Earth Leakage Tripping

rh1

rh1

Honorary Master
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
13,573
Reaction score
14,396
Location
Somewhere close to you
Wife told me the geyser was using Eskom and not Solar, went to the inverter saw this Alarm was active. House at the time was on Eskom.

Alarm code active F27:

IMG_20250106_075702_762.jpg

Switch inverter and strings off and on the earth leakage tripped.

I switched all the circuit breakers off and manage to get the lights and 1 of three plug circuits on. When I switched on the second circuit breaker, the earth leakage tripped.

After a few attempts, with all the circuit breakers off, the earth leakage trips and soon as I switch the main breaker on.

Pictures of everything:
IMG_20250106_075813_072.jpgIMG_20250106_075801_421.jpgIMG_20250106_075726_843.jpg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20250106_075715_968.jpg
    IMG_20250106_075715_968.jpg
    93.4 KB · Views: 34
Zuner said:
Can you explain ?
Click to expand...
The light switch is slightly loose. So the first time I switched it on, there was no issue, so as I working through the circuit breakers, it tripped the same time as I switched the 2nd plug circuit breaker.

I found out after posting the thread. When I switched on all the circuit breakers (but did not switch the light on) and nothing tripped. Then I switched the light on and the earth leakage tripped.

This was one of my to do list, to change the switch as there was some play. So all on me.
 
What code did you type to see the kWh like this?

1736151247244.png
 
rh1 said:
The wife. She is buying units in Summer, to build up a buffer for winter. Now that we are at home, we dont really use any Eskom units.
Click to expand...
Ah ok cool thanx, Ive just not seen kWh displayed like that on my Itron pre paid meter. Also, what happens if the pre paid meter suddenly breaks and you need a new one installed? I don't think there is any way the installer can credit you back your unused units? This is why I hover ours around the 150 to 350 units at any given time
 
  • Like
Reactions: rh1
UB40 said:
Ah ok cool thanx, Ive just not seen kWh displayed like that on my Itron pre paid meter. Also, what happens if the pre paid meter suddenly breaks and you need a new one installed? I don't think there is any way the installer can credit you back your unused units? This is why I hover ours around the 150 to 350 units at any given time
Click to expand...
I told my wife not to, but she continues to buy. I gave up.
 
DrJohnZoidberg said:
Hope you wired up an earth to the new switch with its metal enclosure 😁
Click to expand...
I decided not to. The switch is below the db board, and the earth and neutral bypass the switch and goes up and behind the db board and come out at the top of wall and to the garage lights. I would have to cut the wire and hope there is enough slack to connect to the switch.


Edit: not going to lie, it does bother me. Might have to just cut it, and if too short. Just buy some cable for the earth.

Will do it tomorrow.
 
Last edited:
The solution, will cut and see if enough slack and if not, I will use one of these 3 way wago and connect the cut ends into two and one to the switch.
 
All done. I use my spirit level to ensure the inner part of the switch is dead straight as the box is skew in the wall. Bonus: the two small screws to hold the cover is aligned.
 
Lol, looks like the passage light switch is also tripping. This is a wired in a two way switch, which makes no sense, as its on the left of the bathroom doorway and the other switch is on on the right of the bathroom doorway but in the living room. The living room switch is also a two way switch for a living room light.

As much as I hate to keep the two ways, its probably going to be easier to change the switches as is than trying to find which wires can be removed without rewiring everything.

I also have to budget to get rid of all these crap light switches in the house and move to crabtree.

Picture of the light switches, the left is the passage way and bathroom, and its the one thats tripping. The right is the passage way and living room.

IMG_20250106_202235_712.jpg
 
Last edited:
Pardon my possible ignorance , but as I understand it, light switches would only have/switch live wires?

Im struggling to understand how a faulty light switch would trip the earth leakage, and not the relevant light breaker? (assuming there was a short cct or overcurrent somewhere)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter