rickboy
Guest
Unpulg
Unplug mains power.Switch trip switch at mains inlet a couple of times.Reconnect mains power without any appliances or draw on power and one by one start switching stuff on.
Good luck.
Unplug mains power.Switch trip switch at mains inlet a couple of times.Reconnect mains power without any appliances or draw on power and one by one start switching stuff on.
Good luck.
Pollyr
Guest
No, still no joy. Any other ideas???
Bigpeetee
Guest
Turn off all,
Turn on main trip, try test button, trip should operate.
It's not unknown for a trip to fail, but unusual. Ie, appears to reset but doesn't make cantact.
As previously mentioned, exercise the trips first, then switch say the charger on, see what happens.
Did you do anything to make it trip in the first place?
Turn on main trip, try test button, trip should operate.
It's not unknown for a trip to fail, but unusual. Ie, appears to reset but doesn't make cantact.
As previously mentioned, exercise the trips first, then switch say the charger on, see what happens.
Did you do anything to make it trip in the first place?
rickboy
Guest
Methodical
After a few stabs in the dark trouble shooting you now need to take a methodical approach.
How do you know you have power at the mains trip inlet?
After a few stabs in the dark trouble shooting you now need to take a methodical approach.
How do you know you have power at the mains trip inlet?
Deleted member 3011
Guest
What are you using to confirm you have power to the main trip breaker.
If you are actually measuring it with a meter or test lamp, then can't you check it on the load side of the trip switch and so confirm that the switch is making properly.
If power is present after the switch then go to the first power outlet and check there. Check the wires coming into the socket behind the wall if necessary.
If you are actually measuring it with a meter or test lamp, then can't you check it on the load side of the trip switch and so confirm that the switch is making properly.
If power is present after the switch then go to the first power outlet and check there. Check the wires coming into the socket behind the wall if necessary.
Pollyr
Guest
Because the test button wont function without power at the trip & when tested it tripped. I also tested it with a circiut tester.
Pollyr
Guest
Umm thanks for that & really wish it had been that simple. We had power at the time, i decided to boil a kettle - (yes i now know I should have used the gas) and just before it boiled it clicked off & I then found we had no power. :sad:
Deleted member 207
Guest
Time to pull each plug socket and check the wiring from the earth trip to the plug sockets - check for continuity and not 240V power.
Not uncommon for a wire to come adrift at the back of a socket, hangs on by a few strands for years and then something that draws a large amount of current is just enough to make the wire brittle and break off.
There may be a junction box somewhere if you have more than one plug socket, check that as well.
Not uncommon for a wire to come adrift at the back of a socket, hangs on by a few strands for years and then something that draws a large amount of current is just enough to make the wire brittle and break off.
There may be a junction box somewhere if you have more than one plug socket, check that as well.
Deleted member 3011
Guest
Unplug the kettle.
Exercise - meaning turn off and then turn on - the circuit breaker several times.
If it is tripping immediately you turn it back on, then there is an earth leakage fault somewhere - but if you have unplugged the kettle, that is unlikely.
(often can tell because the circuit breaker handle seems to go limp when you get it nearly closed)
However, you said it is tripping when you push the test button so that indicates that it is mechanically OK - but it could still be that the contacts are not making contact properly and power is not getting through the switch to the output terminals (yes, the test button can still work in some fault conditions)
Only way to tell is to get at the load terminals and actually test that you are getting a solid 240V from active to neutral.
NB any neon testers will not give you the full picture.
Since you have no power at all the outlets then it can only be a fault in the trip breaker itself or in the wiring between the breaker and the first point in the circuit.
Pollyr
Guest
Argh! won't that mean taking the van apart, to get to the wiring??? :scared: Please please say that there's a simpler way than that? :idea:Deleted member 207
Guest
Nope, most plug sockets unscrew from the front, do the easy ones first, then hunt for the junction box.
Deleted member 12539
Guest
I have been out to a job where the rcd has tripped and the house owner has switched the rcd back on and no supply has been restored, this was because the switch needed switching completely down before flicking it back up.
I do not know if the rcd switch in your van is of the same type but it may be worth an attempt.
Also, I recently attended a customer who had no socket supply, even though supply was getting to the consumer unit and to the circuit breaker but, as it turned out, the breaker was faulty and had to be turned on and off several times before power was restored to the sockets.
If above does not work I would unplug supply to van, take off the cover to the consumer unit, check with a continuity meter that the socket circuit breaker has continuity between both ends of the breaker when in the on position.
I would also check the main incoming isolator (or RCD)for continuity.
If so chances are the breakers are ok.
Replace unit cover and plug in and switch on the van supply, ensure breakers are in the on position, and test socket outlets by means of a tested table lamp.
If still not working then your next course of action would be live testing, of which should not be messed with unless you feel competent to do so.
I do not know if the rcd switch in your van is of the same type but it may be worth an attempt.
Also, I recently attended a customer who had no socket supply, even though supply was getting to the consumer unit and to the circuit breaker but, as it turned out, the breaker was faulty and had to be turned on and off several times before power was restored to the sockets.
If above does not work I would unplug supply to van, take off the cover to the consumer unit, check with a continuity meter that the socket circuit breaker has continuity between both ends of the breaker when in the on position.
I would also check the main incoming isolator (or RCD)for continuity.
If so chances are the breakers are ok.
Replace unit cover and plug in and switch on the van supply, ensure breakers are in the on position, and test socket outlets by means of a tested table lamp.
If still not working then your next course of action would be live testing, of which should not be messed with unless you feel competent to do so.
Deleted member 967
Guest
I have known trips that will not reset until presure is applied to the switch to the off position before it is switched back on. After tripping just pushing it back to on did not reset it.
DTDog
Guest
It does sound to me to be a faulty RCD. I have known the spring to weaken on them and need replacing (replacing the whole RCD, not just the spring). This should be an easy job and any mains electrician should be able to do it as it's not really anything to do with the 12v side of the van.