Freezer tripping electrics?

ka7e

My RCD is tripping every morning between 6 and 8am! I suspect it might be my 7-month old Beko freezer if it cycles through a 24 hour defrost programme - obviously there are many appliances on the same circuit, including an integrated f/f, but the timing seems very precise. The freezer is a replacement for one that had the same problem from the time it was installed and it was replaced within a week. The model is still for sale and gets good reviews...am I just very unlucky or should I be looking at my home electrics? My house was rewired 6 years ago and it was inspected as part of the electrician's re-certification.

Section62

ka7e said:

My RCD is tripping every morning between 6 and 8am! I suspect it might be my 7-month old Beko freezer if it cycles through a 24 hour defrost programme - obviously there are many appliances on the same circuit, including an integrated f/f, but the timing seems very precise. The freezer is a replacement for one that had the same problem from the time it was installed and it was replaced within a week. The model is still for sale and gets good reviews...am I just very unlucky or should I be looking at my home electrics? My house was rewired 6 years ago and it was inspected as part of the electrician's re-certification.

What time does your heating/hot water come in in the morning?

You say "RCD", but is this what you actually have?  If so, does the RCD cover all circuits in the house?

IOWJJBTM2025

Try unplugging the suspect freezer at 6am and leave it unplugged for two hours. If RCD still trips it is something else.

ka7e

My heating is timed to come on at 8, but it doesn't as the power has tripped - we have Hive installed so the CH switches on and off during the day controlled by the thermostat. 

The half of the board with heating controls/downstairs ring circuits trips, but everything comes back on when the RCD is re-set. All OK until the next morning.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Certainly sounds like the freezer is the most likely culprit. Especially if you had an identical freezer with the same problem. Try unplugging it before 6am as the earlier poster suggested.

ka7e

IOWJJBTM2025 said:

Try unplugging the suspect freezer at 6am and leave it unplugged for two hours. If RCD still trips it is something else.

That sounds eminently sensible!

Niv

If your test comes back that it is the freezer, it may be worth checking the plug socket etc as it feels like getting two freezers with the same fault is less likely than the socket having an issue i.e. loose / damaged wire? I would maybe go a step further and look at the wiring back to the next junction too.

born_again

Or that RCD is not rated for the  supply.

Lorian

Or there is already high residual current from other devices and the freezer is just the last straw. Try switching things off you aren't using, laptop power supplies and the like.

Swipe

It could also be water ingress tripping it during the defrost cycle.

ka7e

Niv said:

If your test comes back that it is the freezer, it may be worth checking the plug socket etc as it feels like getting two freezers with the same fault is less likely than the socket having an issue i.e. loose / damaged wire? I would maybe go a step further and look at the wiring back to the next junction too.

The previous freezer was plugged into a different socket, though it is on the same circuit.