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https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl DIY Forum >> Electrical Questions >> Cant trace the problem https://www.askthetrades.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1385123025 Message started by ch56esh on Nov 22^nd, 2013, 12:23pm

Title: Cant trace the problem
Post by ch56esh on Nov 22^nd, 2013, 12:23pm

I get an intermittent power outage. It effects plugs but not lights. The main trip (big central grey one) trips on the fuse box and can only be reset by flipping all trips to the right of it off, reset it, then bring them all back on.
We have tested, and cannot find any faulty products that are plugged in.
This happens 90% of the time at night, most frequently 3am.
We can go 3 months with no problem and then it will trip 3 times in a week.
Can anyone offer a solution?

Title: Re: Cant trace the problem
Post by Lectrician on Nov 22^nd, 2013, 6:40pm

The only way you will really locate the problem (assuming you have been unplugging items and switching things off) is to pay an electrician who has an insulation resistance tester (and the knowledge to correctly use it to fault find).

Intermittent faults like this can be a struggle :-(

Title: Re: Cant trace the problem
Post by CWatters on Nov 22^nd, 2013, 10:21pm

3am is about the coldest time of night. Have you got any outside lights that are wired to the power rings? Perhaps try disconnecting them?

Title: Re: Cant trace the problem
Post by The_Trician on Dec 6^th, 2013, 12:15pm

Or does the fault coincide with weather conditions?

IE - Is there an outside socket or light which is letting damp in somewhere?

Is your boiler or water heater connected to your sockets cct? If so, is it timed to come on at 3:0o0am?

Title: Re: Cant trace the problem
Post by londonman on Dec 8^th, 2013, 9:12am

Could it be mice/rats nibbling a cable. Devil of a job to find it if it is. We had the very same in our house a while back.

However the sense it is occurring at the same time does suggest causes as mentioned by the others.

Title: Re: Cant trace the problem
Post by Lectrician on Dec 8^th, 2013, 6:57pm

Yea, you can tet a cable, get good results, but then you find s length of cable which is just bare copper! Each time the rodent bites or brushes past, it's trips.

[gallery fullsize]Lectrician/1340084742.jpg[/gallery]

[gallery fullsize]Lectrician/1340084744.jpg[/gallery]

[gallery fullsize]Lectrician/1340084746.jpg[/gallery]

Title: Re: Cant trace the problem
Post by big_all on Dec 9^th, 2013, 9:52pm

i have been thinking off something that would be on the same level as the post since you posted this but nowt came to mind except

" new environmentally freindly cable thieves"
"cable thieves train rodents a apprentices "
"no toxic fumes when stripping the cable compared to burning"

Title: Re: Cant trace the problem
Post by Wine-o on Mar 27^th, 2014, 3:12pm

Sorry to dig up an old thread..But those pics are shocking..

My first thought regards the OP's problem was that it was most likely a fridge freezer..