Mains electrical advice needed please

[Taliesins]

Hi
I have a problem with my electrics at home something in the garage is causing
the main trip on the electrical box to trip out. What I cant understand is why it is tripping the main switch and not just the Garage trip which is fused at 16amp this is what usually trips when something causes an overload. I know I can isolate the garage for now but that doesnt solve the problem.
Thanks for any advice

[Ace Piker]

I will probably get shot down by someone later (Matt), but maybe the garage trip is not on an earth leakage breaker? Therefore if it's an earth fault the main elb would go???

[Taliesins]

I will probably get shot down by someone later (Matt), but maybe the garage trip is not on an earth leakage breaker? Therefore if it's an earth fault the main elb would go???

??????
Could you explain that please (i am not electrical minded) How do I cure the problem

[Ace Piker]

Well to start with I'd turn off everything in the garage, reset the trip and turn on everything slowly untill the trip goes. Remember what set the trip, turn everything off, reset the trip then turn on the offending item. If it goes the problem is with the bit of kit that set the trip, if not the problem is more likely to be overload, in which case you are running too much on the spur.

[pops]

you need to find the fault that tripping house fuse switch
turn all off in the garage then reset house trip and one by one switch on garage electrics starting with your garage fuse isolator
see what happens then

THAT MEANS WOT ACE JUST SAID 1 POST UP

[Taliesins]

Well to start with I'd turn off everything in the garage, reset the trip and turn on everything slowly untill the trip goes. Remember what set the trip, turn everything off, reset the trip then turn on the offending item. If it goes the problem is with the bit of kit that set the trip, if not the problem is more likely to be overload, in which case you are running too much on the spur.

I have done that and everything is OK. When it tripped this morning the wife tripped over the wire on the vac while vaccing up (in the garage which she also uses for dog grooming). What I cant understand is
A) why is this happening now everything was OK. for 8years.
B) why is it not tripping the16amp trip.

[pops]

maybe loose wire connection on the hoover mate
since you reset has it gone again
and have you plugged hoover in again to see if it happens again
(mind that hoover lead you may trip on it )

[Ace Piker]

maybe loose wire connection on the hoover mate
since you reset has it gone again
and have you plugged hoover in again to see if it happens again
(mind that hoover lead you may trip on it )

I'd agree with that, sounds like tripping on the hoover cable pulled a wire in the plug!

[Ace Piker]

I'd agree with that, sounds like tripping on the hoover cable pulled a wire in the plug!

And it sounds like there's no RCD protection on the 16a trip, therefore it's tripping the main.

[pops]

I'd agree with that, sounds like tripping on the hoover cable pulled a wire in the plug!

possible and us blokes do like to know for sure dont we.
you not said if its tripped again or not i assume its not then yes

[pops]

anyway why she hoovering the garage thats just not done old boy you need to take up the slack on the ball and chain there

[Apache]

I will probably get shot down by someone later (Matt), but maybe the garage trip is not on an earth leakage breaker? Therefore if it's an earth fault the main elb would go???

Sounds about right to me. The fault isn't an overcurrent fault (which will trip a conventional mcb) but an earth leakage fault as you say, which trips the main ELCB at the main box.

[Taliesins]

And it sounds like there's no RCD protection on the 16a trip, therefore it's tripping the main.

Eveything seems OK now no its not tripped again. but it has tripped before with no appliances plugged in??

[plumb bob]

Had a similar thing a few years ago when we moved into a new house, everthing was ok till we tried to use the henry hoover( 1000watt).

Tried all the usual stuff and then called in a sparks, took him 90mins to trace a loose neutral conection on one of the internal sockets.
Not saying that this is the fault but thats what it was with ours.

[Taliesins]

Sounds about right to me. The fault isn't an overcurrent fault (which will trip a conventional mcb) but an earth leakage fault as you say, which trips the main ELCB at the main box.

What is an earth leakage and how do I fix it??