Moved Home - Garage Electrics Issue

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guestiee
guestiee Posts: 51 Forumite
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Hi all,


Firstly I apologise for writing this in layman's terms. But I would appreciate any help you can give me?


I have recently moved into a new house. In the garage there is a single RCD socket and a strip light that is fit for a history museum!


The light works perfectly however, but the more modern RCD socket is dead, no power, will not reset, etc.


I am confused why because the power cable comes in to the garage through the wall low down, it then enters the box that houses the RCD socket at about shoulder height and then a cable comes from this box straight to the light switch above it. Therefore, the light switch is getting power, but the RCD which is earlier in the line is not.


Is this a case of replacing the RCD Socket? Or is there some clever troubleshooting I can try?


Thanks in advance for your advice. It will be very kind.
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  • Fat_Walt
    Fat_Walt Posts: 750 Forumite
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    Try putting a normal faceplate on instead of the rcd and plug something in. That way you'll know if you have power or not.
  • guestiee
    guestiee Posts: 51 Forumite
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    Thanks Walt. Would you think it is imperative to have a RCD in the garage? Or would a standard plug socket be safe?
  • TheCyclingProgrammer
    TheCyclingProgrammer Posts: 3,702 Forumite
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    guestiee wrote: »
    Thanks Walt. Would you think it is imperative to have a RCD in the garage? Or would a standard plug socket be safe?

    Is there one protecting the circuit to the garage on the main CU in the house?
  • guestiee
    guestiee Posts: 51 Forumite
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    I believe so, but I will double check
  • Fat_Walt
    Fat_Walt Posts: 750 Forumite
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    guestiee wrote: »
    Thanks Walt. Would you think it is imperative to have a RCD in the garage? Or would a standard plug socket be safe?

    Determine this first.
    TheCyclingProgrammer wrote: »
    Is there one protecting the circuit to the garage on the main CU in the house?

    You could buy a new rcb faceplate if not or an adaptor.
  • phoenix_w
    phoenix_w Posts: 418 Forumite
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    If you have (or could borrow) a stud detector, these often can tell you if there is current through the cable supplying the socket. Or ask someone handy to check the wiring with a multi meter.
  • guestiee
    guestiee Posts: 51 Forumite
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    Thank you. I guess I assume that there is power as the cable subsequently continues to the light switch which works
  • Silvertabby
    Silvertabby Posts: 9,023 Forumite
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    OH fitted a RCD socket in the garage for extra protection when using outdoor power/garden tools.
  • Risteard
    Risteard Posts: 1,887 Forumite
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    Fat_Walt wrote: »
    Try putting a normal faceplate on instead of the rcd and plug something in. That way you'll know if you have power or not.
    That is horrendous advice to remove a safety device without knowing whether the wiring is actually RCD protected anyway. Do not even do this temporarily as a means of diagnosing it.

    Just ring an Electrician for God's sake.
    RECI & Safe Electric Registered Electrical Contractor
    NICEIC Approved Contractor
    ECA Registered Member
  • benten69
    benten69 Posts: 366 Forumite
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    Risteard wrote: »
    That is horrendous advice to remove a safety device without knowing whether the wiring is actually RCD protected anyway. Do not even do this temporarily as a means of diagnosing it.

    Just ring an Electrician for God's sake.

    There is nothing wrong with removing the RCD as a TEMPORARY measure. RCD's are relatively new devices, not everyone and their dog died before they existed.

    However the BETTER option would be to use a multi-meter and check to see if the circuit wiring is live. If it is, then the problem is obviously with the face plate.

    The again, if the OP is asking here for basic electrical advice they probably don't have a multi-meter and your right, they should probably call someone who knows what they are doing.

    When I bought my house the previous owner had ran 6mm2 T&E (cooker cable basically) about 5cm underground in some plastic PVC piping. Not even under slabs, but in a flower bed bit by the side of the house. One sharp hit with a shovel would have cut it and seriously injured whoever was using the shovel. :eek:

    The cable then went into the garage to a fused spur, when you turned on the fused spur it would power the lights and the sockets.....so you couldn't use the sockets without the lights being on. :rotfl:

    Since buying the house I've replaced the 6mm2 T&E for some 10mm2 armoured cable, buried 2 foot underground, then some warning tape 1 foot above that, and finally back filled. Armoured cable runs into a dedicated consumer unit in the garage where there are dedicated circuits for the lights, sockets, radiators, and even the shed lights & shed sockets at the back of the garage.

    Been through all this before, and thought I may as well do it right if I'm going to do it. Took ages, but well worth it knowing that it is all above board and meets the necessary IET regs.
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