Iron tripping mains switch

[Ivan]

I wonder if anybody could shed some light on a problem I'm having.

This afternoon I went to use the iron and when I plugged it in the trip
switch on the right hand side of the mains box marked "Main switch for RCD
circuits" went off. After a couple of tries I turned off everything I could
find on the downstairs sockets and tried again. No go. So I tried an
experiment, switched on the stereo + tv and turned them up full blast,
boiled the kettle and turned the computer on with all of the attatched
gizmos. I thought that this might cause the same problem but no problems
until I plugged the iron in.

So my question really is, do I need to buy a new iron or is it something
more sinister???

Thanks in advance

Ivan

 

[daestrom]

I wonder if anybody could shed some light on a problem I'm having.

This afternoon I went to use the iron and when I plugged it in the trip
switch on the right hand side of the mains box marked "Main switch for RCD
circuits" went off. After a couple of tries I turned off everything I could
find on the downstairs sockets and tried again. No go. So I tried an
experiment, switched on the stereo + tv and turned them up full blast,
boiled the kettle and turned the computer on with all of the attatched
gizmos. I thought that this might cause the same problem but no problems
until I plugged the iron in.

So my question really is, do I need to buy a new iron or is it something
more sinister???

Thanks in advance

Isn't 'RCD' another form of Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter? If so, then
it isn't the amount of current being drawn, but the fact that some is
'sneaking' out to a ground. Most likely the iron has a fault of some sort
that is causing it to trip.

'boiling the kettle' would certainly draw more current (or at least as much)
as the iron. But if you're talking on the cooktop, then that is probably a
different circuit.

daestrom

 

[St Dom]

It seems like you iron has a live/earth or neutral/earth fault

 

[Andrew Gabriel]

I wonder if anybody could shed some light on a problem I'm having.

This afternoon I went to use the iron and when I plugged it in the trip
switch on the right hand side of the mains box marked "Main switch for RCD
circuits" went off. After a couple of tries I turned off everything I could
find on the downstairs sockets and tried again. No go. So I tried an
experiment, switched on the stereo + tv and turned them up full blast,
boiled the kettle and turned the computer on with all of the attatched
gizmos. I thought that this might cause the same problem but no problems
until I plugged the iron in.

So my question really is, do I need to buy a new iron or is it something
more sinister???

Your iron is leaking to earth.
Chuck it out (and destroy it so no one else can attempt to use it).
It would cost more to get repaired and tested than buying a new one.

 

[Denis]

I am just trying out the Newsgroups.
Want to see if it works for me.

 

[Ralph K]

Buy a new iron. If it still does blows the breaker, which I doubt then
return the iron and call a qualified electrician.