »

If you connect neutrals into earth, and earths into neutral on one socket on a circuit, everything works until something is plugged into the wrongly connected socket. This then trips RCD.

must be that so if he's using a test lamp

Sir Arthur Daley

Is socket D wired incorrectly?

Bruthal

Garvan wrote: »

No. I'm using a desk lamp to test the (switched) sockets. I plug that in to each socket and it's fine.

I get to the last socket, plug in the lamp, switch it on and the mcb trips.

If I just switch the socket on and off it's fine too. The mcb does not trip. Sound weird????

G

I'd say you connected earth wires into neutral terminal of that socket so. And vice versa.

Bruthal

Sir Arthur Daley wrote: »

Is socket D wired incorrectly?

Post 21 describes a way that it happens. RCD only trips when something plugged into the actual incorrectly wired socket.

tomdempsey200

he's gone off to check

1 minute job..

Garvan

Bruthal wrote: »

I'd say you connected earth wires into neutral terminal of that socket so. And vice versa.

I thought the same so I checked and rechecked but no joy.

I reckon a visit to Specsavers and buying a can of "The bleedin obvious" followed by a call to a reci is my only solution now ;-)

Thanks for all the help fellas

G

Bruthal

tomdempsey200 wrote: »

he's gone off to check

1 minute job..

1 minute will rewire the circuit first fix.

I thought I remember seeing a socket before where the internal bars were clashing. Was happening when something was plugged in. Maybe I dreamt it up or something.

Bruthal

Garvan wrote: »

I thought the same so I checked and rechecked but no joy.

I reckon a visit to Specsavers and buying a can of "The bleedin obvious" followed by a call to a reci is my only solution now ;-)

Thanks for all the help fellas

G

Check the socket immediately before the problem one as well, that earths and neutrals are not mixed up leaving the socket.

Diggerdunne

Swap the face plate with one that u know is good to rule out the socket and see if the problem moves, if it doent then its defo a wiring issue.....

Bruthal

Diggerdunne wrote: »

Swap the face plate with one that u know is good to rule out the socket and see if the problem moves, if it doent then its defo a wiring issue.....

Removing a wrongly wired socket and fitting another could possibly fix the actual wiring mistake without the DIY person noticing.

If it's mcb tripping, then a problem socket is likely.
If it's rcd, then earth's and neutrals swapped in terminals at problem socket, or mixed together at one prior to problem one. In latter case, any sockets after that one would cause tripped rcd when load applied.