Timing switch tripping.

castlebarian

Hi

I have a timing switch in my apartment on storage heating and every time it gets to the time set for the hot water to come on it trips out the rcd . I took of the switch and tested between live and earth and once the connect was made the rcd tripped again. I was thinking about changing both the mcb and front of the timing switch as no other circuit is tripping the rcd.?

Any ideas what may the problem be ?

Robbie.G

castlebarian wrote: »

Hi

I have a timing switch in my apartment on storage heating and every time it gets to the time set for the hot water to come on it trips out the rcd . I took of the switch and tested between live and earth and once the connect was made the rcd tripped again. I was thinking about changing both the mcb and front of the timing switch as no other circuit is tripping the rcd.?

Any ideas what may the problem be ?

The problem is unlikely to be the timer but what's connected it
My money's on the immersion needs replacing

castlebarian

Robbie.G wrote: »

The problem is unlikely to be the timer but what's connected it
My money's on the immersion needs replacing

Thanks mate

So how would I go about that just call a plumber ? Might try change timer and mcb first ?

Robbie.G

castlebarian wrote: »

Thanks mate

So how would I go about that just call a plumber ? Might try change timer and mcb first ?

Why do that there should be a switch for the immersion turn it off and then turn on timer. If no switch disconnect immersion and test
The chances timer or mcb fecked highly unlikely

castlebarian

Robbie.G wrote: »

Why do that there should be a switch for the immersion turn it off and then turn on timer. If no switch disconnect immersion and test
The chances timer or mcb fecked highly unlikely

Ya I turned of the switch then turned it back on it trips straight away

John Electrician33

Immersion is faulty - you need to get a plumber/electrician to replace element

castlebarian

Thanks very much .

castlebarian

castlebarian wrote: »

Thanks very much .

Replaced it as said and have same problem again worked ok for about six weeks could there be a bigger problem ?

castlebarian

castlebarian wrote: »

Thanks very much .

Replaced it as said and have same problem again worked ok for about six weeks could there be a bigger problem ?

crasy dash

castlebarian wrote: »

Replaced it as said and have same problem again worked ok for about six weeks could there be a bigger problem ?

Are you in a very bad limescale area strange it worked for six weeks and then trips again.

Did you see the element that was removed?

castlebarian

crasy dash wrote: »

Are you in a very bad limescale area strange it worked for six weeks and then trips again.

Did you see the element that was removed?

Ya the element didnt have any limescale on it that I can recall. Is therr a chance its a loose connection om the wiring or the other element ? If I disconnect the element and turn on the timer and it doesnt trip it should mean other element is ok ?

crasy dash

Right just few basics so i can get to fully understand you have an immersion that is connected to a timer
(Is it on esb night rate i see you mention storage heaters in your first post)

Is it like this rcd> mcb>timer>immersion>hopefully hot water
or esb night meter>rcd>mcb>timer>immersion

mikeyjames9

it shouldn't be the heater again after only 6 weeks unless it was faulty or damaged going in

not a loose connection either


is that the only appliance that trips the rcd?

crasy dash

Nearly be thinking myself it could be a cumulative of leakage currents from several devices.

Only possibility is that element may be damaged on installation and now is showing the fault.
I am just trying to figure out is if it is fed from seperate night rate meter or connected to main rcd in board and hence connected to all circuits

Only way op will find out if the element is faulty would be to megger the element while its still in place.

castlebarian

@crazydash ya its rcd mcb timer immersion no hot water anymore was working sound after changed the first time .

@mikeyjames9 Once the timer comes on which it is set at it automaticly trips the rcd but only in the last two days so hot water

Is there a good chamce that its the second element that is gone if thats the case ?

crasy dash

castlebarian wrote: »

@crazydash ya its rcd mcb timer immersion no hot water anymore was working sound after changed the first time .

@mikeyjames9 Once the timer comes on which it is set at it automaticly trips the rcd but only in the last two days so hot water

Is there a good chamce that its the second element that is gone if thats the case ?

By any chance you wouldnt have any tumble drier washing machine etc on at the same time as the immersion is due to come on??

castlebarian

crasy dash wrote: »

By any chance you wouldnt have any tumble drier washing machine etc on at the same time as the immersion is due to come on??

Nope there was no other applinces on at the time . There could be a good possibility its the element again could I check by isolationg power and disconnecting the element and turning back on power and if it doesnt trip then its that element ?

mikeyjames9

crasy dash wrote: »

Nearly be thinking myself it could be a cumulative of leakage currents from several devices.

Only possibility is that element may be damaged on installation and now is showing the fault.
I am just trying to figure out is if it is fed from seperate night rate meter or connected to main rcd in board and hence connected to all circuits

Only way op will find out if the element is faulty would be to megger the element while its still in place.

it would be on a common rcd including sockets..either single or dual tarriff

electric water heating wouldn't be on a separate NSH meter


i suppose if it works on one of the heater elements then the other is probably faulty


you can't be certain by disconnecting the heater that the heater is the cause of the problem...

crasy dash

castlebarian wrote: »

Nope there was no other applinces on at the time . There could be a good possibility its the element again could I check by isolationg power and disconnecting the element and turning back on power and if it doesnt trip then its that element ?

Before you disconnect it completely, power the circuit down and remove the element cover and look just in case a cable core got trapped and the insulation is damaged.

crasy dash

mikeyjames9 wrote: »

it would be on a common rcd including sockets..either single or dual tarriff

electric water heating wouldn't be on a separate NSH meter


i suppose if it works on one of the heater elements then the other is probably faulty


you can't be certain by disconnecting the heater that the heater is the cause of the problem...

Thanks for that i worked in industrial so my domestic commercial experience wouldnt be the best (hangs his head in shame lol)

mikeyjames9

crasy dash wrote: »

Thanks for that i worked in industrial so my domestic commercial experience wouldnt be the best (hangs his head in shame lol)

no bother
didn't mean to appear condescending with the last comment re disconnecting heater

was directed to op

crasy dash

mikeyjames9 wrote: »

no bother
didn't mean to appear condescending with the last comment re disconnecting heater

was directed to op

Haha your grand there is a reason im unemployed im not a very good electrician:pac:

castlebarian

crasy dash wrote: »

Before you disconnect it completely, power the circuit down and remove the element cover and look just in case a cable core got trapped and the insulation is damaged.

Sound will do that tomo eve when I get home . Its when ever the timer or the switch is turned on everything is juat tripped out. Its the same problem as previous the original problem. Thanks for the help

castlebarian

castlebarian wrote: »

Sound will do that tomo eve when I get home . Its when ever the timer or the switch is turned on everything is juat tripped out. Its the same problem as previous the original problem. Thanks for the help

The cables look ok and I couldnt find the problem but now the most recent problem is that everything in the kitchen is tripping the rcd . The dishwasher / microwave etc

castlebarian

castlebarian wrote: »

Sound will do that tomo eve when I get home . Its when ever the timer or the switch is turned on everything is juat tripped out. Its the same problem as previous the original problem. Thanks for the help

The cables look ok and I couldnt find the problem but now the most recent problem is that everything in the kitchen is tripping the rcd . The dishwasher / microwave etc