Method to locate a short in a cable run.

[bernardgreen]

anyone who was not confident in doing so would not even come here for any advise,

Unfortunately a lot of people who come here for advice do not have the knowledge that would tell them that they are not competent to do the work. They are not aware of the dangers / faults / errors / ommissions that an experience person is aware of. This lack of awareness creates in them a false confidence that they can do the work.

It is unfair to use your customer's situation to satisfy your desire to solve problems such as where to find the fault along the cable. If the cable is defective then it is in your customers best interests to replace the cable and not patch it with joints. You cannot tell for certain that there is just one fault, there may be others. If the cable has failed without suffering any nechanical damage then it is probable that the cable is failing from old age and / or incorrect installation. Best advice ...replace the entire run.

I like a challenge and in your position I would if possible like to find the location but only as an exercise but not as part of fault finding for the customer. I would tell the customer what was necessary to repair the installation in a safe manner. If the customer declines that advice then I would walk away from the task.

 

[deadshort]

BAS ……..

 

[DaveHerns]

Too tight to pay for a new bit of cable....

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Too tight to pay for a new bit of cable....

Certainly not scared to pay for a new cable, having spent thousands on RENOVATING his new kitchen just last year, that meant the cables and other plumbing were already there which his kitchen fitters did not have the need to touch, so they replaced old floor tiles with some real nice granite tiles, and they cost him a bomb, latest trend new kitchen units with wide drawers, fitted oven and and Microwave, and a wide 5 burner cooker hob, so he spent well over 20 grand on his new kitchen, now he does not feel good about someone having to rip his expensive granite tiles out to renew the cable, but of course he is aware and accepts that something will need doing if he wants his electric shower back, if not he has many alternatives like replumb his bathroom with hot water from his bath sink feed.

Still at an early stage and undecided what he plans to do, he has agreed with me that it would be too risky to use the faulty cable, he did not need much persuasion about the dangers of using a faulty cable.

I have also warned him against him getting some other electrician, or someone who was willing to reconnect it, I have indicated to him all the dangers of doing so, the fire risk, the electrocution risk and so on. I suggested that what he could do was to run a new cable from behind his new kitchen units as there is plenty of space for service and supplies behind units, and he would NOT need to dig out floor to run a new cable.

So we leave it at that, let him make his own decision and I have disconnected wiring altogether from the CU, removed it completely from it.

 

[Mikefromlondon]

And I totally agree with Bernard's above post. Par from he is not my CUSTOMER, Which makes far more sense than others telling me about my own competence.

 

[securespark]

I would not want to cling on to this job.

You have told him what needs to be done, leave him paperwork pointing out the dangers and walk away.

If you stay around fiddling with things, there is a risk you will be implicated if something goes wrong.

 

[Mikefromlondon]

I would not want to cling on to this job.

You have told him what needs to be done, leave him paperwork pointing out the dangers and walk away.

If you stay around fiddling with things, there is a risk you will be implicated if something goes wrong.

of course goes without saying, but as for paperwork, I no longer do any installation or such like things for a living, ifg a mate is desperate and wants me to do small bits like moving a socket etc, thats fine, no big deal there. Apart from that I have loads of my own work that is lagging behind, and I am months behind. But really appreciate what you said. and big thanks.