Electric advice/help
Author
Discussion

V8A*ndy

Original Poster:

3,697 posts

209 months

Friday 12th February 2010
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Mum and Dad have been in their new house(new build) nearly two years now and the oil fired C/H packed in.

Heating guy came today to fix it and said it would be a while and as my mum was complaining about needing hot water he put the immersion heater on that has never ever been used.

POP! off went the TV and the sockets in the front room. Seems the immerson heater is on this circuit and the trip can't handle it.

Now, it shouldn't be wired like this should it???????




Raverbaby

896 posts

204 months

Saturday 13th February 2010
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Is your immersion heater definitely on the socket circuit?
It may be that your immersion circuit is on the RCD protected side of your fuse board but has its own breaker. Not good practice to have immersion heaters on an RCD due to earth leakage tripping it.
Are you able to reset it?

V8A*ndy

Original Poster:

3,697 posts

209 months

Saturday 13th February 2010
quotequote all
Right enough it seemed to be a larger sized trip with a test buttom but none of the trips are labled (typical). Will have a closer look. So it could just be a wire wrong?????

There is a switch in the tank store room (big water tank with pressure system) and a switch downstairs at the central heating controls. Heating guy said the switch in the store room must be on all the time and the switch downstairs operates the immersion. When we do this A trip goes.

Some sockets were defo off but the power defo never went off in their garage. Should the RCD take all out for safety?

Raverbaby

896 posts

204 months

Saturday 13th February 2010
quotequote all
Yes the RCD will take out all the smaller MCB's (minature circuit breakers) as your "big" one supplies the smaller ones to the right of it.
Problem could be a number of things, more likely a faulty element if its not been used for a long time (these often trip rcd's) or as you say a loose/damaged wire.


V8A*ndy

Original Poster:

3,697 posts

209 months

Sunday 14th February 2010
quotequote all
Thanks for the help. Should get a look at this tomorrow.




jaybkay

488 posts

238 months

Monday 15th February 2010
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Cylinder heating elements not used for some time seem to have a habit of failing. I've converted quite a number of cylinders to a hot water heat pump - if the heat pump has a problem and the element reused it seems quite common for it not too work. It just means I have to get there ASAP to fix the heat pump - some people don't seem to like cold showers