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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2021 15:21:40 GMT
MCB feeding the 240v sockets tripping out whilst on the Inverter. If I run the engine and use the travelpower it doesn't.
Inverter is a modified sine wave sterling. Nothing different plugged in on either use, only difference using the travelpower is that it also supplies power to the washing machine and battery charger. Not tried to see what happens if I use the landline/generator supply.
Question. Is this likely to be an Inverter issue? My very basic understanding says no as the tripping is happening downstream of the MCB.
Only laptop/phone/radio being connected to the 240v supply and unplugging them makes no difference (besides the same MCB is used for whatever supply to the 240v sockets).
Whilst there are a couple of sockets fairly low down in the bedroom that may have got a bit damp during the 'great flood event' I'm fairly certain most of the electrics run at gunwale height.
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Post by Gone on Jul 4, 2021 16:18:24 GMT
Do you mean mcb which is an ‘over current’ protector or do you mean RCD which trips if there is an imbalance between live and neutral currents??
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2021 16:20:41 GMT
Do you mean mcb which is an ‘over current’ protector or do you mean RCD which trips if there is an imbalance between live and neutral currents?? My info sheet says it is an MCB, how do I tell the difference? |
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Jul 4, 2021 16:27:18 GMT
RCD has a test push button as well as a toggle on/off.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2021 16:31:54 GMT
Just looked on the panel the two main things are marked as RCDs, both have two other MCBs/RCBs that supposedley feed from them but look pretty much the same. None of the secondary swithes trip just the RCD when used on the inverter.
eta - the secondary switches appear to be MCBs
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Jul 4, 2021 16:32:55 GMT
New fault or has it been like this since something fitted or changed? Car radio aerials can be a problem as the short the negative off the batteries and the neutral off the inverter to the hull if not fitted with isolation capacitor.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2021 16:34:18 GMT
New fault.
Plus why ok on travel power but not on inverter?
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Jul 4, 2021 16:36:49 GMT
So its not overcurrent that is causing the trip but a leak to earth on either the line or the neutral. Wet wiring if its a new fault. On the inverter the neutral should be bonded to earth at the inverter before any RCD.
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Post by Telemachus on Jul 4, 2021 16:40:22 GMT
Just looked on the panel the two main things are marked as RCDs, both have two other MCBs/RCBs that supposedley feed from them but look pretty much the same. None of the secondary swithes trip just the RCD when used on the inverter.
The RCD measures current imbalance between live and neutral. An imbalance is normally the result of some leakage between live and earth, there being nominally 230v between them. A travelpower output is centre tapped, ie both Live and Neutral both have about 115v on them. So for a fixed amount of leakage resistance between live and earth, twice the current imbalance will exist for normal mains or a NE bonded inverter, compared to a Travelpower. So in effect, the RCD is twice as sensitive on mains or a NE bonded inverter, compared to on a TravelPower. So probably there is some leakage in the damp sockets that is sufficient to trip the breaker on mains or inverter, but insufficient to trip with the centre tapped Travelpower. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2021 16:47:32 GMT
Thanks everyone (especially Nick who explained the why for travel power and not for inverter).
Next question...
Is it worth just letting things dry out a bit more for a few days or should I take more urgent action?
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Post by Telemachus on Jul 4, 2021 17:06:13 GMT
Pure water isn’t conductive. But once water is mixed with other things, it is. Probably the conductive path is made up of water and other things, and even if the water mostly dries up the other things are likely to be hygroscopic and thus become conductive again at the first sign of a bit of humidity.
Therefore I would (having first isolated the power, of course) open up the sockets and check for signs of corrosion deposits (copper oxides etc) around the connections and wire ends, and wipe clean.
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Post by Jim on Jul 4, 2021 17:20:20 GMT
Pure water isn’t conductive. But once water is mixed with other things, it is. Probably the conductive path is made up of water and other things, and even if the water mostly dries up the other things are likely to be hygroscopic and thus become conductive again at the first sign of a bit of humidity. Therefore I would (having first isolated the power, of course) open up the sockets and check for signs of corrosion deposits (copper oxides etc) around the connections and wire ends, and wipe clean. spray with WD40? |
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Post by Telemachus on Jul 4, 2021 17:37:23 GMT
Pure water isn’t conductive. But once water is mixed with other things, it is. Probably the conductive path is made up of water and other things, and even if the water mostly dries up the other things are likely to be hygroscopic and thus become conductive again at the first sign of a bit of humidity. Therefore I would (having first isolated the power, of course) open up the sockets and check for signs of corrosion deposits (copper oxides etc) around the connections and wire ends, and wipe clean. spray with WD40? No. Better to clean the crap off rather than burying it in more crap! |
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Post by Isambard Kingdom Brunel on Jul 4, 2021 17:40:44 GMT
WD40 is only a water dispersant, its still there to cause corrosion and conductive tracking paths across insulators.
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