RCD Main Switch Fault Checking

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.

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

Most Common Summer Call Outs.

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

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

1. 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.
2. 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. 
3. 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