On 12/03/2018 20:27, ARW wrote:
On 12/03/2018 19:57, newshound wrote:
On 12/03/2018 19:37, Rednadnerb wrote:
For years I have had a problem with the electrics tripping at random,
never been able to pin it down to a device or segment of the ring.
But now I have a halogen heater that is guaranteed to trip the RCD on
the faulty ring, so I can use this to test segments of the ring and
by a process of trail and error find the problem area.

My question is: The halogen heater trips the RCD when I plug it in to
any of wall sockets except the two closest to the RCD. When I plug it
into either of these two sockets it doesn't come on. There is power
there but the heater does not heat.

What is going on?

How do you know there is power there? Do those sockets work with other
appliances? If so, what type?

I keep these in my mobile toolboxes:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_f...lu g&_sacat=0


which is a cheap, quick, and dirty socket tester that shows all the
possible connection faults (but of course not the clever stuff that a
proper electrician would test).

Actually they are quite a handy tool to have. It will not show a NE
reversal but an RCD powering the socket will!

I have the Kewteck Kewcheck103 (about £13) and use it a lot. It's main
advantage for me is that it bleeps. Brilliant for identifying a circuit
on an unlabelled CU without having to keep running and looking at the
display.

Quite right about NE reversal, my mistake. I have PME so I need a
screwdriver to check that!