230V circuit out

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linw

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#165586 14-Feb-2015 12:42

One of my heating circuits is dead. Can't see what is wrong in the power box. About 18 mths ago an electrician split off a few hot points to spread the load. It is this circuit that this MIA. The photo shows the two older breakers with no poputs and the new breaker to their right. I have tried the 'switch' on this breaker in both up and down positions (it was up when first I looked at it today) to no avail.

Bugger being a weekend and all and having the fridge/freezer on this circ.. Any time previously, a dead circuit was fixed by pushing the popped button.

Can anyone see a problem or suggest what I could do to diagnose it?

sbiddle

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#1238846 14-Feb-2015 12:54

Tried resetting the RCD which you've obviously tripped?

LennonNZ

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#1238857 14-Feb-2015 13:00

I am not qualified to answer as I'm not a qualified electrician but the RCD ( I think it is - Orange Switch up the top) is Down (OFF) so most likely something has tripped it?

If the RCD is off the MCB will make no difference.

Some faults will trip the RCD and some will trip the MCB

RCD's are safety devices which will detect say a earth leak and blow and can detect something quite major other than say if a MCB blows (too much plugged into the power points) but IMHO I would call a qualified electrician if you have no idea what to do.

linw

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#1238880 14-Feb-2015 13:47

Thanks heaps, guys. Resetting the RCB did the trick. Seemed to happen when the drier and the heater on one circuit were turned on at the same time. There was no problem all through last winter so no idea what was different this time.

The RCB was fitted when the electrician split the circuit. Wondering how the RCD responded to an overload on one of the original circuits but only killed the split off one feeding the kitchen. Perhaps I need to ask the electrician or is this standard or explainable behaviour?

Thanks again.

LennonNZ

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#1238952 14-Feb-2015 16:25

It depends on how its all wired up.

If the only stuff off was the kitchen when the RCD was off then its will be MAINS-OLDER STUFF and MAIN-RCD-Kitchen Breaker and they should be pretty independent of each other.

If something on the older stuff is tripping the RCD then you might want to get someone to check it all out. (but I could be wrong).

I've had older Washing machines tripping a RCD in the past when it became faulty (and I got rid of the washing machine) and a bunch of RCD's trip when a water leak occured.

Niel

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#1238977 14-Feb-2015 16:39

RCB does not respond to overload. It measures the difference in current flowing in phase vs. neutral. The difference should be zero, but all electronic products have some leakage to earth (but most electrical/heating appliances don't). I'd suggest something is in the process of failing with a leakage (can even be dust bridging terminals causing a leakage with humidity, fridge compressors get very dusty).

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gregmcc

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#1239002 14-Feb-2015 17:51

Niel: RCB does not respond to overload. It measures the difference in current flowing in phase vs. neutral. The difference should be zero, but all electronic products have some leakage to earth (but most electrical/heating appliances don't). I'd suggest something is in the process of failing with a leakage (can even be dust bridging terminals causing a leakage with humidity, fridge compressors get very dusty).

Niel, at RCCB does not respond to overload, at RCBO DOES respond to overload, can't read the exact writing on it, but I would pick it is an RCBO as it makes more sense to have both earth leakage and overload wrapped up in to one unit.

linw

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#1239047 14-Feb-2015 19:10

Had a closer look at the RCD and can only see it is a 40A GE unit with DAG also written on it.

Would I be right to say that the RCD only monitors the newer kitchen circuit?

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Niel

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#1239085 14-Feb-2015 19:43

gregmcc:
Niel: RCB does not respond to overload. It measures the difference in current flowing in phase vs. neutral. The difference should be zero, but all electronic products have some leakage to earth (but most electrical/heating appliances don't). I'd suggest something is in the process of failing with a leakage (can even be dust bridging terminals causing a leakage with humidity, fridge compressors get very dusty).

Niel, at RCCB does not respond to overload, at RCBO DOES respond to overload, can't read the exact writing on it, but I would pick it is an RCBO as it makes more sense to have both earth leakage and overload wrapped up in to one unit.

Typo, I meant RCD.

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Bung

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#1239095 14-Feb-2015 20:16

linw: Had a closer look at the RCD and can only see it is a 40A GE unit with DAG also written on it.

Would I be right to say that the RCD only monitors the newer kitchen circuit?

When the RCD tripped did you check that the other circuit still worked? Below the RCD there's 2 pair of phase & neutrals. It's hard to tell whether they go to 2 breakers or 1 set go to the other end of the RCD. It would have made sense to have both old and new circuit on the RCD.

linw

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#1239152 14-Feb-2015 22:08

The two other circuits were working normally so I guess we can assume that the new RCD was installed for the kitchen circuit only?

LennonNZ

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#1239166 14-Feb-2015 23:06

If the RCD was connected to all of the circuits then the RCD was OFF then all of the circuits would have been off.

But strangely there are multiple outputs from the RCD (from the picture) so no idea.

I would suggest you contact the Electrical Contractor you got to do the work for you to give you some of diagram/explanation. I presume he did give you a compliance certificate.

I had a quick look at the regulations and it says any new circuits installed must have a RCD installed which is what he did (as there is 1 new breaker) I guess he would did right (what would I know) but I would think connecting all the others as well to the same RCD would make sense as well?? (Maybe a registered electrician can say?)