Weird electrical problem

[fizzy]

If the power goes off in our offices for a few seconds due to bad weather etc we get rather a strange problem. When it comes back on one of the breakers for the sockets in my own office will not reset. If I turn off the switches in the sockets (3 of them) then we can reset the breaker. Turning the sockets back on is then fine - nothing trips!
Any ideas???

 

[brightspark]

If the power goes off in our offices for a few seconds due to bad weather etc we get rather a strange problem. When it comes back on one of the breakers for the sockets in my own office will not reset. If I turn off the switches in the sockets (3 of them) then we can reset the breaker. Turning the sockets back on is then fine - nothing trips!
Any ideas???

any computers connected or anything with power supplies. initial power surge inrush current all comes on at once . and can trip individually turned on not a problem

 

[fizzy]

any computers connected or anything with power supplies. initial power surge inrush current all comes on at once

Yes but actually only 2 computers in that office - far more on the other circuits. There is also a small shredder and 2 small printers.
Basically it is impossible to reset the trip unless you turn the sockets off first. Turn them off - reset trip - then turn sockets on again.
The things connected to the sockets are attached via longish 6 way extensions but hardly any load.

 

[brightspark]

-printers and shredders have transformer based supplies and the initial load all connected is high on a b type breaker . I get it at a school I work at regular 25 computers take out a 32 amp mcb

 

[fizzy]

The other office has a lot more connected and is fine - same size breaker. Our printers and the shredder only have a laptop style psu.

 

[brightspark]

what size mcb and type also it could be weak and might need replacing

 

[WorkshopChris]

Is there anything else fed from the same breaker or on a spur maybe. Dose sound like inrush.

 

[fizzy]

what size mcb and type also it could be weak and might need replacing

The breaker is the same as the others but they are all pretty old - could well be faulty. Can't remember the size.

 

[wookie]

Turn them off - reset trip - then turn sockets on again.
The things connected to the sockets are attached via longish 6 way extensions but hardly any load.

This is VERY BAD PRACTICE but please try it just to eliminate one possibility, unplug everything on the circuit that won't allow you to reset without turning the sockets off first. Then plug in a 'new' 4way extension and then plug all the 'original' extensions into the 'new' 4way so that you can switch everything that was on the affected circuit on with just one switch.

Now try resetting the trip for that circuit both with the 4way powered and not, if you can ONLY reset with the single socket that is feeding everything turned off then the problem lies somewhere in that spaghetti mess of extensions.

Please don't leave it with extensions plugged into extensions because it's very bad practice to do so.

 

[fizzy]

I have planned to do this - when I get a chance.
Don't worry the 4 and 6 way trailing sockets are only about 9 to 12 feet long - and very light loads - less than 1kw.

 

[brightspark]

even if u plug a 4 way extension in to another one it still cannot be overloaded as the 1st one has a 13 amp fuse fitted and that limits the size of load that can be plugged in