I have a MK RCD single 13A outdoor socket which has ceased working after 
about 18 months.

It just trips out even if there is nothing plugged in.

There's nothing obviously wrong - it's dry and the sealed front cover is 
always kept shut.

It cost me 60 so I'm disappointed to have this problem after such a short 
time.

Does anyone know if these are repairable/serviceable or is it best to bin it 
?

Any help/advice will be much appreciated.

"Mackem"  wrote in message
news:CpSdnUt2isdQ9-PfRVnyuQ@pipex.net...

> I have a MK RCD single 13A outdoor socket which has ceased working after
> about 18 months.
>
> It just trips out even if there is nothing plugged in.
>
> There's nothing obviously wrong - it's dry and the sealed front cover is
> always kept shut.
>
> It cost me 60 so I'm disappointed to have this problem after such a short
> time.
>
> Does anyone know if these are repairable/serviceable or is it best to bin
it
> ?
>
> Any help/advice will be much appreciated.
>
>


They aren't readily repairable I'm afraid to say.  The only advice I would
give you, is to replace the external socket with a plain, non-RCD type, then
install a separate RCD device internally to control it.  I have found that
these RCD's are not very good at dealing with extremes of weather and
temperature conditions, and they do become weakened very prematurely.

In the five or six I have installed in just the last couple of years, four
have gone belly up already.  A fifth one I remedied myself, before getting
the call to go repair it.  I replaced all with plain, non-RCD sockets.  Just
waiting for next year to arrive, just to see if this does really help, but
we live in hope.  :-)

In article ,
	"Mackem"  writes:

> I have a MK RCD single 13A outdoor socket which has ceased working after 
> about 18 months.
> 
> It just trips out even if there is nothing plugged in.
> 
> There's nothing obviously wrong - it's dry and the sealed front cover is 
> always kept shut.
> 
> It cost me 60 so I'm disappointed to have this problem after such a short 
> time.


To rule out water having got inside somewhere you can't see, take the
socket off, and leave it in the airing cupboard for a few days (without
the back box on it). Make sure you have disconnected the outdoor supply
indoors, so the wires are not live, and make the exposed wiring and box
waterproof whilst it is missing the socket. However, if this fixes it
implying water had got in and caused the problem, you shouldn't use the
RCD socket again for real without at least checking it with an RCD
tester to ensure it's calibration has not been affected.

Did you remember to drill a condensate drain hole in the bottom of the
box? Was there any sign of condensation when you removed the socket
from the back box?

Some RCD's will also trip in the event of various supply problems
such as disconnected earth, disconnected neutral, live/neutral
reversed. Might want to check for any of these too.


> Does anyone know if these are repairable/serviceable or is it best to bin it 


Not repairable at all, and deliberately so.
Much of the MK range has long manufacturers guarantees, so you might
want to check if it is covered by that.

For future reference, the RCD for my outdoor RCD protected sockets
is indoors in the dry. (Actually, it's an RCBO in the consumer unit).

-- 
Andrew Gabriel

Andrew

Many thanks for that info.

I'll try the warranty aspect with MK first.


"Andrew Gabriel"  wrote in message 
news:4280ecf5$0$38040$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...

> In article ,
> "Mackem"  writes:
>> I have a MK RCD single 13A outdoor socket which has ceased working after
>> about 18 months.
>>
>> It just trips out even if there is nothing plugged in.
>>
>> There's nothing obviously wrong - it's dry and the sealed front cover is
>> always kept shut.
>>
>> It cost me 60 so I'm disappointed to have this problem after such a 
>> short
>> time.
>
> To rule out water having got inside somewhere you can't see, take the
> socket off, and leave it in the airing cupboard for a few days (without
> the back box on it). Make sure you have disconnected the outdoor supply
> indoors, so the wires are not live, and make the exposed wiring and box
> waterproof whilst it is missing the socket. However, if this fixes it
> implying water had got in and caused the problem, you shouldn't use the
> RCD socket again for real without at least checking it with an RCD
> tester to ensure it's calibration has not been affected.
>
> Did you remember to drill a condensate drain hole in the bottom of the
> box? Was there any sign of condensation when you removed the socket
> from the back box?
>
> Some RCD's will also trip in the event of various supply problems
> such as disconnected earth, disconnected neutral, live/neutral
> reversed. Might want to check for any of these too.
>
>> Does anyone know if these are repairable/serviceable or is it best to bin 
>> it
>
> Not repairable at all, and deliberately so.
> Much of the MK range has long manufacturers guarantees, so you might
> want to check if it is covered by that.
>
> For future reference, the RCD for my outdoor RCD protected sockets
> is indoors in the dry. (Actually, it's an RCBO in the consumer unit).
>
> -- 
> Andrew Gabriel 

I called MK and they said to send the Socket back to them and they would 
either repair or replace FOC.

When I took it off the wall it was extremely wet inside but after drying it 
out overnight it still didn't work so it's now on it's way back to MK 
technical sevices.

The drain hole was clear but the inside of the box was generally wet.


"Mackem"  wrote in message 
news:COqdnTAVF6EIVxzfRVnygw@pipex.net...

> Andrew
>
> Many thanks for that info.
>
> I'll try the warranty aspect with MK first.
>
>
> "Andrew Gabriel"  wrote in message 
> news:4280ecf5$0$38040$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...
>> In article ,
>> "Mackem"  writes:
>>> I have a MK RCD single 13A outdoor socket which has ceased working after
>>> about 18 months.
>>>
>>> It just trips out even if there is nothing plugged in.
>>>
>>> There's nothing obviously wrong - it's dry and the sealed front cover is
>>> always kept shut.
>>>
>>> It cost me 60 so I'm disappointed to have this problem after such a 
>>> short
>>> time.
>>
>> To rule out water having got inside somewhere you can't see, take the
>> socket off, and leave it in the airing cupboard for a few days (without
>> the back box on it). Make sure you have disconnected the outdoor supply
>> indoors, so the wires are not live, and make the exposed wiring and box
>> waterproof whilst it is missing the socket. However, if this fixes it
>> implying water had got in and caused the problem, you shouldn't use the
>> RCD socket again for real without at least checking it with an RCD
>> tester to ensure it's calibration has not been affected.
>>
>> Did you remember to drill a condensate drain hole in the bottom of the
>> box? Was there any sign of condensation when you removed the socket
>> from the back box?
>>
>> Some RCD's will also trip in the event of various supply problems
>> such as disconnected earth, disconnected neutral, live/neutral
>> reversed. Might want to check for any of these too.
>>
>>> Does anyone know if these are repairable/serviceable or is it best to 
>>> bin it
>>
>> Not repairable at all, and deliberately so.
>> Much of the MK range has long manufacturers guarantees, so you might
>> want to check if it is covered by that.
>>
>> For future reference, the RCD for my outdoor RCD protected sockets
>> is indoors in the dry. (Actually, it's an RCBO in the consumer unit).
>>
>> -- 
>> Andrew Gabriel
>
> 

New Socket received today.
Can't speak more highly about service from MK.
Many thanks to Andrew Gabriel for pointing me in the right direction.

"Andrew Gabriel"  wrote in message 
news:428fc187$0$38041$5a6aecb4@news.aaisp.net.uk...

> In article ,
> "Mackem"  writes:
>> Next instalment:
>>
>> MK received my RCD socket and have agreed it's faulty and as it's not
>> repairable they are sending me a new one FOC.
>
> Good.
>
>> Impressive service !!
>
> I've never needed to return anything to them, but when I've spoken to
> their technical department about anything, they've always been helpful.
>
>> "Mackem"  wrote in message
>> news:IL-dnfcNSrsMNh7fRVnytA@pipex.net...
>>>
>>> The drain hole was clear but the inside of the box was generally wet.
>
> You might want to work out why and fix that before refitting.
>
> -- 
> Andrew Gabriel