part p test equipment

[markthebuilder]

Need to go out and buy all the test equipment for domestic wiering rewires & new build instalations and would appreciate the advice of you lerned gentelmen that frequent this site.

Im thinking about getting the latest megga or alphatec all in one but concerned that they may not be all they are cracked up to be and end up wishing I had bought somepthing cheper .
Also thought what if i dro the thing in a garden pond or some thing , Would I be beter of having a set of 3/4 seperate testers so in theory if i do reck one replacement costs arnt going to be another masive hit on finances.
I geuse i should have a methould of proveing the instal is dead thats a littel beter than a neon screwdriver (current preferd method) and beter still one that acuratly measures the voltage??

you views, andknowlege of gear in evreyday use apreciated pluss any recomendations of makes and models



If Im liveing outside my means why arn't I haveing more fun

 

[Spark123]

Please use the spell check !!

You won't go wrong with the likes of Megger, if you want singles then that is entirely your decision, if one gets broke thats the only one you have to replace. I have the combined EFLI and RCD tester (particular model now obsolete) and a separate IR tester manufactured by megger and are sound instruments. I don't know about alphatec, iirc Securespark uses them??

 

[Paul Barker]

Megger is fine. Fluke mft is also nice to use, has one failing over the megger but I can'tr remember what that is.

Cheaper meters trip rcd's when doing Zs or Ze readings, but that just means you have to bridge them.

A cheap meter (old type Robin or something) will cost you half the price of the new fancy pants ones you are talking about.

The automatic rcd function is helpful if you are always alone, but otherwise not necessary.

The feature to test exactly at what milliamps an rcd trips may be useful the Megger has that. So you can tell the hosueholder it isn't her rcd, it's all the computer equipment and kitchen appliances with efi filters that cause a high earth leakage current under normal operation. I heard of a case where a load of rcbo's had to be purchased to fix it, cost a fortune.

If I were starting again I would just buy cheap older version seperate Robbins or something like that.

 

[Softus]

Paul Barker - I think the work you do is similar to mine, other than the fact you're an RGI and hence do gas work, so I wonder if you could tell me which qualification route you chose on the electrical side? Just Domestic Installer, or more than that?

 

[arctic]

Take a look at the Kewtech range, you can get them for a good price if you shop around.

They are the old robins.

Good testers.

 

[didthathurt]

I use a Kewtech KT61 for everyday work and certification - it does trip RCD's but that's not too much of a problem, and I find it an execellent piece of kit (tho I do wish it had a combined probe and test button facility!). I still have my old Metrohm singles and a Metrel combined RCD and Loop tester, but I use those more for fault diagnosis so don't keep the singles in calibration. The Kewtech does all of my certification work with ease and is very good VFM.

 

[slippyr4]

dunno how much you want to spend, but there's usually loads on ebay. i've seen sets of AVO loop tester + megger + rcd tester go for ~200 quid, which is hard to argue with.

 

[markthebuilder]

thanks for info looking at prices the alphatek seams a bit more expensive even with 20% off list the megga is looking favoret but Im haveing a think about the fluke and kwicktec I will try ebay for a deal befor getting the plastic out

Great site buy the way whish I had found it 4 years ago before i spent 6hrs working out how to wire an intermediate light switch. then again I didn't have a pc 4 years ago


if i wasn't;t.t dyslexic the choices in spell check would mean something

 

[Spark123]

Not getting at you personally, it can just make it hard work to read therefore you may not get the answers you are hoping for. It's the same for anyone posting in block caps.

 

[Paul Barker]

I have the megga mft from a year ago, but as the start up costs are so high, knowing what I know now I would buy the older range of kit which sells for half the price, and reset my own rcd's during the rcd test, and bridge them during the Zs tests.

I too can't use spellchecker because I wouldn't know if it had misunderstood the meaning, but I think I manage to spell OK these days. At school kids used to take my essays and read them out in the changing rooms, they found it a great source of amusement. I hadn't a clue what they were on about.

 

[industryspark]

just add my little bit,

have used the kwetech, fluke 1662(i think thats the right number!) and eventually settled on the megger mft1502. think its an excellent bit of kit.

does all the things you need, doesnt trip rcd's (unless you want it to! ) and the leads are nice, its also quite robust.

can understand the argument for seperate kit but in my line of work if i break one its the company who has to foot the bill...... lol.

you can get them pretty cheap if you shop around, got one through work for £500 including VAT.... cant remember the company name but if required will find out.

 

[securespark]

I find Alphatek OK.

To test RCD's correctly, you must disconnect them from any circuitry and test in isolation.

 

[dingbat]

Cheaper meters trip rcd's when doing Zs or Ze readings, but that just means you have to bridge them.

No, no, no, no, no, no, NO!

 

[dingbat]

Firstly, there is no such thing as 'Part P Test Equipment'. They used to refer to it as 'Sixteenth Edition Test Equipment' and there's no such thing as that either. What you're after is test equipment to BS EN 61557 and BS EN 61010, suitable for the complete range of testing required by BS 7671 2001 (as amended 2004). So, that's got that off my chest!

And, as always, it depends. A separate, basic, continuity and insulation resistance tester is always handy for the dead tests, especially if you're doing rewires in two phases - small size, simple functionality and not so much to lose if it gets damaged at that rough stage of the job. But if you're doing a lot of PIRs, or work on existing jobs you may prefer to use an all-in-one, so you always have the means of carrying out any test at any time without an extra trip to the van.

And personal preference plays a part. I have two all-in-one testers, one of which does trip RCDs on loop tests, the other doesn't and both have auto RCD tests. And I also have a separate IR/continuity tester. These instruments are cross-checked every month and the results recorded... honest!

 

[markthebuilder]

Well ended up buying a megger 1552 seams a nice bit of kit
not impressed with the instructions though did as they said to check battery level Quote "With the machine turned off" anyway nothing ---Turned it on and spotted the reading came on and there isn't a description for how to do Ze so had to work that one out
anyway wondered if anyone has any little tips for getting the best out of this thing when in use ie other funtions etc that arn;t described.
i'm new to testing as such so full descriptions please.