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elcb and borehole pump

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Hello

I have a problem with a newly installed domestic borehole pump. This is to replace the original pump which after 20 years has given up the ghost.

The pump appears to operate satisfactorily except that it trips the consumer unit elcb on starting and only on starting. Resetting the elcb allows the pump to run normally. The time taken to push the elcb switch back up is presumably sufficient for some transient effect to end.


The house wiring is exactly the same as for the original pump, which ran satisfactorily for 20 years.


The installer has carried out all the tests normally conducted on the pump and pump cable (continuity, insulation, running current, etc.) and claims that the pump is not faulty. Yet it trips the elcb on startup.


I will welcome any suggestions for a solution. The installer is a one man firm and is reluctant (to say the least) to change the pump.


Mike Lee
Parents
  • 0
    Hello Mike

    I came on here to ask a different borehole pump related question and found your post.

    The only similar fault I have encountered is a motor that tripped the RCD when it stopped. That turned out to be an earth leakage fault on the cable going to a limit switch. It was only when the limit switch was activated to turn the motor off that the fault occurred. Is there anything equivilent in the borehole pump,ie. something that is only in the circuit on start up?

    Is your objective is to find the reason for the problem or just to get it working? If the latter,
    • does the house wiring allow you to try a RCD with a higher rating or time-delayed?

    • are there other loads connected to the RCD that may be "leaky"?

    • I've found with PV inverters that some brands of RCD are more tolerant to the transient effects on start up than others. Wylex RCD's seem to work when brands with the same rating don't.


    Dave
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  • 0
    Hello Mike

    I came on here to ask a different borehole pump related question and found your post.

    The only similar fault I have encountered is a motor that tripped the RCD when it stopped. That turned out to be an earth leakage fault on the cable going to a limit switch. It was only when the limit switch was activated to turn the motor off that the fault occurred. Is there anything equivilent in the borehole pump,ie. something that is only in the circuit on start up?

    Is your objective is to find the reason for the problem or just to get it working? If the latter,
    • does the house wiring allow you to try a RCD with a higher rating or time-delayed?

    • are there other loads connected to the RCD that may be "leaky"?

    • I've found with PV inverters that some brands of RCD are more tolerant to the transient effects on start up than others. Wylex RCD's seem to work when brands with the same rating don't.


    Dave
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