Even if it's a plug-in oven? If so, as I asked, and BAS has subsequently asked, what other appliances do you feel call for a Zs tests on any socket into which they are (or may be) plugged?
Possibly - but, as I asked, where do you draw the line? Ah.....
So does that mean that a light bulb is the only electrical item that you feel can be replaced without the associated circuit being tested?
Indeed.
Well, I don't often get called by a customer to plug in a kettle but were they having problems with it I probably would.
In a way - the lack of earth for a pendant doesn't really matter, does it?
Sure - but we're not talking about a situation in which there was any (known) problem but, rather a situation in which the customer had brought a new appliance and wanted to plug it in. If they bought an oven and a kettle, both ~3kW and with plugs), would you feel that the circuit the oven was going to be plugged into should be tested before it was plugged in but that the (different) circuit into which the kettle was going to be plugged didn't need testing before the kettle was plugged in?
One obviously always likes to know that there is a "valid earth connection" at every point in an electrical installation at all points in time, but one could only be certain that such was always continuing to be the case if one had an EICR done at least once per day! I suppose the question is whether it is necessary to 'take the opportunity' to test the circuit just because a light or whatever 'happened' to need replacing - given that it's probably just as likely that any other circuit in the building (which you presumably are not going to test) does not have "a valid earth connection".
Exactly - I would presume that they would undertake a functional test - on a rolling road if they had one, or else on the floor with an accelerometer/whatever on the floor. That's broadly equivalent to you switching on the light, oven or whatever and making sure that it works as intended. They would presumably also notice any hydraulic leaks or damaged pipes/hoses in the vicinity of where there were working on the pads - just as you would notice and thermal damage, damaged insulation/whatever in the vicinity of where they were working. What I would not expect them to do (unless I had asked, and was going to pay for it) is to inspect (and test if/where possible) the entirety of the hydraulic system (c.f. you testing the circuit) or the ABS (a bit like you testing the RCD) etc.
If I were an electrician doing the replacement for payment, I would undoubtedly do the same as you. Even in my own home I might, but "it depends". I doubt that it would even occur to me to test a circuit before 'installing' a plug-in oven (or whatever), any more than I would before plugging in any other newly-bought appliance or gizmo, but I quite probably would test the circuit to at least some extent (maybe just Zs) for hard-wired appliances - which is not particularly logical or consistent. However, my situation is probably rather atypical, in that my installation is subjected to at least some "I&T" probably far more frequently than is common, so that I will often have the knowledge that the circuit has been tested relatively recently.
As JW2 says, it's just as likely that there could be the identical fault at a socket right next to the FCU. More likely, in fact, because at least with the FCU you'd be unscrewing it, and doing a visual inspection, and probably a tug/wiggle on the conductors.
I think that far more involved than turning on the light - far more than checking Zs.
I had not mentioned RCD testing but I would do that - unless the customer did not want other circuits to be disconnected.
For the simple reason that you may have disturbed the wiring when connecting to the FCU and you need to check that the appliance is satisfactorily connected.
OK - that's a valid point.
Then logically you should be telling DIYers that they should not even plug an oven in unless they can carry out those tests.
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