RCD· Nuisance Tripping· Reviewed June 2026

Why does my RCD trip in the middle of the night?

Quick answer

Usually caused by a fridge, freezer, or immersion heater switching on automatically. The element may be developing a fault that only appears under load.

🏠Homeowner view

Several appliances in your home switch on and off automatically at night — fridges, freezers, and immersion heaters are the most common. If one of these has a developing fault, it will trip the RCD every time it cycles on. Try turning off the immersion heater at its spur switch overnight. If the tripping stops, the immersion heater element is likely failing and needs replacing. For fridges and freezers, try plugging them into a different circuit temporarily. Never leave a repeatedly tripping RCD unattended — if the fault is in a fridge or freezer, the appliance itself may also be at risk of failure.

Need more detail? Choose a view: