What are your thoughts on this please.
- Thread starter jeff the gasman
- Start date
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It's not right - unless the same at the other end of the cable. 
I’m not stupid I merely asked your thoughts.It's not right - unless the same at the other end of the cable.
Would it work faultlessly or cause problems? I’m a Plumber who knows how it should be wired.
More advanced than a brain surgeon! Xxxxx
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Same as my reply below! Thanks
Is there an RCD in the Circuit?
Is it the washing machine belonging to this guy:
https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/securing-screw-arking-against-metal-lug-on-backbox.553665/
?
It will function if there is no RCD.
https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/securing-screw-arking-against-metal-lug-on-backbox.553665/
?
It will function if there is no RCD.
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Clearly wrong, however have seen many a central heating system using wrong colours, so would need to ring the earth to be sure not reversed other side as well.
With non RCD protected circuits it would work, and likely the user would be unaware of the error.
With non RCD protected circuits it would work, and likely the user would be unaware of the error.
What EFLI said was correct. If it were wired in that same (incorrect) fashion at the WM end (which is incredibly unlikely), then it would work totally 'faultlessly', the only thing wrong being the colours used for the earth and neutral. If the WM end were wired conventionally (which it almost certainly would be) then it might appear to work 'faultlessly' if there were no RCD, but would cause the RCD to trip if there were one.
Kind Regards, John
I found the same wiring in a plug attached to a fridge (In a factory electrical department). I needed a plug for my stereo and nicked the one off the fridge. The fridge worked just fine.
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It was common to find this error until the law changed so plugs were fitted before you buy. However this has also resulted in children not being taught at school how to fit a plug, and the distance buying has resulted in items arriving in the UK with non UK plugs fitted.
30 years ago it was a regular thing to test earth pin to chassis, but as PAT testing came in, this seems to have faded, yes I have a PAT testing machine, well shared between my son and me, so I could use it, but at home I never bother, the error shown would trip a RCD and I have had RCD protection in my house since 1992, so in my house it simply could not happen.
And I think this is a problem, we have got use to all the safety features, be it a RCD, or hob auto turn off, we have come to expect it, the number of times I have looked at cooker to see hob was left on I have lost count, as soon as pan is removed it turns off and if removed over a set time it locks off, which is all well and good until my wife goes to use some one else's cooker that has not got the safety features.
We do EICR and PAT testing with rental houses, but with owner occupied it is rare. And it is not helped when the surveyor doing the house buyer report makes comments about the electrical system as buyer tend to think it has all been tested.
We have developed a laissez-faire attitude to goods brought into the house, we rarely test anything because it is normally OK, and if not, our safety system will protect us.
30 years ago it was a regular thing to test earth pin to chassis, but as PAT testing came in, this seems to have faded, yes I have a PAT testing machine, well shared between my son and me, so I could use it, but at home I never bother, the error shown would trip a RCD and I have had RCD protection in my house since 1992, so in my house it simply could not happen.
And I think this is a problem, we have got use to all the safety features, be it a RCD, or hob auto turn off, we have come to expect it, the number of times I have looked at cooker to see hob was left on I have lost count, as soon as pan is removed it turns off and if removed over a set time it locks off, which is all well and good until my wife goes to use some one else's cooker that has not got the safety features.
We do EICR and PAT testing with rental houses, but with owner occupied it is rare. And it is not helped when the surveyor doing the house buyer report makes comments about the electrical system as buyer tend to think it has all been tested.
We have developed a laissez-faire attitude to goods brought into the house, we rarely test anything because it is normally OK, and if not, our safety system will protect us.
About 1956 a washing machine "imported" from Germany didn't work and touching it gave the wife mild shocks.
The Earth wire in the lead was RED, and when fitting a plug the red should go to Live
"imported" in the back of an army truck after being liberated
That is so true, except the safety system doesn't always protect us......
The Earth wire in the lead was RED, and when fitting a plug the red should go to Live
"imported" in the back of an army truck after being liberated
That is so true, except the safety system doesn't always protect us......
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This is my point, because I have lived in a home for last 25 plus years with RCD protection, I only test if a RCD/RCBO trips, I have not PAT tested my equipment since first starting to use a PAT tester and took it home out of interest.
Visual checks yes, but when was the last time you used a PAT tester at home? I have been caught out once since RCD's fitted at home, got a new fridge freezer with a cold water feature so wanted to run a micro bore pipe down the wall, two hack saw blades with a spacer between then and working down the wall to make a channel for pipe, found the two way lighting cable ran horizontal around 4 corners, I had not expected this and I got enough of a belt to floor me. And yes RCD did trip, and testing after it did trip in 40 mS but when you get a belt 40 mS is a long time.
It is still horizontal today, but you can see the trunking so you know where it is.
But there is an attitude today, can't be dangerous or we would not be allowed to have it.
And when I think back, I bought my kids toy hammers, saws and screwdrivers, so taught how to use them from early age, maybe from one year old, so needing a tool does not make it safe.
Visual checks yes, but when was the last time you used a PAT tester at home? I have been caught out once since RCD's fitted at home, got a new fridge freezer with a cold water feature so wanted to run a micro bore pipe down the wall, two hack saw blades with a spacer between then and working down the wall to make a channel for pipe, found the two way lighting cable ran horizontal around 4 corners, I had not expected this and I got enough of a belt to floor me. And yes RCD did trip, and testing after it did trip in 40 mS but when you get a belt 40 mS is a long time.
It is still horizontal today, but you can see the trunking so you know where it is.
But there is an attitude today, can't be dangerous or we would not be allowed to have it.
And when I think back, I bought my kids toy hammers, saws and screwdrivers, so taught how to use them from early age, maybe from one year old, so needing a tool does not make it safe.
Many years ago, before ‘elf and safety, there was a bit of kit wired like this at a company I worked for. It worked fine of course except when someone plugged it into a socket with L and N reversed. Everything else worked in this socket as well of course. The unfortunate technician involved grabbed the bit of kit while touching some (earthed) Dexion shelving with the other hand and got a really nasty belt.
These days that would be a very serious incident but then it was hushed up. The kit was required but the company were not interested in the reversed L/N socket saying it was not important. Around 1965 I recall.
These days that would be a very serious incident but then it was hushed up. The kit was required but the company were not interested in the reversed L/N socket saying it was not important. Around 1965 I recall.
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