On Fri, 25 Feb 2005 09:51:36 GMT, "nick smith"
wrote:

I have a standard 4 bed house with an outbuilding which has power fed to it.
The electrics are in "generally good shape" (i.e. no rubber wire etc) and I
have had a new split load consumer unit fitted with each side on an RCCB main
switch, with the lights not on a RCCB and the fridge / freezer on its own RCCB,
so that another circuit tripping does not take them out with it.

Occasionally, like two or three times a year, one of the circuit trips out - it
might do this two or three times (re-setting in between) over a period of a
couple of hours then be fine again for another few months.

The problem is that it this occurs so infrequently that I can't build up a
sample of tests to narrow down where the problem is occurring. If I had a
selection of specialist test equipment I guess I could measure each circuit and
item to test for earth leakage, but only have "basics" like a multimeter, scope
(and a working but basic old uncalibrated PAT tester).

Can anyone suggest a course of actions and tests to help identify the problem
with what I have got, or can I hire the necessary piece of kit ?

Thanks

Nick

hi nick,
sounds like you have a minor fault, first off you may as well PAT
test all the appliances cus you got the kit, mind you this is not
foolproof especially on things like washing machine, because a fault
could be present only on a certain cycle of the programe.

the next thing to do would be to carry out an insulation test of the
fixed wiring in the house, an insulation test cannot be carried out
with a multimeter, it requires an insulation tester, these units test
at 500 Volts thereby putting extra strain on the circuit being tested
showing up even the slightest insulation break down and or earth
leakage. i wont bother giving any more details on this as it requires
a sparkie to do it anyway.

how worried about it are you ?
regards
bob