testing

[b21playa]

Hi all, new to the forum.

looking to buy a house which needs work doing to it inc new wiring and thought of doing it myself, well part of it.

thought id wire all mains sockets in ring and lights but leave main connection to a pro, well connection to main electric meter (i pressume npower or whoever come and do this?)

whats the best way to test to make sure all is ok?

i mean i know i can put a multimeter over each wire on a ring to make sure no broken joints, but how can i make sure there is no shorts, etc?

any help appreciated, i understand alot of electricians hate diyer's but weighing up the costs, its something id rather do myself, could wire a house for £500 (parts).

thanks

 

[Cork]

b21playa Best duck now, you're lucky you have a PC in front of you and are not face to face. They are going to eat you alive

Now boys be nice

 

[Steve]

b21, contact an electrician first. many wont touch diyers work, let alone sign it off. You may be best lifting boards, chasing walls out, ready for him to lay his cables.

 

[b21playa]

b21, contact an electrician first. many wont touch diyers work, let alone sign it off. You may be best lifting boards, chasing walls out, ready for him to lay his cables.

ive spoke to one who is willing to test for £120 plus vat and certfy it

where do i stand with regulation of wiring it myself?

am i right to say the main feed from the meter to CU should be done fron the new MEB or eqivalent?

i understand saving money isny everything, but things i can do, i like to do.

quoted roughly £2.5k for a rewire, will cost me max £1k inc getting it tested and connected

 

[Steve]

read about part p here and decide whether you want to break the law by doing what you propose. Though you could claim no knowledge of this law, and let your electrician take the flack for testing someone else's work.

If you want to do the whole rewire yourself (as it sounds), go ahead, but inform your council's planning office - they may well charge less than your spark for testing an certifying too, and this route is legal.

And yes, your DNO - the people who pipe electricity to your home - will need to do the final connection to the meter. In fact, if the meter tails are sound, you can do it yourself. Tell them what you are doing, and they might send a guy out in the morning to pull the supplier fuse, so the tails are dead, and send another guy later to put the fuse back when you finish! Normally free of charge.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

whats the best way to test to make sure all is ok?

This is worth a read: http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Book/8.1.1.htm

Glandford Electronics have a handy guide available - go to their PDF file index and select "A guide to 16th Edition Testing regulations (UK only)" to be sent to you.

Guidance Note 3, of course:

http://www.iee.org/Publish/Books/WireAssoc/index.cfm?book=WR 236

and also Scaddan's book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0750665416

is quite good, but doesn't have the tables in it.

Amicus produce a handy little book:

http://www.technicaltrainingsolutions.co.uk/publications.html

In fact, buying the pair that are on offer is a good idea.

Have you already got your copies of the On-Site Guide, and the Electrician's Guide to the Building Regulations?:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0863413749

or http://www.iee.org/Publish/Books/WireAssoc/index.cfm?book=WR 261

http://www.iee.org/Publish/Books/WireAssoc/index.cfm?book=WR 500

i mean i know i can put a multimeter over each wire on a ring to make sure no broken joints

No - you need a proper continuity tester.

but how can i make sure there is no shorts, etc?

With an insulation resistance tester.

 

[b21playa]

i mean i know i can put a multimeter over each wire on a ring to make sure no broken joints

No - you need a proper continuity tester.

i can check continuity with my multimeter

but how can i make sure there is no shorts, etc?

With an insulation resistance tester.

im prepared to buy any equipment i need to ensure its correctly done.

as crafty1289 said i may inform the council and get them to check, test and certify it

 

[b21playa]

read about part p here and decide whether you want to break the law by doing what you propose. Though you could claim no knowledge of this law, and let your electrician take the flack for testing someone else's work.

If you want to do the whole rewire yourself (as it sounds), go ahead, but inform your council's planning office - they may well charge less than your spark for testing an certifying too, and this route is legal.

And yes, your DNO - the people who pipe electricity to your home - will need to do the final connection to the meter. In fact, if the meter tails are sound, you can do it yourself. Tell them what you are doing, and they might send a guy out in the morning to pull the supplier fuse, so the tails are dead, and send another guy later to put the fuse back when you finish! Normally free of charge.

how much u rekon local council will charge?

who exactly do i need to contact for birmingham?

 

[ebee]

Providing you notify LABC before you start.
You may do it all yourself or part yourself and get the electrician (if qualified to do so) to inspect & test it for you and LABC may also inspect and test to some degree and if all OK then they should pass it off.
LABC will charge you a fee too.
Thats a legal way to do it.
Have a word with your LABC first about the fee etc.
You might well end up deciding to let the registered electrician do it but you help by doing all the donkey work if he will allow it.

 

[b21playa]

Providing you notify LABC before you start.
You may do it all yourself or part yourself and get the electrician (if qualified to do so) to inspect & test it for you and LABC may also inspect and test to some degree and if all OK then they should pass it off.
LABC will charge you a fee too.
Thats a legal way to do it.
Have a word with your LABC first about the fee etc.
You might well end up deciding to let the registered electrician do it but you help by doing all the donkey work if he will allow it.

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=3088&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=0

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=52889&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1452

these are links regarding DIY electrical work in my local.

according to this it will cost £70 for them to come and test it, am i correct?

 

[just-thinking]

well it looks like you have made your mind up.
so when work is inspected and passed,you cannot fiddle about or do any alterations,doing this will cancel out any certificate issued.
finally what test meter ie make/model are you going to use and when was it last calibrated.

 

[ebee]

Doing Electrical Works in your local?
Unless its got domestic part it will not come under Part P.
LOL,
Only joking, I know what you mean
Seriously though.

No
Sorry to disappopint you but my reading of it is.
Electrical works as part of an extension or garage £70
If works would not exceed £ 2000 (or unlikely to cost more than that if done commercerly of course) then £ £117.50
If between £ 2000 & £ 5000 then £193.88
This is pretty much in line with what my LABC announced they would be charging just prior to Part P becomming law
If I remember correctly three scales
£0 to £100 then £75
£100 to £2000 then £135
Over £ 200 then £210
all inc VAT
You may be able to take issue with them about you being responsible for inspect & test and refer them to a circular issued by the ODPM,
There again the approved document on Part P of the building regs states that BS7671 (IEE wiring regs) or a similar standard by any EU member state that includes inspect and test. Also it does not appear to rule out working to American New Zealand, Australian etc etc regs either.
The approved doc is not the law though just guidance to help you.
The building regs are the law including Part P.
So bit of a nightmare really with plenty of provision for anomolies.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

im prepared to buy any equipment i need to ensure its correctly done.

The trick is also learning how to use it.

Anyway - I wouldn't suggest you buy from RS, as their prices are high, but this is a handy list of reputable makes drawn together in one place.

http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747725&cacheID=ukie
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747722&cacheID=ukie
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747721&cacheID=ukie
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747726&cacheID=ukie
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747723&cacheID=ukie
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747383&cacheID=ukie
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747728&cacheID=ukie
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747727&cacheID=ukie
http://rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/browse.do?catoid=-1600747724&cacheID=ukie

You can often pick up bargains on eBay, but don't forget to factor in the cost of calibration (AFAIK around £30-40 per individual instrument, £50-80 for combination testers).