Earth leakage tripping. Please help

[Quintrix]

Had this issue for the last 36 hours now. Constant rain here in Centurion so suspect something outside wet - pool pump, lapa, gate motor etc

Q1: Some lights and geyser stay on when EL trips so assume fault will not be on those lines?
Q2: Turned off all trips (lives) but issue still occurs. Assume this means issue is between neutral and earth?

Upon reset I will have power for random period lasting 1 second to 8 hours. Would an electrician be able to find fault faster?

 

[krieg]

You most probably have single trip switches so the neutral is not getting disconnected, you would need to remove the neutrals one at a time to isolate. Most probably something outside getting wet.

 

[Smugs]

One thing you can try is to unplug everything in the house and reset the earth leakage and then plug each appliance in one at a time to find what's causing it to trip.

 

[Quintrix]

You most probably have single trip switches so the neutral is not getting disconnected, you would need to remove the neutrals one at a time to isolate. Most probably something outside getting wet.

This is my next step with all external neutrals

 

[Quintrix]

One thing you can try is to unplug everything in the house and reset the earth leakage and then plug each appliance in one at a time to find what's causing it to trip.

Done that but then things work perfectly for 8hours and suddenly trips again middle of the night. Was OK then tripped this morning when we started using MW but MW was used with no issue last night. And now it does not want to reset, even with MW unplugged, so leaves the question was it MW or some random timing

 

[Magnum]

This can drive you up the wall. Good luck OP. May the Force be with you.

 

[As1974a]

Had a similar issue but it was isolated plug points in the bedrooms. Only tripped when it rained. Moisture from wall dampness was getting into the old wiring of one plug point when it rained. Rewired the plugs (from DB) and no issue after that, even though the damp issue is not fully sorted.

 

[chrisc]

There is only one device that will display your problem, and that is an insulation tester

Commonly called a "Megger"

Switch off all circuit-breakers serving plugs
Test one at a time, with one probe on neutral and one probe on each wire (on the OUT terminal of the cb)

The one with the suspect insulation will show up

Remove these socket(s). Check for damaged cable or rusty plugs. Disconnect the live at the plug and check it there against neutral and earth

If plugs are looped together, it may be a cable between

 

[Jam Sandwich]

There is only one device that will display your problem, and that is an insulation tester

Commonly called a "Megger"

Switch off all circuit-breakers serving plugs
Test one at a time, with one probe on neutral and one probe on each wire (on the OUT terminal of the cb)

The one with the suspect insulation will show up

Remove these socket(s). Check for damaged cable or rusty plugs. Disconnect the live at the plug and check it there against neutral and earth

If plugs are looped together, it may be a cable between

View attachment 1287100

My dad used to have one of these back in his UK mining days...I was always in kak for playing with it!

 

[Smugs]

Done that but then things work perfectly for 8hours and suddenly trips again middle of the night. Was OK then tripped this morning when we started using MW but MW was used with no issue last night. And now it does not want to reset, even with MW unplugged, so leaves the question was it MW or some random timing

OK good luck, hope you come right.
In my case it was the actual earth leakage that was faulty... Changed it and all was good again.

 

[Stokstert]

My dad used to have one of these back in his UK mining days...I was always in kak for playing with it!
View attachment 1287364

That one should be in the Does anyone remember thread.