> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://learning.kent.co.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Nuisance Tripping: RCD or Breaker Trips at Outages

> RCD or ELCB trips at outages, dew mornings, or backup tests — neutral-earth behaviour, PV insulation, device type, and what to record and escalate.

Your goal is to identify what is causing the trip and fix it properly — never bypass the protection to restore power. A trip is information; read it before anything else.

**Symptom:** the site's RCD or ELCB (or a breaker) trips at grid outages, on dewy mornings, during the backup test, or seemingly at random.

<Warning>
  **Never bypass, bridge, or remove an RCD to "get it running".** Protection stays in the circuit — full stop. Bypassing an RCD is a stop-work condition, not a workaround.
</Warning>

## Check first

1. **When exactly does it trip?** Outage-linked → investigate neutral–earth voltage shift in backup. Dewy mornings → investigate PV insulation. Under one specific appliance → investigate that appliance. Random → measure, don't guess.
2. **Which device trips** — the main RCD, a sub-circuit RCD, or an MCB? An MCB trip is overcurrent, not leakage — this is a different flow. For MCB trips, follow [Backup Not Working](/troubleshooting/backup-not-working).
3. **Record the N–E voltage** in both grid-connected and backup states before any other action. Kent service will ask for this reading.

## Causes

| Cause                                     | How to confirm                                                                                                                               | Fix                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| ----------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Neutral–earth voltage shift during backup | RCD trips **only** when grid drops or returns; N–E voltage changes between grid and backup states                                            | Bonding scheme confirmation is pending — record N–E readings in both states, wire the backup PE exactly per the platform AC page, and escalate the pattern with those readings attached |
| PV insulation low in damp conditions      | Faults cluster on dew or rain mornings; Kent M1: **E304** (leakage current) / **E305** (rainy-day ISO) · Kent G3: **ILeak-PRO / PV ISO-PRO** | Insulation-test the strings; locate the wet connector or chafed cable; E305's own on-screen guidance covers the drying-out process                                                      |
| RCD type or rating mismatch               | Trips with no measurable leakage current; device nameplate doesn't match Kent guidance                                                       | Approved RCD types and ratings per Kent SKU are under confirmation — do not swap protection devices ad hoc; escalate with the device nameplate photographed                             |
| Genuine leakage on a load circuit         | Isolating individual circuits by sectionalising identifies the tripping circuit                                                              | Fix the appliance or the circuit wiring — this is not an inverter matter                                                                                                                |
| Overcurrent, not leakage                  | The tripping device is an MCB, not an RCD; clamp confirms excess current                                                                     | Load sizing and backup rating — follow [Backup Not Working](/troubleshooting/backup-not-working)                                                                                        |

<Warning>
  **Pending Kent validation.** \[KNB-VAL-04]
  The neutral–earth bonding scheme in backup mode and the approved RCD types and ratings per Kent SKU are under confirmation with Kent engineering. Until published here: wire PE and backup earth exactly per the platform AC pages, **record N–E voltage in both grid and backup states** on every affected site, do not change protection devices ad hoc, and escalate persistent outage-linked tripping with those readings attached.
</Warning>

## Escalate when

* Outage-linked tripping persists on a site wired exactly per the platform AC pages — send N–E readings, the RCD nameplate photo, and a trip log to Kent.
* Leakage-class faults persist after the strings insulation-test clean and all connectors are verified dry and undamaged.
* Anyone proposes removing or bypassing the RCD "for now" — this is a stop-work condition, not a negotiation.

<Note>
  **Escalate to Kent New Energy service only** — through your registered Kent partner channel or the Kent service desk details on your work order. Do not contact any third-party or component-manufacturer support line for a Kent-branded system: tickets outside the Kent channel are not tracked, not covered, and can void warranty handling.
</Note>

## Related pages

* [Kent M1 AC Wiring](/m1/ac-wiring)
* [Kent G3 AC Wiring](/g3/ac-wiring)
* [Backup Not Working](/troubleshooting/backup-not-working)
* [When to Escalate](/troubleshooting/when-to-escalate)