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Caravan RCD trip power connections

Paul R
Dear all , a holiday question


I have an acquaintance who asks why his IET 18th Edition RCD tester when plugs it in to the Local RCD (<30mA/300mS) , the primary supply RCD trips (that is further up the AC supply line) , rather than the caravan’s, so in effect nullifying the test.

Is this because the Primary Supply RCD  is monitoring a small standing current from other connections and the Local RCD needs to be tested by using the Local Earth at the unit ? ( which is not so easily accessible). 


Are there any other thoughts please ? 


Paul , Swindon LN IET. 



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  • 0
    gkenyon:


    I do, however, object to the "up/down" method being called an "N trick" - it's a procedure that's recommended in a British Standard Published Document, and in this particular case may well be safer than disabling an upstream RCD




    I don't view it as a "trick" it does however require dismantling of the installation and it cannot be done with some portable RCD devices such as plug in RCD adapters. In a BS7909 installation everything should be bench tested before going to site, so a socket without RCD protection at the back of the test bench seems the obvious answer. For several years I have tested some BS7909 distribution boards for an events company, they PAT guy does all the leads etc, but fought shy of doing the distribution boards, so I have the issue of testing RCDs in mobile distribution boards at home, where all my sockets are RCD protected. But not this year, all the events have been cancelled.


    Andy B.


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  • 0
    gkenyon:


    I do, however, object to the "up/down" method being called an "N trick" - it's a procedure that's recommended in a British Standard Published Document, and in this particular case may well be safer than disabling an upstream RCD




    I don't view it as a "trick" it does however require dismantling of the installation and it cannot be done with some portable RCD devices such as plug in RCD adapters. In a BS7909 installation everything should be bench tested before going to site, so a socket without RCD protection at the back of the test bench seems the obvious answer. For several years I have tested some BS7909 distribution boards for an events company, they PAT guy does all the leads etc, but fought shy of doing the distribution boards, so I have the issue of testing RCDs in mobile distribution boards at home, where all my sockets are RCD protected. But not this year, all the events have been cancelled.


    Andy B.


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