Hi all Low Yat forumers,

I've got a electrical cable problem at home. After some diagnostic, i've concluded it's probably a short circuit with the "Live" and "Neutral" cable. I dont want to pull another cable from the socket to the Main DB. How to fix this issue? Tap from from another socket? = Not possible as I need lots of power for this socket (1hp aircond and 5 desktop pc)

Can I pump liquid cement into the piping and hope when it hardens it will form as an insulation for the cables laying inside?

Do suggest. Thanks.
Ykeong

1. Split unit Aircond (1hp) rating at 4.1 Amps
2. 5x PC (Rating of 1.5 Amp each) = 7.5 Amps

Total = 11.6 Amps. If I round it off to 15 Amps it would still be within the rating of 2.5mm gauged cables (rated at 18amps).

ELCB and MCB trip. Everytime I tries to turn the MCB on, ELCB will trip and there's (small sparks) within that MCB.

With MCB off:
- Test with multimeter (on connectivity) with L and N, it beeps.
- Disconnected every devices.
- Remove cable from socket (exposed) but not touching each other.

I'm pretty sure it's a short circuit on the cable. Question now, how can I do a quick fix on this problem without:
1. Hacking the entire wall to remove the cable
2. tap from other socket because it's either too far or not safe (due to load).

What are my choices?
1. Pull 1 new cable from DB to room
2. ???

Any advise guys?

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Added on October 25, 2011, 1:39 pmI'm most certain have to hack oledi. Here are my choices:
1. Buy 1x 40amps 3 Core Submersible Cable (farking expensive), and pull it from DB to room. Loop this cable to another 15A socket for Aircond.

2. Buy 2x 18amps 3 Core PVC cable. Pull both from DB to room. 1 for PCs and the other for Aircond.

Environment:
- to hack outdoor wall which is exposed to sun, heat and rain.
- to conceal the cable either by itself or in PVC within the hacked wall.

Problems:
- Hacking outdoor wall and plastering it back later may cause water seepage into the inner walls.
- May cut other cables along the way?
- hacking indoor not possible as it's either way too tedios or will affect too many items / concealed cables etc.

Questions:
1. Use submersible 3 Core cable or PVC 3 Core enclosed in PVC Conduit?
2. Use 1x 40amp cable or 2x 18amp cable?
3. Can I trace where the short is? any device that can tell you that?

Thanks all.
Ykeong

This post has been edited by wyekeong: Oct 25 2011, 01:39 PM

Thanks to all for your ideas. I've decided to go with the following:
1. 1x 10mm submersible cable (40amps) from DB to Room
2. Hack outdoor 1" to fit cable in 1/2" pvc conduit (not flexible)
3. To loop 1x 13Amps to 1x 15Amps plug.
4. To put in 1x 1000VA AVR on 13Amps plug point and extend out extensions to all pcs and devices.
5. To use "water proof cement" to conceal outdoor hacking

To some of your questions.
1. 3 cables LNE are used because it's easy for the electrician to loop and it's cheap also (depending on brand).
2. 3 Core 18 Amps cable are expensive. They are difficult for lighthing loop.
3. L and N short how to pull them out? Cables are concealed. I dont even know if those electrician uses the same conduit to run other cables to other location. If I tried pulling them out, I may even damage the other cables in the conduit. Besides, it's twist and turn over 20 meters.
4. I was hoping someone can tell me how to pin point the short within a concealed wall. A network cable scanner can tell you the short happen at how many meters. Wonder if they have such scanners for electrical cables . Then I dont have to hack 20m but only hack 1 place .
5. Yes, I bought the electrical and metal scanner. It will only work to about 1" depth. Insulated cables are not traceable. Hence if power cables are concealed within 1" PVC and under 1" of cement ... it's difficult to trace.

I think this should work. After much consultation, I think this is what happened. When the developer electrician pull those cables, they tend to over stretch the pvc sleeves that coat the cable hence making certain part of the cable having thin PVC. When I run the aircond + 5 pc together plus heated bricks (due to sunlight) increases the heat within the PVC conduit to more than 70 / 90 degrees celcius. Because the pvc sleeves are thin on those areas, and the load is high (15Amps), plus a sudden surge of electricity due to lightning ... it could have melted both the L and N PVC sleeves. Hence the "touch".

Thanks all.
YKeong

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Added on October 26, 2011, 5:26 pmYes, most likely. Water conducts electricity. If your cable short circuit many times it's also likely that more than 1 part of that cable that connects your water heater is already defective. My friend's water heater cable actually catch fire when he was bathing!.

You can try to remove the cables that connect to the heater, tape it off each of the cable and turn the power on. Leave it on for a few days. If your ELCB doesnt trip, that means your water heater is problematic. Get it replace before it burn your house down .

This post has been edited by wyekeong: Oct 26 2011, 05:26 PM