Another village hall test

[SUNRAY]

In stage lighting there is every need to split the load over two rcds, for obvious reasons. DBO

DS

Eh???

Oooh perhaps you need to advise the touring shows.

100KVa generator, single RCD...

Lights, sound, the lot

That's where I enter with a battery powers PA and some horns...

 

[deadshort]

Oooh ?

DS

 

[SUNRAY]

Oooh ?

DS

Which part is so amusing?

 

[Adam_151]

Eh???

Oooh perhaps you need to advise the touring shows.

100KVa generator, single RCD...

Yes, but its normally an adjustable earth leakage relay that operates a shunt trip on the output MCCB, if its set up properly it should never go, save for some catasphoic occurance on the distribution, anything else should take out a local 30mA rcbo (provided of course, its double pole as it should be.....)

 

[SUNRAY]

Yes, but its normally an adjustable earth leakage relay that operates a shunt trip on the output MCCB, if its set up properly it should never go, save for some catasphoic occurance on the distribution, anything else should take out a local 30mA rcbo (provided of course, its double pole as it should be.....)

OK I take your advice on this one as it's not my domain.
I install battery powered PA systems, which is completely independent of any mains supply, at 2 local councils approved concerts as a back-up system. Both councils insist on the presence of such a system under H & S and it is tested for performance during final inspection prior to issuing final paperwork, it is also tested by making an announcement to the full crowd prior to each performance.
The reason both councils insist on this is both have experienced concerts on their patch where total power loss has occurred in wet weather. The expression RCD is regularly used by both councils in this matter and I can only go by what they say.

 

[SUNRAY]

Well work creation has been mentioned and just as I thought, he was keen to get back in to do the 17th up-grade. 0800 I received a phone call asking if I could open up. The alarm told me it was 08:34 when I let a different electrician in, actually the person who originally installed the system. He seemed much friendlier and chatty so I asked why the metal Merlin DB with 80A isolator and 3 20A RCBO's needed upgrading.

I was surprised, and if I'm honest a little disturbed with the answer, the DB is fine in itself, when it was originally installed it was on a B32 MCB in the main board [still there marked spare] and somebody [not the electricians] had moved it to the spare C63. Potential load on the board is currently 6x13A=78A but limited to 60A by the RCBO's which has changed from 3x13A=39A [checked the spoiled DSSO's and they are marked 'total load not to exceed 13A'].

By this time I felt some real excreta of the bovine origin was about to be delivered.

But the feed from the C63 is 6mm² so the potential current had to be limited with16A RCBO's.
But they went for the cheaper option of up-grading to 16mm² singles.

By 09:00 the work was done, tested, certified, invoiced and paid and the womens group were turning up for their 09:30 meeting.

I apologised for not being able to make him a cup of tea as we had no leccy.

Fair play to them, personally I'd have said this was unacceptable before the sockets were changed, I'd had suggested changing the C63 to something smaller but this is the nicer option.

 

[securespark]

So, a very misleading quote.

Why didn't the quote state the precise work needed?

 

[SUNRAY]

So, a very misleading quote.

Why didn't the quote state the precise work needed?

 

[SUNRAY]

So, a very misleading quote.

Why didn't the quote state the precise work needed?

I haven't seen the email, only had part of it read out over the phone but as I understood it, it says up-grade DB to 17th edition, it did not break down materials and labour AWAIA.
The invoice says:
"To bring sub main supply to stage lighting up to current regulations, test and certify:
Materials, 16mm cable 3 @ £1.00 3.00
Labour, 0.5 @ £48.00 24.00"

 

[JohnW2]

The invoice says: "To bring sub main supply to stage lighting up to current regulations, test and certify:
Materials, 16mm cable 3 @ £1.00 3.00
Labour, 0.5 @ £48.00 24.00"

Oh - so they were only talking about 'upgrading' the feed to the DB, not 'upgrading' the DB itself?

Kind Regards, John

 

[SUNRAY]

Oh - so they were only talking about 'upgrading' the feed to the DB, not 'upgrading' the DB itself?

Kind Regards, John

That is the outcome but the initial verbal comments appeared to be around up- grading the board to 17th and I am suspicious that the intention was to change the board.
Anyway I'm happy with the outcome, I would have put this into action myself if I'd known.

 

[333rocky333]

Labour 1/2 hour dont seem much, with our firm it takes longer doing, risk assessment sign in sign out, work sheets etc, let-alone doing any actual work

 

[SUNRAY]

Labour 1/2 hour dont seem much, with our firm it takes longer doing, risk assessment sign in sign out, work sheets etc, let-alone doing any actual work

I appreciate all of that Rocky, some of the sites I've worked of takes >1 hour to gain access then inductions etc...
In this case he is familiar with the site, the pile of test sheets etc shows that and he installed this CU.
Van pulled up same time as me, I unlocked and by the time I'd disarmed the alarm he had the lid off the CU.

 

[333rocky333]

I appreciate all of that Rocky, some of the sites I've worked of takes >1 hour to gain access then inductions etc...
In this case he is familiar with the site, the pile of test sheets etc shows that and he installed this CU.
Van pulled up same time as me, I unlocked and by the time I'd disarmed the alarm he had the lid off the CU.

Was not knocking him, fairplay if hes happy to work for that, considering from the earlier posts where people tended to think he was trying it on, it seems hes proberly owed an apology

 

[SUNRAY]

Was not knocking him, fairplay if hes happy to work for that, considering from the earlier posts where people tended to think he was trying it on, it seems hes proberly owed an apology

Yes I definitely thought he was trying it on [well his colleague] on Saturday, and if I'm honest I still think he was trying to replace the CU but I suspect from the way the conversation went he realized I was questioning his recommendations.
The company are the preferred contractors by the hall and they insist the AmDrams kit is inspected by this company everytime it's installed [at the AmDrams cost of course] so it's in their interest to not take advantage.
Added to that he was on the phone at 8am on the next working day, I suspect they may not have been too busy. I think the company consists of a co-op of about 4 guys or something along those lines as they don't appear to have any office.

As I wrote earlier I'm very happy with the final result and yes I realize we have a bargain, I'd have put this right myself if I'd known what was there. I'm not quite comfortable with the explanation of why they hadn't changed it before though.