HELP Tripping problems

Help, I am having problems with tripping in my home.

Whenever I switch on my fluorescent lights in my loft space my downstairs ring socket circuit trips.

The loft lights stay on and the sockets switch off. This has only happened recently and they are not on the same circuit.

Cheers. 

My suggestion is find a local reputable spark via recommendation and get them to take a look

unless you’ve been doing some diy

PheonixFoX12 said:

Help, I am having problems with tripping in my home.

Whenever I switch on my fluorescent lights in my loft space my downstairs ring socket circuit trips.

The loft lights stay on and the sockets switch off. This has only happened recently and they are not on the same circuit.

Cheers. 

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I would think there is further significant information we are not been told here. Any recent work undertaken, any fuse box replacements, is it MCB, RCD or RCBO that is tripping. Any other building related problems due to water damage, rodents, building work etc.?

Doc H.

Doc Hudson said:

I would think there is further significant information we are not been told here. Any recent work undertaken, any fuse box replacements, is it MCB, RCD or RCBO that is tripping. Any other building related problems due to water damage, rodents, building work etc.?

Doc H.

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Thank you for the reply.

There has been no DIY or fuseboard replacement work been carried out. This issue has only been happening within around a few months.

Each of the MCB circuits within the DB are protected under an RCD no RCBO's.

I have not suspected any water or rodent damage under close inspection but I do believe this could be the cause of the problem.

My original thought would just be thermal damage to the cables as they are in a tight environment and the fluorescents generate some heat.

Cheers 

PheonixFoX12 said:

Thank you for the reply.

There has been no DIY or fuseboard replacement work been carried out. This issue has only been happening within around a few months.

Each of the MCB circuits within the DB are protected under an RCD no RCBO's.

I have not suspected any water or rodent damage under close inspection but I do believe this could be the cause of the problem.

My original thought would just be thermal damage to the cables as they are in a tight environment and the fluorescents generate some heat.

Cheers 

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do you have a single rcd or 2 rcds?

on the basis you are experiencing the MCB tripping my advice above stands

Murdoch said:

do you have a single rcd or 2 rcds?

on the basis you are experiencing the MCB tripping my advice above stands

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Yes just a singular RCD. The RCD is fine. What strikes me as odd is that the MCB that controls the loft lighting circuit stays on while an unrelated separate circuit is disconnected.

Water or rodent damage is likely.

PheonixFoX12 said:

Water or rodent damage is likely.

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why do you think this?

it’s very odd to have what you describe and it’s also very unlikely that you will find anything suspect

Murdoch said:

why do you think this?

it’s very odd to have what you describe and it’s also very unlikely that you will find anything suspect

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Other than that I am not sure of what else could be the cause of the issue. If you have any ideas that would be great.

Without the correct test equipment it will be a needle in a haystack hunting scenario with no guarantee of finding the fault. 

Is the downstairs floor a suspended floor ie if you lift the floorboards do you have a void below? 
Is it definitely the socket MCB tripping and not the RCD? 
out of interest these fluorescents, where is the power taken from for them, which circuit? 

You don't say what rating of protective device is tripping...

BUT...

If it is a 32A MCB..  NOT RCD or RCBO...

Then I would stop faffing around and get someone qualified and competent in to do full tests..

As there needs to be a LOT of current flowing to trip a 32A MCB!

You could end up damaging cables if you keep on resetting it and getting additional trips..

:coffee

Sharpend said:

Without the correct test equipment it will be a needle in a haystack hunting scenario with no guarantee of finding the fault. 

Is the downstairs floor a suspended floor ie if you lift the floorboards do you have a void below? 
Is it definitely the socket MCB tripping and not the RCD? 
out of interest these fluorescents, where is the power taken from for them, which circuit? 

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The downstairs floor is suspended yes. There is around a 2-3 metres of open space under the floorboards.

It is absolutely the MCB tripping not the RCD and yes it is rated at 32A for the downstairs socket circuit.

The power for the fluorescents is taken from a separate lighting circuit on a 16A MCB.

Apologies for the lack of information. I am not a qualified electrician, I am an apprentice on my second year electrical course.

I am trust trying to learn and get an understanding of the electrical issue I have in my house. 

PheonixFoX12 said:

 am trust trying to learn and get an understanding of the electrical issue I have in my house. 

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Well its one of the weirdest faults I've ever heard of. It's difficult to even imagine a fault that can do that!

You are going to need professional help. Please post the findings in due course and I think a lot of us will learn something.

Geoff1946 said:

Well its one of the weirdest faults I've ever heard of. It's difficult to even imagine a fault that can do that!

You are going to need professional help. Please post the findings in due course and I think a lot of us will learn something.

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Cheers mate it's appreciated. New problem to me never even heard of this issue. Ill see who I can get a hold of to help.

Will post an update when I get closer to the problem.

A lighting circuit on a 16a Mcb? 
 

I would trace the fluorescent feed back to where it joins the circuit and disconnect. See if the problem exists when switching other lights. 
have you installed these fluorescents yourself recently? 

If you are an apprentice surely you must have mates to turn to?

Sharpend said:

A lighting circuit on a 16a Mcb? 
 

I would trace the fluorescent feed back to where it joins the circuit and disconnect. See if the problem exists when switching other lights. 
have you installed these fluorescents yourself recently? 

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Sorry for the late reply guys

I have not fitted these fluorescents recently. They were fitted some time ago when we had our loft renovated but this was around 10 years ago. The issue has only occured in the last few months. I am positive it isn't an install issue. I will mention this to a professional when I get time.

 

Murdoch said:

If you are an apprentice surely you must have mates to turn to?

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I do yes but they don't have any advice to give me actually they are quite surprised something like this can happen.

Are all loft lights on the same circuit? If so is this circuit connected to the socket circuit in the loft? 

Sharpend said:

Are all loft lights on the same circuit? If so is this circuit connected to the socket circuit in the loft? 

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As far as I am aware from visual inspection, all the loft lights are on the same circuit. The Loft sockets are not on the same circuit as the loft lights nor are they connected to the first floor sockets. There seems to be 2 32A sockets circuits on bs60898 mcbs. One for the first floor and one for the 2nd and loft floor levels.

If possible you could have a piece of floor up on first floor (ground) and have a look around in the void for any suspect vermin damage? 

Sharpend said:

If possible you could have a piece of floor up on first floor (ground) and have a look around in the void for any suspect vermin damage? 

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I can do that. We did have some mice running around under our floor a short while ago which again I suspect this may be the issue as they were coming up from the void next to the walls where supposedly some of the cables run.