Our Trip Switch keeps going off. HELP!! URGENT!!?

USUALLY THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF TRIPS. ONE THAT ACTS WHEN THERE IS POWER LEAKING TO EARTH VIA A SHORT CIRCUIT OF SOME KIND. THIS SHOULD ACT INSTANTLY TO PREVENT INJURY, OR DEATH FROM ELECTRIC SHOCK. THE SECOND KIND ACTS TO PREVENT OVERLOADING A CIRCUIT WHICH MAY RESULT IN WIRES OVERHEATING AND CAUSING A FIRE. IF IT STAYS ON FOR SEVERAL MINUTES IT MAY BE THE SECOND TYPE AND YOUR NEW APPLIANCE MAY BE CAUSING AN OVERLOAD. IF YOU HAVE OTHER APPLIANCES USING THE SAME SUPPLY THE TOTAL OF THE WHOLE MAY BE OVERLOADING THE CIRCUIT. YOU CAN SWITCH OFF ANYTHING YOU ARE NOT USING TO REDUCE THE LOAD. IF YOU DO NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND THEN CALL AN ELECTRICIAN WHO DOES. ELECTRICITY KILLS IF MISUSED.

BRIAN W.
February 2010

There are two types of trip switch - a safety RCD switch that takes out all circuits on the board both light and power.

The other type is just a miniature circuit breaker that trips if too much current is being drawn.

If the RCD (big switch) is tripping then whatever is causing it has a fault that will need a specialist to attend - an element starting to fail perhaps.

If a smaller MCB is tripping then there may be a fault with the cooker but it might be the total power (current) being drawn i.e. the combined current of cooker and toaster and kettle and mixer for instance. All appliances on the circuit may contribute to the overload and cause an MCB to trip.

Good luck...

Peccavi
February 2010