faulty ring circuit

tootie1975 · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:24 pm Post Subject: faulty ring circuit

On testing the continuity of the downstairs ring circuit at the distribution board,I get a complete circuit. However if I test the continuity at any of the sockets I get an open circuit. All the downstairs sockets look OK. Any comments?

ricicle · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:28 pm Post Subject:

Silly question, but when you are checking at the sockets, have you reconnected in the consumer unit? (with power off!)

Is this typical of all the sockets you are testing?

Are you doing a proper ring final test or just 'end to end'?

__________________
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DESL · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 7:29 pm Post Subject:

Just how are you measuring continuity at the sockets?
Have you cross linked L & N at CU?

tootie1975 · Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:18 am Post Subject: faulty ring circuit

Yes I had re-connected the circuit at the CU. To test the ring circuit, I was testing across the two live and two neutral cables. I got the same readings at all the sockets and I am not sure what is meant by proper continuity test. I was testing end to end i.e. I separated the two cable ends at the sockets and put my meter on either end.

JohnD · Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:43 am Post Subject:

you probably have a broken ring. The test you are doing is not wrong, at any socket on a ring, there should be continuity between the two reds; and between the two blacks, and between the G&Ys (however continuity on earths is not such a good indictor of an unbroken ring, as it might be finding a path through supplementary bonding and water pipes).

If you do not find continuity, get a longish piece of wire and (with all power turned off!!) look for continuity from the terminals at the consumer unit, to each of the wires in each socket. You may find it easier to start at about the middle. Of course, you must reconnect each socket after you have tested it. Make a diagram of the house and sockets and mark what you find on each.

If you have a multimeter, measure and note the resistance you find, on each wire at each socket. You can expect the resistance to increase as you get further from the CU and nearer to the break in the ring.

p.s. It is possible that you do not have a proper ring; some of the sockets may have been wired on a radial running off the ring as a spur (this is wrong if there is more than one socket on the spur)