Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

You have identified the faulty circuit and if your electrical system has been installed correctly, you can pull the wire through to replace that circuit. Should be cheap and easy fix :thumbsup:

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

In America the original wiring installed in a new house is held in place inside the timber-framed "stud" walls using clips or staples, and often passes through fairly tight holes drilled through the studs, so there is almost no chance that a new cable could be "pulled through" :( At a minimum it would mean two sizeable holes cut in the plasterboard walls in the garage.

https://i.pinimg.com/236x/b1/8a/76/b...ng-the-box.jpg

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

No stud walls in Spain. Wiring is routed through conduits in walls and floor and there are junction boxes providing access. Or at least that is how it ought to be done :unsure:

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

Conduits can be used in America, but they very rarely are. After owning houses in the UK and the US, I know from personal experience that there are many occasions when reality deviates from "how things ought to be done". :(

Like the 12kW immersion heater in my house in London wired in to a spur from a 13A socket ..... connected to the lighting circuit! I discovered that when I noticed one day that the 13A surface-mount socket was quite warm! :scaredhair:

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

I have never seen a dry stud wall in a Spanish home. During 10+ years I have lived and visited many Spanish properties and in every case the wiring has been routed through conduits.

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

As the consensus of opinion is that I should uprate the RCD to 32 amp, I have been out looking for one.
There appears to be 25 & 40 - but no 32 amp.
I have bought a standard 32 amp bipolar circuit breaker as I thought it was not sensible to uprate to 40 amp.
But as I don't really understand your comment (in terms of practical usage), I'd appreciate your comments on whether this will suffice for job, situated as it will be in the position of the old 25 amp RCD immediately next to the first breaker (25 amp) to which the incoming mains are connected.
Surely it will stop the nuisance tripping but will it switch off if there is a short to earth anywhere ?
Failing that, I'll take it back for a refund and order a 32 amp RCD from England.


Thanks to all for their valuable contributions to my question.

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

Further research on the web suggests this could be a fatal error so I guess I'll return it and upgrade to a 40 amp RCD.
That has to be the safer option.

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

The RCD detects leakage to earth, it's not a MCB which is effectively a modern fuse, the rating of 25 amps on an RCD is the load it can carry up to, the milliamp rating is what controls the tripping of the RCD, normally a 25amp RCD will be 30mamp trip, you could try a RCD with a higher trip rating, if there was a direct short to earth or live to N then the MCB would trip which as I understand it they are not

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

Actually the clue may be in the OP. Where it says that the trip occurs when the OP is away and only the fridge/freezer and pool are in use. FFS are notorious for insulation problems when they get older and pool pumps do get a lot of exposure too.

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

That's not what OP said, it happens when they are there as well as when they are away, incidentally the reason I asked OP and the phases coming into the house was I assumed he would be like us, we have 3 phases coming in and just use the phases separately so are still on 230v.

If they are on single phase and the supply is phased like the UK there is a chance a neighbours supply can trip his RCD

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

Exactly, if you read my post correctly, if it happens when he is away then it's a device which is in use when he's away AND when he's there. Ie most of the appliances are defacto eliminated leaving those which are always on. Ie the pool and the fridge

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

Mike I would like to add to that.
The problem could be caused by an earth leakage anywhere in the property, the wiring etc and not necessarily an appliance.

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

OK Mike I get your point, I was also going to add it's possible, in fact more than likely that it's caused by an intermittent wiring fault but Fred has got there first, this was the reason I first asked about if it happens when it's damp/raining etc

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

Just to clarify, this was in my original post:


"It is possible that this fault is somewhere in our installation but we think it unlikely due to the random nature of the tripping. Sometimes it can be 2 months or more between “trips” but also it can be just 5 minutes, day or night, irrespective of what electrical devices are connected or working."


Hence whenever we go away, everything like fridge, heater etc. is unplugged.
Yes the pool pump is running - but that's about it !
The random nature is the problem - 10 minutes, 2 days, 2 weeks, 2 months - when all of the usual stuff is connected.


Interestingly, you cannot get a 32 amp RCD trip around here.
I even tried C.E.F. - and they said it does not exist in Spain.
Of course, no problem in England - about £20 + vat.
C.E.F. quoted 74 euros for a 40 amp RCD !!!

Re: Nuisance Electricity Tripping
 

Have you tried Ebay, lots of stuff and some sellers ship to Spain