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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> Heater tripping out consumer unit https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1487200128 Message started by SadruddinW on Feb 15^th, 2017, 11:08pm

Title: Heater tripping out consumer unit
Post by SadruddinW on Feb 15^th, 2017, 11:08pm

Hi.
We live in a static caravan on a building site, waiting to start building our new home. It's winter, and thus its cold.
We bought a 3kW fan heater, this one...

Search amazon UK with "Fine Elements Utility Heavy Duty Heater, 3000 Watt". It's red.

It was fine for about 3 months, but recently has started tripping out the ageing consumer system in the static. This happens running at 3kW or at 2kW.
It's got a 13amp plug which doesn't get warm, and the fuse in the plug doesn't blow. And the heater is plugged into an anti-spike extension lead.
Help. I want to send it back, but I need to work out what's wrong with it before I start fighting the supplier.

Thanks in advance

S

Title: Re: Heater tripping out consumer unit
Post by Lectrician on Feb 16^th, 2017, 6:39am

We would need to know which device is tripping? What is the rating of the device that trips? What else do you have on at the same time?

Photo of the consumer unit may help.

Title: Re: Heater tripping out consumer unit
Post by SadruddinW on Feb 16^th, 2017, 10:49pm

Hi. Thanks. I tried to find details of the cu on line, but couldn't.
This is a picture, though....

[gallery]SadruddinW/1487285301.jpg[/gallery]

The switch that trips isn't the relevant socket breaker, but the main switch on the left.
And as to what else is on in terms of drain, there's a maximum of 2 kW running APART from the heater.
Also, as I said, the heater used to run at 3kW without any issues....

Title: Re: Heater tripping out consumer unit
Post by Lectrician on Feb 17^th, 2017, 6:38am

The trip that is operating is an RCD, which will not operate due to overload (no much being used). It reacts to earth faults, and suggests something faulty, damp etc. It could be the heater, but could equally be something else. However, if not using the heater illuminates the tripping, it does suggest a faulty heater.

Title: Re: Heater tripping out consumer unit
Post by SadruddinW on Feb 19^th, 2017, 2:40pm

Well, I'm guessing the enclosed is the problem.

[gallery]SadruddinW/1487515121.jpg[/gallery]

It was the plug on the surge protected extension lead.
I've replaced it with a proper one, (ie not one pre-attached to an extension lead bought from B&Q).
I'll have to replace the socket, too, as that's been fried internally, as well.

And I'm assuming that's why the RCD was tripping, rather than the fuse of the circuit breaker for that socket circuit.

Just checking, am I right in thinking that?

Title: Re: Heater tripping out consumer unit
Post by Lectrician on Feb 19^th, 2017, 6:02pm

Overheating like that can be caused by either the plug or socket. A loose connection in either can cause this, so good that you replaced both.

If the overheating left some tracking from L or N to E, it would trip the RCD. The socket may also have been behaving a little intermittent and spasmodically during this overheating, which can cause an RCD to nuisance trip.

New plug, new socket, lets see if you have any further issues.

As a point, these 4 way extensions are not designed for sustained continuous loads and are not usually rated to do so.

Title: Re: Heater tripping out consumer unit
Post by SadruddinW on Feb 19^th, 2017, 10:15pm

Thanks. Lots.
I'll keep an eye on it.
If I need to ask summatt else, I know where to come.....

Title: Re: Heater tripping out consumer unit
Post by CWatters on Feb 22^nd, 2017, 4:00pm

Aside: Not all BnQ extension leads are rated for 3kW. Some are 10A rather than 13A.