RCD neutral fault. Discussion ThreadRCD neutral fault. Electrical Advice
Greetings.
I am an electrician wannabee and am doing a spot of labouring for an electrician. Maybe not a wise career move at this time but it's too late to change now.
My electrician boss and I were having a discussion about why an RCD would trip even if all the MCBS connected to it were switched off and he said it was caused by an earth neutral fault.
I asked how can there be an earth neutral fault when all the circuits supplied by that RCD were switched off and hence no power was going through the RCD. He didn't know the answer and neither do I.
I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on this.
I thought RCD's measured the balance between phase and neutral and tripped if their was an imbalance IE a phase or neutral earth fault only if the circuits are on, so how can an RCD trip if all the circuit MCB's it supplies are in the off position?
The electrician removed all the neutral wires from each circuit one by one until he found the circuit that was causing the RCD to trip, all this was done with the MCB's in the off position.
The main switch to the fuse board was in the on position.
Thanks.
RCD neutral fault. for the original thread on Electricians Forums
Greetings.
I am an electrician wannabee and am doing a spot of labouring for an electrician. Maybe not a wise career move at this time but it's too late to change now.
My electrician boss and I were having a discussion about why an RCD would trip even if all the MCBS connected to it were switched off and he said it was caused by an earth neutral fault.
I asked how can there be an earth neutral fault when all the circuits supplied by that RCD were switched off and hence no power was going through the RCD. He didn't know the answer and neither do I.
I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on this.
I thought RCD's measured the balance between phase and neutral and tripped if their was an imbalance IE a phase or neutral earth fault only if the circuits are on, so how can an RCD trip if all the circuit MCB's it supplies are in the off position?
The electrician removed all the neutral wires from each circuit one by one until he found the circuit that was causing the RCD to trip, all this was done with the MCB's in the off position.
The main switch to the fuse board was in the on position.
Thanks.
RCD neutral fault. for the original thread on Electricians Forums
