Fuses (the old plug in style) or MCBs (newer switch style circuit breaker (herein called breakers) are designed to protect your property’s internal wiring, while RCDs protect people from electric shock.
If a fault develops or there is too much load put on a circuit, the current in the cable may become too high. This will cause the cable to heat up, melt and even catch fire. The FUSE or MCB detects the rising current and cuts the power.
RCDs however detect any imbalance of current flow between live and neutral. This could be caused by water getting in somewhere, or someone getting electrocuted. Any such imbalance detected is instantly disconnected within 300ms.
How Do I Fix a Trip?
On most occasions, trips (or blown fuses) are due to a faulty appliance. Firstly, identify whether its for the sockets or lighting. You can do this by seeing the label. If labels are missing, then you can tell by the details on the fuse or breaker:
Fuses – gernerally, white dots are for lighting, red dots for sockets and blue for immersion, cooker or shower circuits.
Breakers – generally 6A or 10A for lighting, 32A for sockets, other values for other circuits such as immersion, cooker or shower.
1. Unplug all appliances from the circuit in question.
ISOLATORS for kitchen appliances (washing machines etc) – ensure all isolators are switched off.
Then try to reset the breaker (or rewire the fuse). Plug back in one by one to see which one causes the problem.
2. For lighting – switch off all light switches then try to reset the breaker (or rewire the fuse). Switch on each light in turn to see which one causes the problem.
If there’s a distinctive electrical arcing noise when you reset the breaker or replace the fuse, AND all your appliances are unplugged, then there’s definately a short circuit somewhere that will need the assistance of an electrician.
RCD and/or Breaker trip
If just the RCD has tripped, follow the advice above. In most cases, the RCD trips when water leaks into the electrical parts of an appliance such as a kettle, dishwasher, washing machine. But also, this can happen when water leaks from elsewhere getting into the sockets or junction boxes.
If the RCD and Breaker have tripped together, this is the sign of a faulty appliance or a fault in the circuit itself. Follow the advice above to see if it resolves.
‘Floppy’ RCDs
Some manufacturers (MK being one of them) design the RCD to trip into a halfway position (halfway between the top and the bottom of the switch throw). To reset, you must push it right down first, then push it back up all the way.
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