Iron affecting the electrics

phil24_7

An RCD would protect 1 side or all of a consumer unit. The OP mentions that only some plugs 'trip'. This would imply an MCB has 'tripped' and MCB's protect against overloads or short circuits. Of course, if it was the RCD then that is a different matter.

Paradigm

zax47 wrote: »

No, it's not an "overload". The Residual Current Device (RCD) protecting the socket circuit has been tripped because of an excessive earth leakage current due to a fault with the iron. That's it's job and it will keep doing it while ever you keep plugging the iron in. Nothing has "overloaded".

The most common fault with any device with a heating element is the failure of that element, leading to a current leaking to earth and tripping the protecting RCD. If feasible then you can change the element (in an oven, for example) but it's just not worth it for an iron or kettle. Recycle it and get a new one.

Almost always this. The heating elements in an iron, kettle, even a cooker take quite a hammering & 3 years use for an iron is very good going....get a new one.

zax47

phil24_7 wrote: »

An RCD would protect 1 side or all of a consumer unit. The OP mentions that only some plugs 'trip'. This would imply an MCB has 'tripped' and MCB's protect against overloads or short circuits. Of course, if it was the RCD then that is a different matter.

I beg to differ, and I suspect that one of us is a electrician - not you is it? :rotfl:I'd happily bet a testicle that the RCD tripped....

We see this day in, day out. Read the OPs posts about what was actually in use at the time. It won't overload a 32A MCB protecting a ring main (or even a 20A one if it's a radial, but it's close) just look at the load curves for a B type breaker you typically find in domestic CUs - a 32A MCB can hold much, much more for quite a period.

For a long time now (since 16th edition regs. at least) RCD protection has been required on sockets, only with later editions/amendments has it been extended to pretty much all circuits (unless circuits have appropriate mechanical protection or 50mm of masonry etc..) and now we have dual RCD & high-integrity CUs. CU should generally be configured for minimal nuisance tripping (usually 2 rings, up & down), hence not all house sockets disabled by one RCD tripping.

A little knowledge....

macman

Wild guess here, but I'd say that less than 25% of residential properties have any form of RCD protection on the CU, even though the 16th edn regs came in around 1991.

Risteard

zax47 wrote: »

For a long time now (since 16th edition regs. at least) RCD protection has been required on sockets

The 16th Edition did not require RCD protection of socket outlets unless they could reasonably be expected to supply portable equipment being used outdoors.

zax47

macman wrote: »

Wild guess here, but I'd say that less than 25% of residential properties have any form of RCD protection on the CU, even though the 16th edn regs came in around 1991.

As previously stated - I'd happily bet a testicle that it was an RCD that tripped for the OP. Perhaps she can come back and tell us if whatever device had tripped had a Test button...?:j

bsod

is it leaking when you stand it up

cazs wrote: »

before spending £50-100 on a replacement.

they cost £4 upwards in asda

thescouselander

I bet if you look inside the iron it's probably starting to leak water causing the live to leak out to earth and tripping the RCD at the consumer unit. As mentioned earlier probably time for a new iron.