Mains electrical advice needed please

[plumb bob]

Its caused by faulty appliances or any current going to earth, ie broken/damaged wiring etc.

Also trips if any neutral wire touches earth, or has loose connection.

only fix is to follow previous advice ( check all plug in appliances, not only in the garage but every one in the house just to be thorough)

[da SLUG man]

it could be loose cinnection in a socket, swich or light fitting... if it trips with nothing plugged in.

the main ELCB is connected to live and neutral, but the MCBs in the board are only connected on the live... so if you have a neutral to earth short circuit then it will trip.

you can do a continuity test on the circuit, but if it's intermittant then it might not show up.

it could be an old or damaged cable.

[MattF]

I will probably get shot down by someone later (Matt)

Am I really that bad?

[Ollie]

Problem Solved?????

Hey Taliesins

Have you solved the problem with the electrics yet just read your posting.
I'm a sparks so if you need any more advice just contact me!!! and hopefully i can Help

Hope you sorted the problem

[plumb bob]

Hey Taliesins

Have you solved the problem with the electrics yet just read your posting.
I'm a sparks so if you need any more advice just contact me!!! and hopefully i can Help

Hope you sorted the problem

Hope we gave him the right advice, and he's not fried himself.

[Ace Piker]

Am I really that bad?

Hmmmmm! Let me think? Well.........

Nah, not really!

[POPEYE]

I still got the old pull out fuses breaker unit and the garage fuse goes sometimes when im useing the compressor, usually when it start's up again after the pressure's dropped, most of the time its OK but now and them it try's to restart, hums and then pop, what i dont get is it blows the 15amp fuse but the 13amp fuse in the plug is OK, whats goin on there then?

[da SLUG man]

I still got the old pull out fuses breaker unit and the garage fuse goes sometimes when im useing the compressor, usually when it start's up again after the pressure's dropped, most of the time its OK but now and them it try's to restart, hums and then pop, what i dont get is it blows the 15amp fuse but the 13amp fuse in the plug is OK, whats goin on there then?

other stuff running on the same circuit?

should be a 30a fuse in the board

[Taliesins]

Hope we gave him the right advice, and he's not fried himself.

No Im still here checked all sockets light switch and fuse box (the one that isolates the garage) everything is tight and seems OK. It did the same thing last week when no appliances were being used as we were all out to work.
The problem is that when it trips the alarm goes off because of the power being cut etc. It is definitely something going on in the garage as last time it did it kept tripping till he garage was isolated. I then checked everything in the garage some sockets seemed dirty inside (cobwebs and things) so I cleaned them all and everything was OK till today.

[POPEYE]

other stuff running on the same circuit?

should be a 30a fuse in the board

Yeah a chest freezer (on all the time)
Thats what i did'nt get, (just had a look) marked as follows, cooker-30amp,
ringmain-30amp, garage-15amp, shower (not used)-30amp, lighting-5amp X 2 and a spare,
judgeing by the fact these places were built with no earth in the lighting circuit i guess they were only ever intended to have a light in the garage and sod all else, Rewireing the lights at the moment.

[paulh]

Fuse for the garage is dependant on the size of the feed cable and if a 15a was fitted that is probably because the cable is not large enough to take any more than 15a.
One of the most likely causes of tripping the earth leakage breaker in a garage is damp especialy in the sort of weather that we have been having lately.
I would be checking around all the fittings for any signs of water leaks and it wouldn't hurt to have a spray round them with WD40 and see if that cures it.