Quote:
Originally Posted by macafee2
Is the poles MCB/RCD more sensitive then the caravans?
If the caravans mcb/rcd is off will the pole reset?
macafee2
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to add to this, when you (OP) said 'with everything switched off, the pole bollard will not reset', do you mean everything switched at plugs and switches, or everything switched off at the consumer unit? If you mean at the plugs (or switches), switch off all the RCDs and then switch on the main providing the bollard has reset. Hopefully the bollard wont trip, then go through each rcd one at a time, to check if one is causing the trip.
A few years ago my father had a strange issue with his 2 year old consumer unit. It was affected by the washing machine in the old outhouse (attached to the house - not exposed to the elements). It had all worked fine until something went wrong with the wiring of the washing machine neutral. Wiring was all intact. My dad was a time served spark, but not had much experience with rcds etc. He called a spark as for him, everything tested ok. According to the spark, the trip was caused by the neutral within the washing machine (the spark found this out). The neutral, as I understood it from my dad explaining what the spark told him, was weakened (sheath?) and somehow was shorting to earth. Additionally, the bus bar where the neutrals attached in the consumer unit, was congested. All the neutrals came onto the one point of the bar. Combined with the failing washing machine wiring, this caused a sensitivity to a short (but it was neutral to earth, which was what my dad couldnt understand). When the wiring was spread across the bus bar, and the washing machine plugged in, it worked as it should have (the washing machine was 8 years old and subsequently replaced rather than repaired).
The spark was not surprised nor confused by it, but my father and I (I know very little to nothing about electrics) were. No failures that we understood at a basic level. Failure was caused by the sensitivity of the rcd on the neutral
(I always thought electrics would trip or 'blow' via a live short).
What I am saying is, as Macafee asks, the caravan's rcds could be less sensitive than the bollard, due to changing regs and the caravan site being extra safe.