Quick question

[pyoor_excuse]

So, we have an ancient iron. I think it’s 1960s, which is not totally ancient, but is pretty old as far as consumer electricals go. We also have a 30mA RCD. This, it turns out, is not a combination that leads to joy.

Anyone with better electronics knowledge than me have any suggestions as to how to stop our beloved iron (which I love because it just works and works and works, not like this modern crap) from tripping the RCD most times that we use it? It usually only does it once, or maybe twice, but we didn’t notice today and thus left the house (most importantly, the fridge) without power for 4 hours.

Originally published at Kates Journal. You can comment here or there.

Comments

[alex-holden.livejournal.com]

That probably means it's not very safe to use, so the ideal thing would be to fix whatever is leaking if possible. Failing that, perhaps you could power it via an isolation transformer.

[alex-holden.livejournal.com]

Nice photo, BTW.

[wibble-puppy.livejournal.com]

Seconded - love that photo, Kate

[pyoor_excuse]

Thanks :)

[pyoor_excuse]

See, I'd think that but it's been exactly the same for years, and I've encountered a lot of older appliances that seem to trip RCDs (it doesn't trip the little plug-in one, but the new consumer unit seems a lot more sensitive). I may have to give in and replace it because if something is amiss it's probably the element (or, more accurately, it will be the element because there's nothing else of it), replacing that I'd imagine would be a challenge at this point. I suppose we'll have to get some loathesome piece of modern tat :-/

[alex-holden.livejournal.com]

It's possible that the consumer unit has the same sensitivity as the separate RCD, but there are a number of devices in the house that each leak a tiny bit; not enough to trip it by themselves but the sum of all the little leaks might be pushing it close to the limit before you even plug in the iron. Switch-mode power supplies commonly leak slightly, particularly older ones.

[alex-holden.livejournal.com]

One of these lovely irons wouldn't trip the RCD. ;)