Installation Tester (16th Edition)

[DavePrior]

Hi,

Need advice and guidance please. Newish to electrics, have done C&G 2381, 2377 and just doing 2391 so I understand some of the basics. Getting Part P reg'd soon hopefully, so I'm now looking for some relevant test equipment.

I know there's an existing thread on this, but it's fairly old now and things will have moved on (I hope).

I renovate houses, so all my work will be domestic installs. I doubt that I'll do much electrical work outside that (like simple domestic stuff for paying customers), but you never know. I'm very very aware that a few C&G courses do not make me a spark.
So, infrequent use relative to some of you guys, single phase only, probably never come across an RCD more than 30mA.

What do you recommend ?

 

[Spark123]

Megger (was AVO) or Fluke, Robin aren't too bad either (I think robin+fluke are same co). I have not had much experience of the multi testers yet, I use a combinations RCD&EFLI Megger and a separate Megger IR tester. The megger efli tester has a low current test which doesn't trip RCDs, whereas the robin D-Lok will trip electronic RCDs such as some RCBOs.

 

[RF Lighting]

We have a couple of Alphatec multi testers (Earth loop including non rcd trip, full rcd tests, I.R. and continuity) all in one machine. It is not a bad tester for the price (Around £350 IIRC) but personally I prefer the Fluke milti testers

 

[securespark]

We have a couple of Alphatec multi testers

I use those too. But you have to be careful with the auto test. Run the test on the RCD in isolation, not from a socket outlet. If you run it from a S/O, very often you will find stuff in circuit makes the A/tek give inaccurate results. Sometimes it will fail the test altogether.

Also, it does not like the older RCD's. Maybe this is true of all testers, I don't know. If you do run the test from a S/O, I have to either run the autotest and switch off all the circuits in the house except the one used otherwise the RCD will not reset, or use the individual RCD setting.

Also, I have discovered that circuits with N/E faults can cause 1x test to fail. That's another story.....!

 

[RF Lighting]

Which model do you have? I have not noticed a problem with mine but I will have a play tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[Jim2287]

http://www.megger.com/uk/products/ProductDetails.php?ID=239&Description=

pretty expensive, but all tests in one piece of equipment

 

[DavePrior]

Cheers guys....

What about the Megger MT1502 ? Your views ?

 

[Adam_151]

What about the Megger MFT1502 ? Your views ?

Probably just about the only tester I have only heard positive things about, but it does lack auto RCD test, so if this is important to you then look at the 1552 ? (but its probably easier to test the RCD standing at the board)

Probably what I'll end up with myself with when I set up*

*(starting 2330 in sept, going to get my 2381 exam done with the IEE sometime, and then see if I can do the 2391 course alongside the 2330)

 

[Spark123]

You should be able to do C&G 2381 at college, basically if you have some background knowledge and can read the iee regs you can pass it. *just a thought does 2330 include 2381?

 

[DavePrior]

Nice one Adam - good answer since I just bought one on Ebay !

Good luck with the 2381 - I found it OK, just a case of knowing where stuff is in the book.

Got my 2391 exam in 3 weeks......

 

[DavePrior]

One of the lads on my 2391 course did an apprenticeship, which included either 2330 or 2360, but either ways he didn't have to do a 2381. Worth checking with your lecturer !

 

[Spark123]

Just looking at the info for the MFT1552
http://www.megger.com/uk/story/Index.php?ID=170
It looks like a good piece of kit, it also has RCD ramp test which is a handy function for assisting fault finding dodgy RCDs.

 

[DavePrior]

Guys - many thanks....

 

[Adam_151]

I'm pretty sure the 1502 has ramp as well, its just automated rcd test that it lacks

 

[Spark123]

I'm pretty sure the 1502 has ramp as well, its just automated rcd test that it lacks

You're right it does, for some daft reason I was thinking it hadn't
Good feature to have anyhow...