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ASHP tripping electric....HELP!!!


Chriswills

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37 minutes ago, Chriswills said:

I have a sparky coming over now just to check the RCD over. If that all checks out where do I go from there?

The sparky needs the check everything, bit by bit. 

 

Start with the isolator switch and supply cable, i.e. with the supply disconnected inside the ASHP does that IR test okay?  It could be water in the isolator switch for instance.

 

Then he needs to check individual components inside the ASHP like valves, pumps, fans, compressor, sensors etc.  Test each by disconnecting them from the control boar and IR test to earth.

 

Check everything inside like control boards for any sign of them being wet in any way.

 

Right now is not the best time, a lot easier in daylight.

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10 minutes ago, Chriswills said:

Thanks guys. Seems to be all sorted. He replaced the breaker and now it’s working Ok. For now at least

Thanks.

 

I hadn't realised until I looked again that MCB and RCD are outside, forming the job of an isolator as well. It is highly likely water has got in somehow.

 

Lets hope that was all it was.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Still having problems and we thought it was all fixed. 
Still tripping at the outside wall. Sparky came around and confirmed it was the ASHP unit at fault. 
he tried disconnecting items to see if he could pin point the issue but to no avail. 
I need some help here guys please. 
He even removed the earth from the RCD, it ran a little longer but then tripped out through the neutral he said. 

Edited by Chriswills
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Start by unplugging everything inside that you can, fans, compressors, valves, sensors etc.  MAKING SURE you note what went where so it can all go back in the right place.  It won't run and it will throw some errors, but if it does not trip you are making progress.  Then put the unplugged items back one at a time until it trips and you have your likely fault.

 

You might need a better electrician?

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Just an update, I have been switching off and removing bits this morning to isolate the issue. It seems if I remove one of the compressor enabaling relays it works fine, heats up and does not trip. I thought eureka that it was a faulty relay, so put the KA6/1 into KA6/2 and it trips immediately. So I think its compressor related.

If I leave out the relay and run it, it works fine, is this advisable in the short term as the house is rather cold now?

IMG_3666.JPG

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If it "works fine" with a relay removed, something must be not working so is it really "working fine" or is it detecting a fault (e.g. no compressor) ans using a backup e.g. electric resistance heating element?

 

does it show any error with this relay removed?  Can you tell what is not operating, e.g. no compressor noise or no fans running?

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40 minutes ago, ProDave said:

If it "works fine" with a relay removed, something must be not working so is it really "working fine" or is it detecting a fault (e.g. no compressor) ans using a backup e.g. electric resistance heating element?

 

does it show any error with this relay removed?  Can you tell what is not operating, e.g. no compressor noise or no fans running?

No error with relay removed unit heats up ok. Is it safe to run with relay out?

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18 hours ago, tonyshouse said:

The inrush current on heat pumps can be very high. Different breakers are available that can cope with that 

It worked fine for 12 years so unless a motor has seized or about to die, which I don't think it has/is, then I cannot see the current suddenly increasing above the rating of the 12 year old MCB. If a higher current breaker was the fix then I would be more concerned about what was actually wrong further down the line and could the associated cabling then handle the increased current. 

 

As the OP said it ran longer with the earth pulled off the RCD this indicates leakage due to a failing components or moisture ingress. This fault, therefore, does not appear to the current related. Current and earth leakage are two different things.

 

 

 

 

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