What is happening with these electrics?

[Rednadnerb]

For years I have had a problem with the electrics tripping at random, never been able to pin it down to a device or segment of the ring. But now I have a halogen heater that is guaranteed to trip the RCD on the faulty ring, so I can use this to test segments of the ring and by a process of trail and error find the problem area.

My question is: The halogen heater trips the RCD when I plug it in to any of wall sockets except the two closest to the RCD. When I plug it into either of these two sockets it doesn't come on. There is power there but the heater does not heat.

What is going on?

[newshound]

How do you know there is power there? Do those sockets work with other appliances? If so, what type?

I keep these in my mobile toolboxes:

which is a cheap, quick, and dirty socket tester that shows all the possible connection faults (but of course not the clever stuff that a proper electrician would test).

[Fredxx]

Perhaps these two don't have the earth wire fitted? Best have a look.

Or they're on another circuit?

[ARW]

Actually they are quite a handy tool to have. It will not show a NE reversal but an RCD powering the socket will!

I have the Kewteck Kewcheck103 (about £13) and use it a lot. It's main advantage for me is that it bleeps. Brilliant for identifying a circuit on an unlabelled CU without having to keep running and looking at the display.

[Brian Gaff]

Does anything else run in those sockets? Brian

[Brian Gaff]

Yes I think I'd be in there and looking for carbonised socket parts myself. Brian

[newshound]

Quite right about NE reversal, my mistake. I have PME so I need a screwdriver to check that!

[Andy Burns]

I have the kewcheck 107, it can check reversal (by using a finger as a capacitive earth reference) also gives a R/A/G check of the earth loop, and a basic RCD functionality check.

[newshound]

Clever. If I was starting over, I'd be tempted, but mine probably only comes out once a year now.

[Graham.]

Fluke have recalled their range of this type of tester.

[Andy Burns]

Yes, I noticed this 'voluntary' recall

Probably less painful than a cattle prod though :-)

[newshound]

Interesting, I can't quite decide whether the cheap type that I posted might behave the same.

[Andy Burns]

The final Socket'n'See type that he tested, looks identical to the Kewcheck107

[James Wilkinson Sword]

=3D0

You can buy things called energy meters which you plug in then plug an a= ppliance into that. They're intended to work out how much an appliance = costs to run, but would also be handy to sense a voltage drop when you p= lug in a heater.

-- =

Why are there 5 syllables in the word "monosyllabic"?

[ARW]

I cannot find any reference that it can do a NE reversal check.

[Andy Burns]

You're right, it checks for upstream (e.g at meter) L/N reversal, not N/E reversal.

[James Wilkinson Sword]

So it's a piece of shit then?

[ARW]

The technical term for a piece of shit is "apprentice".

They cannot perform the simplest tasks you ask them to do (parents need shooting).

There is nothing wrong with a 107 tester.

[Fredxx]

Were you ever an apprentice, or did you miss that stage of maturity?

[James Wilkinson Sword]

Why would that change the fact he stated?