Anyone recommend a sparkie in Leeds

[diy-newby]

As subject really, got a constantly annoying tripping RCD. Need a sparkie's expertise. Anyone recommend anyone in the Leeds, West Yorkshire area (Morley)

[A.Lee]

Is this a RCD or MCB in your consumer unit/fusebox? Have you tried disconnecting everything one at a time to see if you can find a faulty appliance/circuit?

If it still happens when nothing connected, then it could be a faulty RCD. I've had it happen a few times in my previous job where it would trip even with no load on it. A new MCB fixed the 'fault' immediately. Alan.

[ARWadsworth]

You can use my test equipment over the festive period if you want to DIY it. I will not need it as I will be on holiday (pissed).

Adam

[diy-newby]

Thanks for the offer but I don't have the expertise. However, I have more info now:-

It is tripping on the garage feed. I had some wrought iron gates fitted on Friday. Metal post concreted into the ground. I also have some rear patio wall lights and a waterproof plug socket. Whoever installed the electrics for these used normal white pvc cable, NOT SWA and tapped into the junction box where the SWA is which goes to the detached garage. The white pvc cable runs down the house, then under the small pathway, under a small soil area (where the gate post is now) and up onto a fence which then runs in plastic conduit to the rear garden. I am thinking this cable has been damaged and causing the RCD to trip when I turn on the garage CB in the main CU.

So. I need this white pvc cable replacing with something a bit more appropriate. For the time being I am going to disconnect the white pvc cable from the JB and hope I can then restore power to the garage (as that is where our freezer is for the time being).

[ARWadsworth]

I'll show you how to use it. You must be about 15 miles away from me.

However, I have more

That sounds logical.

Worth trying.

You can replace just the damaged and badly fitted section of cable for SWA (ie ALL the underground stuff) using appropriate jointing boxes. It should not be expensive.

Adam

[diy-newby]

I disconnected the white pvc cable from the weatherproof JB and have restored power to the garage.

So, I don't have to replace the entire cable length (even where it runs along the fence in plastic conduit) with SWA? Is it totally acceptable to replace with SWA from the JB (on the side of the house) to the fence, then join the SWA and normal white pvc cable in a junction box on the fence?

[ARWadsworth]

The JB on the fence would need to be waterproof. There is nothing wrong with PVC cable in plastic conduit for outside use. If the run is not too long then consider changing the whole lot but this is not nessessary.

Adam

[diy-newby]

Thanks very much for your help - Merry Christmas