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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> Jacuzzi bath rcd https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1103148748 Message started by Elmergimp on Dec 15^th, 2004, 10:12pm

Title: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by Elmergimp on Dec 15^th, 2004, 10:12pm

I'm fitting a jacuzzi bath at home, the house has just been rewired and the sparky left me a fused spur from the kitchen ring to run the bath, i've fitted an rcd in the kitchen with the supply going through the wall to the bath... anyway my point is when i connect the supply through the rcd it won't stay on, i've put all the earths into a junction box and the live/neutral from the fused spur go into the rcd with the live/neutral going to the bath, what have i missed ??

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by L.Spark on Dec 15^th, 2004, 11:26pm

Must be a cross-connection somewhere causing the RCD to disconnect, might be time to take it all apart and check all the wiring is correct ???

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by Elmergimp on Dec 15^th, 2004, 11:33pm

Thanks for the reply, am i right in thinking that the switch on the rcd will only work when its powered and in line correctly, the fused spur seems to be ok and i've tried to run the rcd without connecting the bath but alas still no joy.

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by L.Spark on Dec 16^th, 2004, 12:16am

It depends on what type of RCD it is, the switch will stay on in some types of RCD, and others the switch will turn to off if there’s power loss, both will disconnect if there's a leakage to earth which can be caused by incorrect wiring or something such as a 'borrowed neutral', which is where the neutral from one circuit is used to supply another, potentially dangerous and will cause RCD's to trip out

This RCD in the kitchen, is it a plug-in RCD or one that’s hard wired, also what is wired after the RCD, just the bath or is there anything else?

Does the switch stay and then go off, or does it stay off all the time?

does it look like this?

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by Elmergimp on Dec 16^th, 2004, 12:32am

Its the same as a consumer unit one, it has its own box and it stands alone, i have two photos of it but i can't work out how to attach them. The switch itself will not flick up to an on position, as i push the switch up it goes straight back down again, and its the same even if it hasn't got any cables attached, the line goes... kitchen ring - fused spur - rcd - junction box - bath

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by L.Spark on Dec 16^th, 2004, 12:35am

If theres nothing connected after it (when you disconnect cables) then maybe there's no power to it, have you anyway to check if the powers connected to it or not?, not using one's finger, perhaps a neon screwdriver if theres nothing else ::)

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by Elmergimp on Dec 16^th, 2004, 12:47am

I've tested the supply with a neon stick tester and a proper multimeter and they both say its live and i've put the supply in the top and the bottom of the unit and still nothing, so far: i've checked the fused spur that seems ok and i wired up a radio just to check the demand on it, i couldn't even put the supply into the rcd with nothing coming out, i thought with just a supply coming into it and nothing connecting on the outputs, that would work but that infamous switch just won't stay up.

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by L.Spark on Dec 16^th, 2004, 1:51am

perhaps it's a duff RCD, it's possible, you do get them sometimes ::)

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by Beanzy on Dec 16^th, 2004, 12:43pm

Is the polarity on the supply side correct at the other end? the spark may have crossed or interconnected N&E at the supply side.

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by Lectrician on Dec 16^th, 2004, 7:55pm

A dodgy neutral will trip most RCD's.

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by L.Spark on Dec 16^th, 2004, 11:09pm

It's one of those things you would find within the space of about 5 minutes but is hard to explain on here, and know exactly what the problem is without being there ::)

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by xt600 on Dec 17^th, 2004, 11:50am

Elmergimp....

Is it the type of rcd that you have to push the switch fully downwards first, before setting it upwards?

Just a thought.....

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by Elmergimp on Dec 17^th, 2004, 10:49pm

Well i offer a thousand thanks because after i tested everthing including my patience, the rcd turned out to be faulty, its funny how the sc****ix site found humour in my dilema and this site actually helped, once again i thank you all.

Title: Re: Jacuzzi bath rcd
Post by L.Spark on Dec 17^th, 2004, 11:26pm

Quote:

perhaps it's a duff RCD, it's possible, you do get them sometimes

Guess I was right, well you just need to get a replacement now and ensure that the Neutral and Live are connected correctly.

Glad we could be of some assistance to you!