Am I being thick??

[jiminblack]

Hi all

I'm a heating engineer and was called to a faulty boiler yesterday. On investigation found that the PCB had a few burnt components and the PCB transformer was burnt out! Fair enough, a new PCB and transformer it is then. However, looking further for a cause (this boiler is still under a year old by the way) I found with the fused spur to the boiler system off I had no voltage on the live but about 150v on the neutral. I told him he had a system electrical problem, and to get it repaired before I fit he new PCB etc. I phoned the guy up today and he had a right go at me saying he's had a qualified electrician around and no problem was found...wasted money...blah...blah. So guy's am I missing something? I always thought max allowable between Earth and Neutral was about 5V?

 

[Jim2287]

i think it usually a poor earth that gives low voltage readings .. not sure

 

[Softus]

Er, not sure whether I've seen the same effect, and not sure of the circumstances, but you're probably quite alright in the proximity of potentially fatal currents; yeah I reckon so.

Well I suppose that's good enough to be safe then

 

[jiminblack]

?????????????

 

[TopTrumper]

jiminblack
yes you are right, if just the neutral is connected it around 5volts.
Because you are round the 150v mark you do have the phase connected along the circuit.
One of the causes of this is if one end of the phase is charred (burning out) the full 230v wont get through
(neon testers make me laff at this point).
But if the guy has said a qualified spark tested this out what can you do.