# RCD tripping



## Rudeboy (Oct 6, 2009)

If you think about it, your rcd measures current leakage from power to grounded conductor (h to n). You the should be able to to troubleshoot it from the first outlet to the last. As the best on this site say "divide and conquer"
:thumbsup:


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

Have you tried replacing the dimmers with regular switches. The dimmers might be the your problem.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

alerton 

What is RCD

And Welcome to the forum

Merry Christmas:thumbup:


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> http://www.electriciantalk.com/members/alerton-17005/What is RCD...


The UK/AU version of a GFCI


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## Jlarson (Jun 28, 2009)

John said:


> Have you tried replacing the dimmers with regular switches. The dimmers might be the your problem.


I'd probably start with that myself


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## John (Jan 22, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> What is RCD
> 
> Merry Christmas:thumbup:


Here you go........

View attachment 4994


And here is a gfci

View attachment 4995


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## alerton (Dec 25, 2010)

Hey thanks for the replies guys.

John, I disconnected the dimmers from the circuit in the beginning of my investigations. And the RCD still tripped.


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## Jbird66 (Oct 26, 2010)

I am read your post a couple times and I think I have a visual.

The first thing I would check is the neutral wires(grounded conductors). I had a similar problem on a couple circuits one time and I had the wrong neutral wires wires hooked to the wrong RCD. I had the lighting circuit neutral hooked to the RCD for the outlets and the outlet RCD hooked to the lighting RCD. It only tripped when I tried to put a load of any kind on it because all it was seeing is am imbalance.

If that does not work I would divide and conquer like stated above. Break the circuits down to one outlet and one light and start adding things until you find the problem.


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## frenchelectrican (Mar 15, 2007)

Did you double check the netural source to make sure it is not crossed or interlinked to other netural circuit??

I have see that situation few time when someone add a netural from other circuit and it will trip the RCD.

I know you did megger it but did you any chance you test the fan motour yet ?? few case I nail them.

Merci.
Marc


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## Frank Mc (Nov 7, 2010)

Hi Alerton

As others have said ,it sounds like a crossed neutral problem.....

If your an Oz sparkie also post here...

http://www.phased.com.au/

HTH
Frank


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## Englishsparky (Nov 6, 2010)

HARRY304E said:


> alerton
> 
> What is RCD
> 
> ...


Jlarson is correct and it stands for residual current device:thumbsup:


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## Englishsparky (Nov 6, 2010)

There is a possibility that you are overloading the dimmers, I know in the uk with low voltage down lights on dimmers you should half the load the dimmer can take. I have come across some testers that trip rcd, have you tried the circuits on normal breakers? Have you checked you haven't got anything crossed somewhere?


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## alerton (Dec 25, 2010)

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the replies it was great to hear some feedback.
Anyway, I thought I'd let you guys know what the problem was.
A power circuit had a 1 screw through 2 power cables. The screw went through the neutral of one cable and into the earth of the cable beside it. I wasnt obviously meggar testing the cables across each other, rather I was just testing the insulation resistance of the cores of one single cable. 
I guess thats why i wasnt seeing it? Anyway, its all fixed now.

Cheers:thumbup:


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