Earth loop test by BG
- Thread starter broadway
- Start date
Sponsored Links
- Joined
- 22 Jan 2007
- Messages
- 8,310
- Reaction score
- 4,131
- Country
Dunno if it helps but they use a socket and see basic ELI tester such as this one:
http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/detai...ket & See PDL234 Plus Part P Loop Testing Kit
When I worked there, the heating guys had to do a test in every house, to check there was an earth before working on boiler etc
at the time I was told if it trips the RCD then its nothing to worry about, it means theres possibly some leakage to earth already and the meter has just put it over the edge. Whether thats right or not I dunno.
There was not proper trainning with them, and the people using them are not qualified with electrics so was a case of leaving a Saftey Advice Notice letter with the cust and let them ge tit checked by someone with a proper tester/knowledge.
http://www.socketandsee.co.uk/detai...ket & See PDL234 Plus Part P Loop Testing Kit
When I worked there, the heating guys had to do a test in every house, to check there was an earth before working on boiler etc
at the time I was told if it trips the RCD then its nothing to worry about, it means theres possibly some leakage to earth already and the meter has just put it over the edge. Whether thats right or not I dunno.
There was not proper trainning with them, and the people using them are not qualified with electrics so was a case of leaving a Saftey Advice Notice letter with the cust and let them ge tit checked by someone with a proper tester/knowledge.
sounds feasible and
Supose better to be safe and warn the customer and leave them to decide to get it checked, rather than saying nought and risk it genuinely being unsafe.
It would be better if they are supplying a service that requires electrical tests, to either train there engineers to do this tests and use the appropriate equipment or to sub-contract an competent electrician.
Sponsored Links
I feel he done the right thing.
It was a central heating contract and i feel his responsibility dont go back further than the supply fcu, he did interpret the result, thought something was amiss and advised the client.
If as an electrician you went to change a water heater or shower and found problems with the water supply, would you get involved or advise to get a plumber to check it.
It was a central heating contract and i feel his responsibility dont go back further than the supply fcu, he did interpret the result, thought something was amiss and advised the client.
If as an electrician you went to change a water heater or shower and found problems with the water supply, would you get involved or advise to get a plumber to check it.
If I was not trained in the relative services that were required by water heaters and showers, I would not sell that service to anyone and I would not be testing it, if I could not interpiate the readings I was getting or did not know how the meter and tests worked, I would not be performing those tests. As an electrician and say for example you were asked to investigate an electrical connection to a gas hob/cooker/oven. Would you be carrying out gas/combustion tests on the gas supply and appliance, if you did not know how to perform them or understand the results of that testing?
And also -
Does a central heating contract not include connections to the boiler and the rest of the system?
Do they not install new ones?
Does a central heating contract not include connections to the boiler and the rest of the system?
Do they not install new ones?
I'd rather employ someone who has the diligenge to actually bother testing for a loop at the boiler as part of their maintenance checks, and when something appears to be amiss to let me know, rather than some numpty who doesn't even bother to check.
Indeed - if those were (realistically) the only two options, it would be pretty difficult to disagree with that!
Kind Regards, John
But you would hopefully expect the engineer to know why their loop testing was causing the RCD to trip, when under normal service the circuit nor the RCD does trip.
It seem to me that this engineer has if either a high loop tester or does not know how to activate the no trip setting.
I could be wrong but that is what I am basing my replies on.
Again, the information we've be given may be wrong (at least in relation to the OP's case), but we've been told that "they use" plug-in "socket and see" testers. I really haven't a clue as to how they do their ELI testing, or whether they can (and/or do) trip RCDs - does anyone know?
Kind Regards, John
As I said in my earlier post, if that were the case, it would trip every single RCD'd circuit they tested, and they'd never actually get a loop reading. I'm sure even a plumber would work out that there's something wrong with their testing procedures.
What's more likely is there's an issue with the installation, and a low current test is still enough extra leakage to trip the RCD.
Would you rather they didn't bother checking for an effective earth at all as they're not a degree qualified electrician with 40 years experience ?After all it's not a mandatory test as part of servicing or issuing a landlords safety certificate.
I think it's good to see they are going above and beyond the requirements to try and make sure that things are safe for their customers to use.
I have no real issue with any tests being done, they check voltage as well.
Our issue is what occurs when the test is out of limits.
The voltage test uses a device that does not give a reading, just a red led if it is above a set limit (we have no idea what limit they are set too)
So the actual volts could be, say, 254 or even 260. We have no idea until we arrive to be greeted by an agitated customer who has often had the fear of god put into them about how all the wiring is going to catch fire and all the appliances blow up because the BG device has gone to red.
Of course we then have to patiently explain that the horror story they have been told is NOT the case and that there is a process to go through that does not involve correcting the situation there and then
Our issue is what occurs when the test is out of limits.
The voltage test uses a device that does not give a reading, just a red led if it is above a set limit (we have no idea what limit they are set too)
So the actual volts could be, say, 254 or even 260. We have no idea until we arrive to be greeted by an agitated customer who has often had the fear of god put into them about how all the wiring is going to catch fire and all the appliances blow up because the BG device has gone to red.
Of course we then have to patiently explain that the horror story they have been told is NOT the case and that there is a process to go through that does not involve correcting the situation there and then
- Joined
- 11 Jan 2004
- Messages
- 42,743
- Reaction score
- 2,634
- Country
There was a case when I went round to a house in Bredbury where I found a reading of 400 odd Volts and no Ze to speak of.
A colleague of yours frantically asked me to unplug everything to avoid any damage...!
I don't know any devices that go to red, though...
A colleague of yours frantically asked me to unplug everything to avoid any damage...!
I don't know any devices that go to red, though...
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
