Electrical

Outdoor lighting spur

Anonymous user 16/03/2024 - 2.46 PM

*** Thanks for thé reply Jon, can’t find a way to respond to your message. So if I am assuming right as the power has been taken from an indoor socket it has in essence simply made the circuit bigger as opposed to it being a separate one. So, even with the power off as it were it can still trip is there is an issue with the neutral to earth? It’s been problematic for years and think I am just going to rip it all out and start again. Hi, I have around 10 outdoor lights in the garden and these keep tripping the main RCD but only in wet weather. This is how the are connected; Supply is taken from internal plug ring through the wall to the outside. Of not this is not a fused spur. Armoured cable runs to whisker box which is set next to the floor but on a fence post. Cabling from whisker box goes up an enclosed pipe to outdoor switch on same fence post. Cabling comes from switch down post and around garden which lights are t’d off from at varying points for spot lights. I had an issue a few years back with the lights tripping in bad weather. I changed a couple of the outdoor lights that looked to have had water ingress but no joy. The whisker box that the armoured cable leads into what changed as there had been some water ingress, possibly owing to location close to ground and water from running down the pipe onto it as the exit hole is at the top to feed the switch above. Again no luck. I have then changed all the ‘t’ connections that the spot lights are fed from to ensure no water ingress. Again no luck. Now, I think I may have narrowed down the issue but need thoughts. Last night there was a bad storm with high winds and rain. The RCD tripped for our socket that the outdoor lights are fed from. I undid the socket and disconnect the cable for the outdoor lights and bingo, RCD no longer tripping. When the above was happening the outdoor lights were not on. Therefore the only connection is play is; Internal socket to armoured cable Armoured cable to outdoor whisker box Cabling from whisker box to outdoor light switch that was off. I will, as soon as possible, check the armoured cable for any breaks etc and will check the whisker box for any water ingress. If both are fine does anyone know what the issue may be? If it is the whisker box at fault again any suggestions on the best type? Is it okay to run outdoor lights of a socket ring without a fuse spur, would a fuse spur help it stop tripped it the RCD or would I just keep blowing fuses instead. Oh, and I didn’t install this, the house came like it. Thanks