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Tripping RCD after smart meter install

Stewart Mason
I got called to a property today. The RCD had started tripping after a smart meter was installed. The insulation resistance between line and cpc was over 300 Mohm on all circuits. The RCD was an MEM unit in a memera 2000 consumer unit.


Whilst at the property the RCD did not trip. I did a google search and one result suggested the RF from the smart meters transceiver was upsetting the RCD. When the smart meter was first energised I guess it starts communicating with the supplier causing said RF.


We have had 3 properties now all with MEM RCD's which have started tripping after smart meters have been installed, normally in the early hours of the day.


Just wondering if anyone else has experienced of this issue?
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    To be honest that is even sillier, as there the thing that has to radiate for its correct operation is being screened.

    There is power control in the Wi Fi spec, so it will jack the transmit power up to compensate for the loss of signal path as much as it can but of course the ultimate range will be compromised.

    Aluminium foil is a hard material to use for screening, as it is difficult to get a continuous seam contact ,and in the end you may well have lots of accidental long thin apertures.

    At 2Ghz or so a wavelength is  ~ 6 inches (150mm) and to avoid ingress contact points at any seam should be no more than a tenth of a wave apart , ( 15mm) ideally closer.

    Nicer materials can be welded or soldered along the seams, or closed with fine spaced finger stock.

    Tin cans solder up especially well, and can provide  >120dB of shielding ( better than 1 million to 1 ratio of the fields inside versus outside) when sealed up correctly. Of course as soon as you make a hole in it to get wires in or out you have lost most of that.



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  • 0
    To be honest that is even sillier, as there the thing that has to radiate for its correct operation is being screened.

    There is power control in the Wi Fi spec, so it will jack the transmit power up to compensate for the loss of signal path as much as it can but of course the ultimate range will be compromised.

    Aluminium foil is a hard material to use for screening, as it is difficult to get a continuous seam contact ,and in the end you may well have lots of accidental long thin apertures.

    At 2Ghz or so a wavelength is  ~ 6 inches (150mm) and to avoid ingress contact points at any seam should be no more than a tenth of a wave apart , ( 15mm) ideally closer.

    Nicer materials can be welded or soldered along the seams, or closed with fine spaced finger stock.

    Tin cans solder up especially well, and can provide  >120dB of shielding ( better than 1 million to 1 ratio of the fields inside versus outside) when sealed up correctly. Of course as soon as you make a hole in it to get wires in or out you have lost most of that.



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