Earth loop test by BG

[broadway]

We have a service contract with BG.

The last time they came they left a safety advice note for my wife that said there was a possible issue.

The report recommends contacting an approved electrician and the concern was "Earth loop tester tripping out electrics.

The only problem we have with the RCD is that if it does trip then it will not power on without turning the individual switches off. Once the power is on the switches can be turned on one after another without a problem. We had the bathroom done a few years ago with a power shower. This was 2007 and the certificate gives a figure (I assume that this is what they were trying to test) of .14 ohms.

Is this anything to worry about? Googling suggests that RCDs can trip when the test is done.

 

[RF Lighting]

If they are using a standard loop tester then it would trip the RCD, but this would be aparrent on virtually every job they went on.

I have had occasions where my meter will trip an RCD on the low current "no trip" setting. This has turned out to be on circuits where the leakage current is close to the rated trip threshold of the RCD.

It's probably nothing to worry about, but may be worth having an electrician have a look over your installation.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The only problem we have with the RCD is that if it does trip then it will not power on without turning the individual switches off. Once the power is on the switches can be turned on one after another without a problem.

Some are like that.

Older Crabtree ?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Also, it depends on what BG means by "electrics".

eg. My Metrel works fine with no trip on standard 61008 RCDs but is hopeless with 61009 RCBOs.

 

[EFLImpudence]

We have a service contract with BG.

The last time they came they left a safety advice note for my wife that said there was a possible issue.

The report recommends contacting an approved electrician and the concern was "Earth loop tester tripping out electrics.

 

[studentspark]

As stated already the RCD can easily be tripped by carrying out this test.

BG, when dealing with electrics put stickers on everything, its a corporate culture of cover their backs. They are not interested in actually seeing if there is issue, they just frighten the home owners, and off to the next job.

What were they actually doing?

 

[JohnW2]

We have a service contract with BG. The last time they came they left a safety advice note for my wife that said there was a possible issue. The report recommends contacting an approved electrician and the concern was "Earth loop tester tripping out electrics.

Yes, I also wondered about that. If it's a service contract which relates to the electrical installation, then would think that they would count as the 'approved electrician' to deal with the issue! I therefore wondered whether the service contract perhaps only relates to, say, CH, and not to the electrical installation. Mind you, judging by what we often hear about BG, even if that were the case one might have expected them to 'offer their electrical services' (for a price)!

Kind Regards, John

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

I think BG need informing that they need to know how to carry out no trip testing.
BG and electric, don't mix!, nor do BG and services contracts, I would cancel it!

 

[westie101]

Often BG use non electrically qualified technicians for a lot of their work that just have a go/no go on results.
If it is no go they then scare the customer into getting suitably qualified assistance.

We often get panicked customers on the phone after these plonkers have scared them over, faults they have found and over stated because of their total lack of electrical knowledge

 

[securespark]

They are not interested in actually seeing if there is issue, they just frighten the home owners, and off to the next job.

Not true.

 

[westie101]

Not true.

Sorry, but

Scenario 1
"That strange noise you heard from your consumer unit, I've checked it and it is fine. I'll get an electrician to call on Monday to quote to quote to replace it." (This was on a Friday)

That night, large explosion and fire.
Two fire appliances, two ambulances, 80+ year old lady in hospital due to smoke inhalation.

There had been a short on the incoming terminals that had not been visually checked, the subsequent arching burnt away approx 30cm of tails.

Incorrect advice from a person not competent to give that advice who should have stayed on site until someone qualified attended, that same day.

Scenario 2
We have never been contacted directly (in the case of a high ELI our procedures suggest it is better for this to happen, rather than get 2nd hand info from the customer) by a BG technician after finding a fault,
We have never got to site to find the BG technician there.
We have never been able to subsequently contact the BG technician to get further information that the customer is unable to give us! (or tell them they are talking a load of nonsense)

 

[DaftPunk]

Whilst it's all very easy to slag off BG, but two of my fomer colleagues, both very good electricians now work for BG.

BG are a huge organisation, and whilst they do have their shortcomings, it's unfair to say they are all clueless and shouldn't be working on electrics.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

BG are a huge organisation, and whilst they do have their shortcomings, it's unfair to say they are all clueless and shouldn't be working on electrics.

Okay they shouldn't by working on water or gas either, I can quite honestly say in my experience they generally useless as well as clueless.

 

[broadway]

I should have said it was a central heating contract. I wasn't there when they did the test so didn't see what was done. No changes to the electrics have been done since the last test. The RCD is over 25 years old so could it be their tested is only compatible with more modern units.

I think this must be a new test as I have never seen it done before. They do have a tendency to put warnings on everything to cover themselves and move the goalposts every few years.

 

[ekmdgrf]

We have a service contract with BG.

Cancel it. Stick the fees in a cookie jar for when you need some work doing.