"David" = a publicly masturbating, bloody IDIOT
** Liar - you said a "nail" !!!!!
A to E and N to E leakage currents are *cumulative* in the RCD sensor -
since A to E leakage *adds* to the total active wire current while any N to
E leakage *reduces* the total neutral wire current. The RCD senses the
difference of these currents at all times - which is simply the sum of the
two leakage currents. So testing with a 10 kohm resistor (or two )from A
to E will assess the additional margin of imbalance current allowable before
tripping - just as I said.
Now, N to E leakage current flow ( if any exists) depends on there being a
*voltage drop* along the neutral conductor - so it depends on the load
amps at any moment. Simply adding sufficient load amps will eventually cause
RCD tripping. If a load produces a current surge at switch on, like an
electric motor, incandescent lamp, TV set or large transformer does - that
will be a cause of RCD tripping.
For such tripping to happen on an *intermittent* and fluky basis, the N to E
leakage resistance needs to be in a * narrow* range so that normal loads
create only a few mA of current flow in the earth conductor and do not trip
the RCD while a surge or sufficient additional resistive load causes the N
to E leakage to exceed the RCD's threshold. This ( rare) situation should be
obvious since the RCD will only trip when certain equipment (or a
combination of equipment) is switched on and mostly at the *moment of switch
on*.
........... Phil