Electricians in the house?

[surveyor]

Fitted a new pump at the weekend. The spec show an input power of 1.3KW and an output power of 1.1KW. The pump is a third more powerful than the one it replaced, but this was ancient and I suspect used just as much power....

We also have a old three door under bar fridge.

They co-existed fine for two days, but will no longer do so. Earth breaker goes if they are on at the same time. Turn one off and all is good.

Any suggestions of what the problem may be. Its's the fact that they were happy to co-exist for two days that has confused me.

PS - I know my limits so will not be re-wiring anything myself!

Edited by surveyor on Monday 21st April 08:42

[surveyor]

Ok. We have two consumer units. The second is in an extension, this has breakers for separate circuits eg pump, sockets etc. this is then linked somehow back into the main consumer unit. I forget its name, but the breaker that is popping is a two gang type in the middle with lighting to one side and power the other.

What confuses me is that they all worked happily at first.....

[surveyor]

897sma said:

R1 Indy said:

By earth breaker, do you mean the MCB breaker, or the RCD?

1.3 KW is only around 10Amps, so can't see it being overloaded, depending how its wired?? Are they just into a normal 13A socket on a ring main?

5.5 Amps.

Fridge is a plug. Pump is hardwired on its own breaker, but that's not what's popping

[surveyor]

897sma said:

R1 Indy said:

By earth breaker, do you mean the MCB breaker, or the RCD?

1.3 KW is only around 10Amps, so can't see it being overloaded, depending how its wired?? Are they just into a normal 13A socket on a ring main?

5.5 Amps.

Fridge is a plug. Pump is hardwired on its own breaker, but that's not what's popping

[surveyor]

897sma said:

If it's the MCB that's tripping then it's either overloaded or there is a short, those are the only things which will trip. If your RCD is tripping then there is likely to be a fault with the appliances or the way they're wired. Are you sure they're connected up correctly? Does it matter which you switch on first?

Nope. On their own both are fine. However add either to the other and it will trip.

[surveyor]

Definitely



Progress in that the shower also tripped the earth breaker. But all has now decided to play happily thereafter

Very very strange. I wonder if the pump was too hot and needed to cool down.

[surveyor]

It's for a swimming pool... I'll have a look for a PAT tester. Can't hurt to have one in my work bag either. (An example is a client who rang to say they had no power in one of their offices. Was about to call the electricians, when I decided to call them first. Turned out they'd just bought a kettle. Unplugged it and no problem - the link should have been obvious!).