Safety trip switch wont reset. [ electrical question ]

evilgenius

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Hi, i know nothing about electrics other than dont mess with it. Recently in my computer room everything has been randomly switching off and today the trip switch for this room reset and wont switch on when i try to press it.

Any idea what this means? Im currently running 2 long extension leads now to the pc/fridge etc.. cos they're all on the same circuit it seems.
 
unplug everything thats on that ring (normally ground floor has 1 switch for lights and 1 for plugs and first floor likewise)

then add them back one at a time and see if one instantly trips out the system when you plug it in, that one will be the offender
 
Okay that didnt work. In the offending room there is no plugs plugged in. THe shower up stairs for some reason is also on this circuit but i dont know how to unplug that to test.
 
An electric shower should be on a seperate circuit not on a ring main.

If it is its highly likely to overload the circuit.

The shower should really be on its own 45 amp circuit.

Do you have a pull cord for the shower in the bathroom?

This should isolate the shower.

From the switch it should be an unbroken cable direct to the consumer unit.
 
I have pulled the switch to OFF, so i assume thats not the problem right now.

We have a load of work starting soon so Ill get the electrican to fix the show cable. But for now, anything esle you can think of?
 
Turn off every breaker so nothing is on that's lights, sockets, cooker the lot. The trip should close then. If it doesn't it's buggered as you are feeding nothing at all. Thn when the RCD is closed you can then turn the trips on one by one. Whichever causes the RCD to trip out is the faulty circuit. If it's sockets then you'd then unplug all sockets and try again. If it's lights then leave the lighting circuit off and use table lamps for that area. RCDs trip due to high levels of moisture so it's often irons and washing machines that can cause problems so a shower is a possibility. A shower is too big to go on a socket circuit.
 
An electric shower should be on a seperate circuit not on a ring main.

Yes if it has an electric water heater. But some (like mine) just use electricity for the pump. They are okay on the ring main.

Cheers,

Nigel
 

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