Another leccie question

[Vernonv]

No not necessarily true Many Single Phase Motors have have double Pole Switches.... which Switch Both Active and Neutral

Yes you are quite correct if we were talking about the appliance on/off switch, but we were referring to the switching in power points (GPO's), which are normally single pole switches. We were also looking at why when a GPO was turned off that the RCD could still trip. Now if the GPO had a double pole switch and the GPO/switch was not faulty, then there is no way a faulty appliance can trip the RCD with the switch off (assuming the wiring to the GPO is correct).

[SAISAY]

These units have magnetic switches and cannot be started accidentally when the GPO is switched on.
We just remembered last night that about a month before we started having problems, we got hit by lightning twice in 10 minutes.
It triggered the RDC and blew the telly, fax and phones. Telly recoved after a couple of days but phones never did. Workshop was not connected at that time.
Maybe that is where our problems started?
Wolffie