Iron causing RCD to trip

I have had a good quality consumer unit fitted within the last 18 months. Before then I used to have an old fashioned one, first fitted when the house was built in 1989. The new one was fitted by a qualified electrical engineer who I have known and trusted for years.

With the old one using the iron would now and again blow the entire circuits.

The iron was replaced roughly at the same time as the consumer unit.

With the new one, which is fitted with MCBs and an RCD, when using the new iron, the RCD will trip intermittently. Sometimes the iron can be on for half an hour or so before it goes and sometimes it will trip almost as soon as it's switched on.

Nothing else in the house causes this to happen

Before I call my electrician back, does anyone know if there is a simple possible reason for this? It's such a pain having to reset all the clocks/timers etc. Still I suppose it's better than dying painfully!!!

Reply to
Kevin Sills
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Didn't you like the answers you got when you posted this yesterday?

Reply to
Andrew Gabriel

Obviously not. Maybe they haven't taken the time to learn how the CU operates and consequently, (like most ignorant customers and dopey 2nd rate electricians), assume that when the RCD trips then it must be at fault and can't possibly be the appliance that's faulty.

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

Reply to
Lurch

In message , Andrew Gabriel writes

I'm sooo sorry, The original post, which was done on a hotmail account which turns out was defunct, didn't appear marked up in my newsreader . I wrongly assumed it didn't get through. Being an "ignorant customer" I'll make Lurch's day I'll punich myself by testing the live circuit out by putting a screwdriver in the socket...... oooh that smarts a bit!!!

Thank you for all the answers though.

Reply to
Kevin Sills

I'll let you off, this time! That's the sort of thing that happens when you're involved with Hotmail!

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

Reply to
Lurch

Kevin,

We've had the same problem for a few years now. Modern comsumer unit, the trip would go about 1 in 3 times the iron was used. Nothing else seems to throw the trip apart from the iron. I consider the iron to be at fault. I've asked the ironong person to use it without any water and the trip stays on. I can only assume that a faulty seal or something similar has caused water to short the internal wiring. The ironing person is apparently not happy at having to manually spray water on the ironing but if it saves me having to go all the way down to the garage to reset the RCD it has to be worth it.

Rgds

Noel

noel dot hegan at virgin dot net

Reply to
Noel Hegan

Our iron, (or should I say all our irons), have done done it. I've managed to stop it now by using a steam iron with the remote water\steam unit. It's a lot less likely to go faulty if it's sat still.

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

Reply to
Lurch

I trust that the 'ironing person' you refer to is your better half and you don't employ any servants. Why bother with ironing anyway. I never do any. Polyester/cotton shirts are just fine when tumble dried and why bother ironing your undies/socks. I must admit however that I do like a nice crisp, freshly ironed folded hankie :-)

Terry D.

Reply to
Terry D

Surely, if a steam iron leaks steam to the extent that it gives a 30mA electrical leak, then it's not fit for purpose and should be returned to the shop as defective.

Andrew Mawson

Reply to
Andrew Mawson

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