RCD trips when on holiday

HoolyNI

Haven't been away much this past two years, but on both occasions I have been away my electric has tripped. It rarely if ever trips under normal circumstances.

It can only be my freezer, fridge or freeview recorder kicking in to record as everything else is switched off but why isn't the culprit tripping the house when we're here?

greenface2

can you move onto separate trips  (fridge and freezer stay down stairs and run an extension from upstairs to keep the freeview running) . (that's if you have separate trips )wont stop it tripping but might work out which 

FreeBear

Could it be a mouse nibbling on a wire whilst you are away ?

greenface2

FreeBear said:

Could it be a mouse nibbling on a wire whilst you are away ?

or the neighbour pinching you lekky 

Chickereeeee

HoolyNI said:

Haven't been away much this past two years, but on both occasions I have been away my electric has tripped. It rarely if ever trips under normal circumstances.

It can only be my freezer, fridge or freeview recorder kicking in to record as everything else is switched off but why isn't the culprit tripping the house when we're here?

Don't limit your search to those three things. E.g. off the top of my head, it could be a toilet cistern overflowing (as it has not been used for a few days) which causes dampness in a light switch, which would trip an rcd even if turned off.

bris

Chickereeeee said:

HoolyNI said:

Haven't been away much this past two years, but on both occasions I have been away my electric has tripped. It rarely if ever trips under normal circumstances.

It can only be my freezer, fridge or freeview recorder kicking in to record as everything else is switched off but why isn't the culprit tripping the house when we're here?

Don't limit your search to those three things. E.g. off the top of my head, it could be a toilet cistern overflowing (as it has not been used for a few days) which causes dampness in a light switch, which would trip an rcd even if turned off.

Not sure what goes on in your head but thats the wildest theory for a trip I have ever seen.

Why would a cistern even overflow by not being used?

Robin9

Is there a security alarm that's set when you are away ?

victor2

HoolyNI said:

Haven't been away much this past two years, but on both occasions I have been away my electric has tripped. It rarely if ever trips under normal circumstances.

It can only be my freezer, fridge or freeview recorder kicking in to record as everything else is switched off but why isn't the culprit tripping the house when we're here?

When our fridge/freezer finally died, it started tripping the RCD, but in the middle of the night, not when we were away!

It might be the problem, perhaps it operates slightly differently when the door is left closed for a number of days. Maybe you could find a good electrician to check if it has any earth leakage at all in normal use, or if there is any significant leakage generally?

But, as @FreeBear suggested, it could be mice nibbling at wires somewhere when they are not being disturbed, and nothing to do with the fridge. Very difficult to trace unless it becomes a more permanent fault.

Brie

bris said:

Not sure what goes on in your head but thats the wildest theory for a trip I have ever seen.

Why would a cistern even overflow by not being used?

similar used to happen at my in-laws flat.  something to do with a the cistern needing a regular flow of water going through it.  when they were away and none of the taps were turned on for a few days the cistern used to somehow clog and a small flow of water would then build up and finally drip down and go through to the room below.  Just what you want to discover when you return from a holiday

jrawle

bris said:

Not sure what goes on in your head but thats the wildest theory for a trip I have ever seen.

Why would a cistern even overflow by not being used?

The inlet valve may not shut off fully, meaning water slowly drips in, overfilling the cistern. Normally, this would not matter as the level returns to normal after a flush, but if you are away, it will reach the overflow, or if you are unlucky and that's blocked, actually overflow into the room.

Chickereeeee

jrawle said:

bris said:

Not sure what goes on in your head but thats the wildest theory for a trip I have ever seen.

Why would a cistern even overflow by not being used?

The inlet valve may not shut off fully, meaning water slowly drips in, overfilling the cistern. Normally, this would not matter as the level returns to normal after a flush, but if you are away, it will reach the overflow, or if you are unlucky and that's blocked, actually overflow into the room.

Yep. Blocked or has a small leak, or overflow is directly above an automatic outside light...