Will the following example trips a RCD?

[geeli]

the fact of the case is that there is a 13A switched socket outlet being protected by a 30mA earth leakage circuit breaker (ELCB)

i am thinking which of the following action will cause the ELCB to trip

1) a short length of cable to short between the earth and neutral terminal of the switched socket outlet.


2) a 100W filament lamp to short between the earth and neutral terminal of the switched socket outlet.

any advice would be appreciated.

regards

 

[johnashworth]

Unless there is already current flowing in the circuit none of the methods should trip the RCD as there would be no current flow between neutral and earth, although if there is power being used elsewhere and the neutral and earth are not at the same potential at the mains supply then some of the current could flow into the neutral to your socket and to earth when you try your methods.

 

[plugwash]

if the install is a TT or TN-S then a dead short neutral-earth is pretty much gauranteed to trip the RCD regardless of if you have any loading arround.

if the supply is TN-C-S, the rcd is close to the NE split and there is absoloutely no load on the RCD then it probablly wont trip but i wouldnt bet on it.