Posted 3 days ago

Electric Power break socket keeps tripping

Hello, hoping someone can help

We got a used Beko freezer for the store room. It keeps tripping the power breaker socket as soon as I plug-in.
When connected to a normal wall socket in the house, it works (freezer turns on)

How to solve this?

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  1. Willy_Wonka's avatar
    Open up the plug & check the wiring first. Then if that is ok & it still trips then you open up the socket & check that wiring. If that is ok then you stop right there. (edit: you might also want to invest in a socket tester to double check)

    Unless you want to learn how to test for an earth leakage & actually do that properly next then you should not do anything else.

    It is the third thing to be done.

    You can get a PAT tester to do it which you could hire from a Plant Hire shop. You want an automatic tester where you take the socket & plug it in to the tester & put the probe or crocodile clip on some bare uncoated metal & just press the earth test button. That is the easiest option.

    You can do it with a multimeter but I wouldn't advise it if you are asking what to do.

    If the earth test is OK then it gets complicated. (edited)
  2. hubcms's avatar
    If your main consumer unit has an RCD, and you then plugging the fridge into an RCD socket that could be your problem. You need to replace the socket with a standard one as the outlet is too sensitive.
  3. wayners's avatar
    So it's the socket in the store room that's the problem?
    Freezer works in other sockets no problem?

    You've answered your own question. Wall socket has a problem.

    Could be wired incorrectly.
    Could be loose wires. Remove then place back and tighten.
    Basically reseating wires.
    Could be the socket burnt out and needs replacing which will cost £5.

    Also check isolation switch in store room if you have one. That a switch on wall that cuts power to socket. They burn out if wires are loose (edited)
    playdumb's avatar
    Author
    Thx for the replies all.

    Yes, freezer works (>5mins) when connected to a wall socket in the house. The store room wall socket (shown in the OP pic) is ~25y old. The same store room socket has another fridge + 2 table lamps which work fine even turned on simultaneously :/
    I have checked the freezer plug, wiring looks okay to me. As @hubcms says maybe the socket is too sensitive.
    A 180W freezer shouldn't trip a circuit breaker
  4. Chiptivo's avatar
    Socket in the store room will have a Neutral to Earth short or wires incorrect, Neutral and earth switched.

    That's my guess.
  5. wpj's avatar
    Could be too damp in that room at the moment; I had a new double oven which kept tripping the breaker. Eventually sorted by removing the earth connection(!!! YouTube) and putting it on full power with both ovens for a few hours. I found out that it had been stored in a non-heated environment and had picked up a lot of moisture in the insulation material.
    Willy_Wonka's avatar
    I take it you replaced the earth connection & you just forgot to mention it
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