Switch keeps tripping

chewed

hi all, does anyone know what this blue switch is on my board? It suddenly started tripping this afternoon (twice). It took out half the house's electricity so not sure what's going on!

Daniel son

One of the circuits that it protects has a fault. Drop all the MCB's to the right of it than switch on one by one. Then whatever circuit trips you need to find what is plugged into/powered by that circuit and disconnect everything. Reset the MCB of that particular circuit then begin plugging everything in to identify what appliance is causing the fault.

10-10-20

Just to be clear, that switch is what is called an RCD (residual current device) and it's different to the switches to the right of it which are MCB's (circuit breakers). The RCD detects when current leaks out of a circuit through a path such as a short to protective earth or if an external socket or switch has a break in the insulation which is allowing water to penetrate the cable, box or connection/junction. Internally in a house it tends to be appliances such as dishwashers, dryers and washing machines which can cause RCD's to trip. Given the weather today I'd suggest that you might look and see if you have external circuits in the garden which could be triggering this through rain ingress. Do that as Daniel Son suggested - but eliminate the MCB's to any external sockets or lights firstly.

chewed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121946193#Comment_121946193

Thanks for that. I don't have any external sockets. Although I do have a Zappi charger which has been giving me issues recently (myEnergi said it could be faulty). I wonder could that be connected somehow? But I thought that was on a separate circuit?

This is what's on the rest of the board to the right of the RCD

chewed

I've just figured out the issue. I went to put on some toast and it tripped. Faulty toaster I assume!

10-10-20

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121946428#Comment_121946428

Ah - well maybe! Disconnect the toaster.

If it's not that then it could also be the solar PV. Complex thread on it here.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058326679/parasitic-capacitance

...so hopefully it's just the toaster!

meercat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121946428#Comment_121946428

Not necessarily.leave it unplugged and see does the rcd trip

id always recommend turning the immersion off.

chewed

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121946440#Comment_121946440

Well, as soon as I pulled the lever down on the toaster it tripped. And I just asked my son did he make toast earlier and he said he tried, but thought the toaster was broken! It correlates to the electricity going off earlier.

I'll keep an eye on it

tomhammer..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121946077#Comment_121946077

It's a useful trick but only works when RCD won't reset