Category: Main Switch Tripping

Why old VOELCB must be replaced immediately in older Cyprus homes

6/1/2023

VOELCB voltage operated earth leakage circuit breakers problems Cyprus

VOELCB means voltage operated earth leakage circuit breakers, these old design of earth leakage circuit breakers are not the same as modern RCD (residual current device) circuit breakers. We still in 2023 come across Crabtree VOELCB as the only means of earth leakage protection for the entire electrical installation of now modernised and renovated homes. These VOELCB do not protect against electric shock in many cases of dangerous fault currents flowing to earth and must be replaced immediately if your home in Cyprus still has one as the main switch earth leakage device. Check your meter cabinet and if you have a black main switch VOELCB call Limassol Electrician 24/7 today for an urgent appointment to have this unsafe unit replaced with a modern RCD main switch in compliance with the 18th Edition of the wiring regulations.

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In this excellent video John Ward clearly explains the many dangers to home owners and tenants living in Cyprus homes that still have VOELCB devices fitted at the main supply.

RCD Main Switch Fault Checking

8/8/2019

Old 500ma RCD on left. New type RCBO installed by Limassol Electricians on right.

Many older Cyprus houses have a 500ma RCCB as the main switch. These devices are installed for the safety of the electricity supply and should be tested often by a experienced electrician.

What to do if the main circuit breaker to your property won't reset.
RCD, RCCB, RCBO, main switch with test button.

From all of our emergency electrician call outs across Cyprus, these are the top causes that we came across for the main switch RCD (Residual Current Device) to trip and will not reset, or keeps tripping after a short period of time.

Most Common Winter Call Outs.

Water entering consumer unit from one of the plastic electrical conduits from the roof.
Water entering wiring of poorly installed garden lighting.
Water heating element in water tank on roof has corroded and needs replacing.
RCD main switch has become faulty after tripping and will need replacing.

Most Common Summer Call Outs.

Faulty condensing unit located externally for air conditioning unit.
Faulty appliance, cookers, ovens.
Faulty swimming pool pump.
Overloaded, burnt, damaged power outlets.
Water from sprinkler system in garden entering poorly installed garden lighting.
Faulty compressor on fridge struggling to deal with summer heat.
RCD main switch has become faulty after tripping and will need replacing.

What to do if you have lost power to your home.

Check your electricity meter cupboard to see if your property is supplied by means of a main switch RCD type circuit breaker. The easiest way to identify if your main switch is a RCD, it has a small grey push button on the front of the circuit breaker marked "Test Button". If the unit has tripped you can attempt to reset it yourself, if after resetting you still have no power, you should push the test button to see if the unit trips, if it does not trip it, most likely lost power from the grid, either from a power cut or blown main fuse. We can come out and check this for you as an emergency call out. If the main fuse from the supplier has blown only the EAC (electricity authority of Cyprus) are allowed to replace it.
If you are able to reset the main switch RCD and your power stays on only for a short period of time before tripping again, it means you have leakage of current to Earth and possibly a very dangerous electrical fault. You should call our 24 hour emergency electrician phone number for advice and service. Under no circumstances should the main switch of an RCD type ever be bypassed, even as a temporary measure. Any person that offers to bypass the main RCD switch (temporary or permanent) to get your power back on is not only putting your home at risk but the lives of anyone staying there too. Despite the seriousness of bypassing a RCD main switch, we still come across many licensed electricians who are happy to do this to get the customers power back on, if these individuals truly understood the reason why Cyprus homes with a TT supply require RCD main switches, they would simply walk away and admit they cannot help you. - Because someone claims to be a licensed electrician it does not mean they are experienced enough to deal with potentially life threatening electrical faults.
If the main switch button feels lose when you push in and has no resistance, does not latch and stay in, often this will mean your main switch has broken, (mechanical failure inside the unit) and must be replaced by a Cyprus licensed electrician to restore your power supply. It should not under any circumstances be bypassed, even if only temporarily, see number 2 above. If your faulty unit is the older 500ma rated RCBO, new regulations recommend a more sensitive 300ma Type S RCD for 3 phase supplies and 100ma Type S for single phase supplies, this would be the opportunity to upgrade to the new safer RCBO type main switches. Contact us for more info.

Winter months common RCD main switch tripping faults. Rain water entering 3 phase consumer unit from broken electrical conduits leading to roof.

Water and electricity, not a good mix.

Faulty wiring and over heating swimming pool pumps.

Electrical faults in the air conditioning condensing unit (external unit often fitted the the wall or roof top).

Finding a good electrician - Read more

Why old VOELCB must be replaced immediately in older Cyprus homes

RCD Main Switch Fault Checking

What to do if the main circuit breaker to your property won't reset.
RCD, RCCB, RCBO, main switch with test button.

Winter months common RCD main switch tripping faults. Rain water entering 3 phase consumer unit from broken electrical conduits leading to roof.

Faulty wiring and over heating swimming pool pumps.

Electrical faults in the air conditioning condensing unit (external unit often fitted the the wall or roof top).

RCBO Main Switch Expert Electricians

No power due to RCBO main switch constantly tripping?

Categories

Why old VOELCB must be replaced immediately in older Cyprus homes

RCD Main Switch Fault Checking

What to do if the main circuit breaker to your property won't reset.​RCD, RCCB, RCBO, main switch with test button.

Winter months common RCD main switch tripping faults. Rain water entering 3 phase consumer unit from broken electrical conduits leading to roof.

Faulty wiring and over heating swimming pool pumps.

Electrical faults in the air conditioning condensing unit (external unit often fitted the the wall or roof top).

RCBO Main Switch Expert Electricians

No power due to RCBO main switch constantly tripping?

Categories

What to do if the main circuit breaker to your property won't reset.
RCD, RCCB, RCBO, main switch with test button.