Van Unit tripping on home hookup

PORKSTER

PORKSTER

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Thought I had problem with my Alde 3000 compact boiler electric was tripping inside.
I have now ruled that out but can't got the life of me work out what's happening.
So I tried another lead no different. I then checked all the connections on plugs all ok. I've turned everything off. Control power battery charger etc. It has a Reich box I've turned it off at panel.

I can't for life of me think what it can be please please throw some ideas at me Thanks 🙏🏻
 
What exactly is tripping? The RCD (that's the one with the 'Test' button) or one of the MCBs (no test button), or both?

Is it the house trip switches or the motorhome trip switches that are tripping?
 
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No the van trip switch. Stays on a few mins or sometimes a second or two. Tried 2 leads 2 outlets from house.nothing appears to be on in van. Hence why I first thought it was boiler.
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The mains charger will probably be on, can you isolate or disconnect it?
 
That's an RCBO, which is a single switch that combines the functions of an RCD (shock protection/earth leakage) and MCB (overcurrent protection). The shock protection trips at 10mA, and the overcurrent protection trips at over 16A (the label 'B16')

So unfortunately I don't think you can tell if it's an earth leakage problem or an overcurrent problem. Also the earth leakage trips at 10mA, which is very sensitive. Most RCDs and RCBOs trip at 30mA.

Earth leakage problems are usually wires working loose and touching where they shouldn't, or water/condensation getting into plugs and sockets and forming an earth leakage path.

Overcurrent problems are usually heater element failure, or wires working loose and touching where they shouldn't.

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So I've turned of boiler I assume I can rule that out ? Fridge is of so can rule that out ? I've turned of Reich box on control panel. And at the box which has a charger.
So now no electrics work 12v or 240.
Reset trip few minutes pass and it trips.
So now I really don't know where to go.
 
Another thing I noticed I was using small hair dryer to check I had 240 volt to van and that didn't trip 🤦🏻🤷🏻‍♀️🤔
 
Check wires to EHU socket on van.
They can be loose after bouncing around if not installed properly.

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Jev88 said:
Check wires to EHU socket on van.
They can be loose after bouncing around if not installed properly.
Click to expand...
Also water can sometimes make its way in, or leak from a tap or joint if the plumbing passes nearby. Wet wires can trip an RCBO, especially if it has a lower tripping limit (10mA) than usual (30mA).
 
PORKSTER said:
So I've turned of boiler I assume I can rule that out ? Fridge is of so can rule that out ? I've turned of Reich box on control panel. And at the box which has a charger.
So now no electrics work 12v or 240.
Reset trip few minutes pass and it trips.
So now I really don't know where to go.
Click to expand...
If there's no load at all on the trip then to me it points to a faulty/worn out trip switch/breaker..
 
Do you know where the 240v wires are distributed from. Most vans will have a central point and radial wires going out to the individual consumers - boiler, 12v control system, 240v sockets, fridge.
Only way to be sure which is causing the tripping is to disconnect them all then add one at a time back in.
Be careful at your own risk with mains voltage.

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PORKSTER said:
I'll go buy one tommorow thanks.
Click to expand...
Be careful what you buy. You need a 2-pole RCBO, with a 16A current limit (B16 or C16). I think a 30mA trip level will be OK, that's what most motorhomes use.

Nearly all the RCBO trips available in UK DIY stores are single pole, and are not suitable. You'll have to go to a caravan accessories shop or a specialist electrics store like CEF.

An alternative would be to get a separate RCD and MCB, it looks like there is enough space to fit them in the existing box. The RCD will almost certainly be the 2-pole type. However it will be difficult to find a 2-pole MCB in a normal UK DIY store, so again it's a caravan accessories shop or specialist electrics store.

I don't know why your existing RCBO is 10mA, that's usually for special situations, or for medical reasons for people with a heart condition etc. If it was mine, I'd change it for a 30mA trip if I was buying a new one because it was faulty.
 
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Turn off all other mcbs then see if the main switch from your picture stays on
If so then 1 at a time try the mcbs
 
M50 said:
Turn off all other mcbs then see if the main switch from your picture stays on
If so then 1 at a time try the mcbs
Click to expand...
Usually that's a good strategy, but in this case all there is is one single 16A RCBO, so it's either all on or all off.
 
I’d be surprised if there’s only one trip
Each supply should be protected by its own MCB. But I stand to be corrected
 
M50 said:
I’d be surprised if there’s only one trip
Each supply should be protected by its own MCB. But I stand to be corrected
Click to expand...
Normal in Motorhomes to have only one trip for all circuits.
 
M50 said:
I’d be surprised if there’s only one trip
Each supply should be protected by its own MCB. But I stand to be corrected
Click to expand...
Yes, my van has 4 double pole MCBs:
Fridge
Sockets
Cooker
Heating/boiler

Anyway it sounds like it's tripping with them all off. Can only be faulty RCD or damp in the fuse box
 
Or damp in any of the circuits that it feeds
Or chaffed cables in any of the circuits that it feeds
Good luck
 
berni109 said:
Do you know where the 240v wires are distributed from. Most vans will have a central point and radial wires going out to the individual consumers - boiler, 12v control system, 240v sockets, fridge.
Only way to be sure which is causing the tripping is to disconnect them all then add one at a time back in.
Be careful at your own risk with mains voltage.
Click to expand...
With a single RCBO protecting everything, that looks like the only way to home in on the fault. There should be a central terminal block distributing the power to all the different appliances, probably very near the RCBO. If you disconnect them all, then you can see if the RCBO still trips. If it does then it's likely to be faulty and needs a new one.

But check the wire from the RCBO to the terminal block to be sure the insulation looks OK and there's no water or condensation around it. Of course to be sure you could disconnect all the wires out of the RCBO. If it still trips then it is faulty.

If the RCBO is good, it's then a process of connecting the appliance wires to the terminal block one by one, to see which one is causing the tripping.

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Do you have any lighting added after the build ?

We run property, and this is a fairly regular problem, invariably it's down to cheap side lights.
(But we have also seen the problem caused by hair straighteners, cheap coffee machines and hair dryers.)
 
PORKSTER said:
Thought I had problem with my Alde 3000 compact boiler electric was tripping inside.
I have now ruled that out but can't got the life of me work out what's happening.
So I tried another lead no different. I then checked all the connections on plugs all ok. I've turned everything off. Control power battery charger etc. It has a Reich box I've turned it off at panel.

I can't for life of me think what it can be please please throw some ideas at me Thanks 🙏🏻
Click to expand...
I had a problem in the summer my unit kept tripping with no load and mine turned out to be the mains /12 volt charger unit ,or as someone suggested with the high winds and rain moisture.
 
Morning People had unexpected guests this AM. So didn't get to shop unfortunately. I have however looked at anywhere 240v that could be damp lose etc. and nothing found. As most vans it all goes through a box Reich in my case that looks ok. But I did turn it off from van and it did still trip.ill buy new part I'm mean time Monday morning and get back to it. Vans been fine last times I've used it. And nothings been added. Only fridge fixed so I will double check connections fit new part. And keep fingers crossed. Thanks again for your thoughts and ideas much appreciated. Paul
 
Missing neutral or intermittent connection to one of the circuits can trip a rcd to.
I would find and disconnect-isolate the alde heating element first, while the power is isolated. Re engage the rcbo and try again. The 10mA is not allot and even slightest of condensation inside of a enclosure, with exposed terminals, its enough to trip a 10mA. As autorouter suggested, a 30mA is better suited for additional protection; 6 10mA more for sensitive equipment in IT earthing systems found on medical locations. Mind EV charging is 6mA to, on TT earthing.

Caravans and motorhomes requirement is 30mA double pole. Oh and NO C16 under any circumstances, only B16 for the over current. Reason is fault current to trip a B curve is 5x the nominal, suitable for domestic, curve C is 10x the nominal to trip, suitable for workshop machinery or feeding a Distribution downstream, from a main Circuit distribution. So, likely the hookup post its going to be a B and NOT allowed a C downstream of a B. It will not protect.

Forgot to say, the rcd rating you got is quite posh, takes ac and dc currents so a type A rcd and also a -25C environment for external influences. Do not buy a AC rcd in UK and most you will find is -5C for indoor use.
 
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I'm in 2 minds do a get direct replacement. Or the 30 ma ?

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