jim1 Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I have a geist phantom rg, which has an intermittent fault. This is that it sometimes trips the site 240v supply (this has happened on more than one site) I have had my supply cable and van checked but no fault found. Has anyone else had this problem with the same motorhome ? *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnerontheroad Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 What equipment are you using on 240. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ninian Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Hi, Are you sure your just not over-loading the circuit as opposed to having a fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 A favourite irem for causing trip outs are electric kettles. Also any thing with a water heater in it (on board water heater?). If the wiring checks out you have to either test every one of the appliances to find the fault (difficult if it's intermittant) or just note what was "on" when the trip operates, and do it by elimination. The on board trip should aslo trip out but it depends on some technical specs. They might actually not trip, the site trip being faster or more sensitive. A spiders nest in a socket was the cause in one case I know of! Is any damp getting into the back of the input socket? The lead plugs/sockets are not waterproof, water will get in at times, wrap them in a polythene bag, it helps. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim1 Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 Hi Thank's for your reply. Fridge, heating, battery charger and under floor heating. But not all at once, the cause of the prob' is not that I am drawing too much power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim1 Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 Hi, Thank's for the info' I can confirm that the prob' is not caused by drawing too much power, and the input socket is dry. The spiders nest is an interesting one, we have spiders, they keep the flies etc' down, I have arranged a PAT test to be done so that may disturb a few spiders. I have also had the prob' using another cable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim1 Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 Hi, Thank's for the reply. No I can confirm that the prob' is not caused by drawing too much power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 You said you had your MH checked, by whom and using what test equipment? A multimeter is no good and you need an electrician with proper test equipment. Sounds like you have a low insulation some place with fridge being a common possibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim1 Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 Hi, Thank's for your reply. I take your point about the multimeter, it was a motorhome technician that checked the van, but I have now arranged to have a P A T test to be done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim1 Posted October 25, 2012 Author Share Posted October 25, 2012 Hi again, I forgot to say that the electrician who will be doing the p A T Test says he will not be able to test anything which has a P c b in it. This I am told will include the fridge and the heating unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sshortcircuit Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 jim1 - 2012-10-25 5:52 PM Hi again, I forgot to say that the electrician who will be doing the p A T Test says he will not be able to test anything which has a P c b in it. This I am told will include the fridge and the heating unit. He ain't no electrician as he should no how to do it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 I would guess the heater, Truma? there will be a mains connection box near unit, disconnect and try again. Presumably it does the same on 230V pluged in at home as on a campsite? Dont sound like a spark to me.. why a PAT test? insulation/continuity test more like.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebishbus Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 A prime suspect for intermittent tripping, could be anything with a heating element encased in a metal tube. When cold the earth leakage is not apparent , but can develop as the element heats up. Brian B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted October 25, 2012 Share Posted October 25, 2012 Any Tom, Dick or Harry, who has had a very basic tutorial for the equipment can perform PAT testing, so does not necessarily have to be a qualified Electrician. (unless things have changed very recently). Get a qualified Electrician or AutoElectrician to check this out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 spot on Flicka, these guys that go around PAT testing commercial buildings etc are NOT normally sparks. *-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliB Posted October 26, 2012 Share Posted October 26, 2012 I would be trying to eliminate appliance one by one. For example run the fridge on gas and see if you still get a trip out. Ditto the space heater etc. PAT or Portable Appliance Testing is a very broad term. The most basic of which is a visual inspection. This just covers a knowledgeable person looking at the cables and leads and plugs. More advanced checks include earth leakage and continuity testing etc. If you are paying for a PAT establish exactly what is being checked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim1 Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Hello all who replied to my query. The problem I had was eventually traced to :- an airflow duct had come out of one of the heater / boiler outlets, the back one. The hot air was blowing into a space where the 240v wiring / consumer unit is, as the heater got hotter and thus the wiring, this then degraded the insulation properties of the wiring causing an eventual partial failure which resulted in a trip out. Thanks to you all who tried to help. :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 jim1 - 2012-10-30 4:04 PM Hello all who replied to my query. The problem I had was eventually traced to :- an airflow duct had come out of one of the heater / boiler outlets, the back one. The hot air was blowing into a space where the 240v wiring / consumer unit is, as the heater got hotter and thus the wiring, this then degraded the insulation properties of the wiring causing an eventual partial failure which resulted in a trip out. Thanks to you all who tried to help. :-> Well done! Good job you got that sorted, as the potential for a fire from the wiring was there. Certainly wasn't the most obvious fault. Hope it wasn't too costly! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Leake Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Glad you got your problem sorted out. What many people forget is that although they have kept their current draw within limits with regard to the appliances being used the charger may cut in and send them over the limit tripping the site circuit breaker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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