Electricity randomly tripping

Mr_s

Disclaimer. Yes if I cannot easily resolve this issue I will get a professional in. I don't plan to do any incompetent poking around or reinstalling anything.


I'm having an issue with my electricity randomly tripping on one circuit.
Only one mcb trips not the entire fuse board.
It happens 2-3 times a week, sometimes doesnt happen for a few weeks.
99% of the time when it happens, it happens at consistent times. ~2pm or ~5 am.
It still happens when no appliances are pluged into the circuit and all sockets are switched off.
Before anyone mentions boilers, heating etc. They're on a different circuit and It still happens when they're switched off anyway.
Once I flick it back on its fine for days, even weeks.

It's been happening for about 6 months, is getting progressively more frequent.

About two months before it started happening, I had a smart meter installed and had fibre broadband installed also which involved drilling through a hole in the wall where the circuit serves.
Next door flooded their bathroom sometime this year also.
Apart from that there is no water or pipe work near the sockets on the circuit to leak that I'm aware of.

My fridge sounds like its struggling when it is plugged into the right side of a double plug socket on that circuit but not then left if that's any use. I've got a reptile and the heat lamp bulbs blow frequently on that circuit. Come to think of it, I bought the house off my mother and she always had a problem with bulbs blowing in the rooms it serves. That's been happening almost 20 years with little thought.

Its to a point where it's happening frequent, but I'd like some ideas before I get a professional in. Any more tests I could run. Anything I could try myself to pin point the issue with it happening infrequently..Or just any ideas what it could be so I dont get duped by a conman.

I'm confident and not daft when it comes to electricity. Although I also know my limits so I wont be rewiring any plug sockets and 100% not changing anything in the fuse box myself. :rotfl:

Much appreciated

Scott

Edit. Before anyone asks why it's taken this long to question and think about getting someone in, it's only been this past few weeks that it's been frequent enough for me to rule out that its not a dodgy appliance.

Risteard

Mr_s wrote: »

Disclaimer. Yes if I cannot easily resolve this issue I will get a professional in. I don't plan to do any incompetent poking around or reinstalling anything.


I'm having an issue with my electricity randomly tripping on one circuit.
Only one mcb trips not the entire fuse board.
It happens 2-3 times a week, sometimes doesnt happen for a few weeks.
99% of the time when it happens, it happens at consistent times. ~2pm or ~5 am.
It still happens when no appliances are pluged into the circuit and all sockets are switched off.
Before anyone mentions boilers, heating etc. They're on a different circuit and It still happens when they're switched off anyway.
Once I flick it back on its fine for days, even weeks.

It's been happening for about 6 months, is getting progressively more frequent.

About two months before it started happening, I had a smart meter installed and had fibre broadband installed also which involved drilling through a hole in the wall where the circuit serves.
Next door flooded their bathroom sometime this year also.
Apart from that there is no water or pipe work near the sockets on the circuit to leak that I'm aware of.

My fridge sounds like its struggling when it is plugged into the right side of a double plug socket on that circuit but not then left if that's any use. I've got a reptile and the heat lamp bulbs blow frequently on that circuit. Come to think of it, I bought the house off my mother and she always had a problem with bulbs blowing in the rooms it serves. That's been happening almost 20 years with little thought.

Its to a point where it's happening frequent, but I'd like some ideas before I get a professional in. Any more tests I could run. Anything I could try myself to pin point the issue with it happening infrequently..Or just any ideas what it could be so I dont get duped by a conman.

I'm confident and not daft when it comes to electricity. Although I also know my limits so I wont be rewiring any plug sockets and 100% not changing anything in the fuse box myself. :rotfl:

Much appreciated

Scott

An Electrician is required, but I suspect you already knew this.

knightstyle

If you are 100% sure nothing is plugged in and the circuit still trips then there is a fault in the wiring and you need an electrician to sort it.
But are you sure it is an MCB tripping? Could it be an RCBO? Post a pic if not sure.
As for the fridge, could be a dodgy socket but try plugging it into another circuit using an extension lead.

Mr_s

Risteard wrote: »

An Electrician is required, but I suspect you already knew this.

Yeh. But its not a crime to get ideas and ask around.
Its not like ive asked how to change the mcb because I think it might be over sensitive or anything like that is it. (Which I think actually is a crime to do yourself?)

If the tyre on your car was flat, would you try to reinflate it yourself, look for any damage and see it it went down again before driving. Ask your neighbours if theres been kids deflating peoples tyres again. Or would you be straight to the garage to get a new one.

jk0

I think I'd replace the fridge socket and see if that stops the MCB tripping.

ianto11

What about using one of these.......might highlight the fault for little money

https://www.screwfix.com/p/lap-ms6860d-socket-tester/91596?tc=TA5&ds_kid=92700022850517781&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1244066&ds_rl=1249796&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249481&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxuCVvKHv5QIVjLTtCh02xA3pEAQYASABEgIdV_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

DigForVictory

off topic I have just seen what I want in my Christmas stocking.
Thank you ianto11 & best of luck, OP.

Ectophile

You might also consider buying a plug-in power meter. Here's an example - but many similar ones are available - https://www.amazon.co.uk/230V-250V-Monitor-Consumption-Calculator-Analyzer/dp/B07FZZ17ZY/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=plug+in+power+meter&qid=1573930261&sr=8-5



Make sure you get one that can tell you the mains voltage.



Set it to read your mains voltage. It should be between 220V and 253V. Anything outside that range means you have a problem.

ohreally

Can you borrow a PA tester to check insulation resistance on your fridge?

ianto11

ohreally wrote: »

Can you borrow a PA tester to check insulation resistance on your fridge?

Mr_s wrote: »

It still happens when no appliances are pluged into the circuit and all sockets are switched off

My fridge sounds like its struggling when it is plugged into the right side of a double plug socket on that circuit but not then left if that's any use.

I think the assumption is that it's the right side of a 2gang socket that's causing the issue

markin

The mcb maybe starting to wear out anyway, even if it is the socket.