Oh save us from employees of a certain Gas company

[westie101]

So we had a call from a customer today, the gas man was there servicing her boiler and every time he plugged his Earth loop tester in the RCD tripped.
This he concluded was a dangerous state and that we (the DNO) should attend to sort it out.

Of course we found nothing wrong!

In the meantime we had to deal with the elderly customer who he had convinced that her life was at risk.
Oh and he did a runner without leaving any contact details!

 

[securespark]

Sounds like it could be an earth fault on the system somewhere.

Which gas co?

 

[JohnW2]

Sounds like it could be an earth fault on the system somewhere.

... or just an 'earth loop tester' which was not (at all, or set to be) 'trip-free'! I suppose the gas man should get some credit for having such a tester and trying to use it!

Which gas co?

I suspect the implication is that it is a 'non-foreign' one

Kind Regards, John

 

[securespark]

If it's a company with the same initials as a manufacturer of electrical accessories, then the gas engineers carry the socket and see type of ELI testers, AFAIR.

 

[RF Lighting]

Grittish Bass?

 

[JohnW2]

Grittish Bass?

Quite. As I said, I would imagine it's a 'non-foreign' gas company

Kind Regards, John

 

[JohnW2]

If it's a company with the same initials as a manufacturer of electrical accessories, then the gas engineers carry the socket and see type of ELI testers, AFAIR.

I presume that they're meant to be 'trip free'?

Kind Regards, John.

 

[ericmark]

My earth loop impedance tester will test sockets on one consumer unit but not the other without tripping and the RCD's are identical. It would seem the light loaded consumer unit will trip the RCD easier than the heavy loaded one.

Just one of those things we have to live with nothing wrong just one of those things but the RCD's are of 1992 era pre-electronics.

Modern RCD's present no problem only the old ones I have trip. But I was using RCD's back in late 1980's as they replaced the ELCB-v but does not really matter is gas or electric trained young tradesmen are easy caught out with the old devices.

One should see the look on the faces of the young ones when you explain what a dash pot does!

 

[securespark]

If it's a company with the same initials as a manufacturer of electrical accessories, then the gas engineers carry the socket and see type of ELI testers, AFAIR.

I presume that they're meant to be 'trip free'?

Kind Regards, John.

If they're the same as the ones I've used, yes.

But then, my Alphatek has a trip-free setting that very very occasionally trips, I think twice since I've been using it (since 2005).

Both cases were because of a fault on the install, not the tester or the incoming supply. But I can see how he may be confused.

And possibly a dicky incoming supply could cause tripping issues.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Use an ELI tester! They do not have the skill to even verify earth bonding to the pipework, if not seen at meter.
Issue a warning notice and put the willies up the occupant. (sounds a bit rude, but not intended) *******!

 

[securespark]

That's not fair. And there's no need to use language like that.

 

[Guitarguy]

These gas companies have a habit of fitting meters and then breaking our cutouts by murdering off terminal screws, breaking off sealing tabs, even cracking the whole fuse carrier in some cases. They also have a habit of condemning the cutout to a cutout change due to the presence of a access hole in the neutral cover for the PME terminal screws! Eejits

 

[ricicle]

Just to come to the defence of BG, they did some work in my father-in-law's brother's house and correctly picked up that a whole section of kitchen sockets had no earth to them.

 

[JohnW2]

Just to come to the defence of BG, they did some work in my father-in-law's brother's house and correctly picked up that a whole section of kitchen sockets had no earth to them.

I'm sure that such things are not unusual. Tarring everyone who works for one large organisation with one brush is never safe, nor fair. In fact, I would imagine that there's probably far more 'good' than 'bad'.

Kind Regards, John

 

[westie101]

OK their testing does pick up anomalies which is good

They do get the customer to report them which we feel is incorrect and the BG employee should do that (as we think any electrician should) it saves in mis information and confusion. It also gives a point of contact for claridication.
But at least it does get reported

But what they also do is put the fear of god into the customers by exagerating the situation and making it appear more dangerous that it often is in reality. The one that started this thread had an old lady in fear of actually being in her own house as she had been convinced it was dangerous by the BG employee