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leep82

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Called to a property yesterday after the customer had been advised to call an electrician by an engineer who had done some work on there cooker. I arrived and was directed towards a socket in the kitchen. The lady couldnt really explain what the engineer had told her.

I plugged my multifunction tester in and immmediately realised there was a problem. The display wasnt showing a voltage between live and earth but was showing voltage between live-neutral and neutral-earth. I removed the socket front and saw that the live and neutral conductors had been connected into the wrong terminals. Once i had sorted this out i plugged my tester in again to try and do a Zs test, but i was unable to as there was still voltage showing between neutral and earth. I tried another socket in the kitchen on the same circuit and was able to perform the test, getting a reading of 500ohms. The system is a TT although a quick look at the mains suggests there might be PME available.

I went around various sockets on the circuit and was left a little bit baffled as some would let me perform a Zs test and others wouldnt as it was indicating a voltage between neutral and earth. When i initially removed the socket with reversed polarity i used my tester across neutral and earth and was getting a voltage of around 30v. I have advised the customer to have a EICR, which she is going ahead with. I wasnt able to spend any great deal of time there last night so sorry for any lack of other information. As already said i will be returning to carry out an EICR so will hopefully get to the bottom of the issue then, but in the meantime any suggestions, advice greatly welcomed.
 
[ElectriciansForums.net] Neutral-Earth voltage
 
Looks room to accommodate a adaptable box in there, then run 2.5 to the MCB

The point of an EICR is to report..... sure a shiny new CU would make sense, but for many customers they have higher priorities.

What is the purpose of the report?
There really isnt room. I cant even get my head in level with the board because of the slope of the staircase behind me. The report is at the request of the homeowner, basically her husband as done bits of DIY over the years and shes never been 100% happy with it.
 
Whilst i can only recommend i just think a new consumer unit would enhance the safety of the installation. It would be more accessible, provide extra ways for circuits that are doubled up. There seems to be quite a few sockets that are spured of an already unfused spur from the ring. I was going to suggest splitting the ring into two radials, but again there is no room in the current unit. If im classing the boiler supply as a C2 and the customer wants a report that is satisfactory i really cant see how i am going to go about replacing the MCB for one of a lower rating
 
Don't get yourself into the customer wants a satisfactory report game. Take the advice I was given when it went pear shaped for me. Report and if they want the work doing, quote for it as a separate work item.

If you can't squeeze a new MCB in that board, then could you not take an SFCU from the ring close to the boiler and then disconnect that circuit at the CU?
 
Don't get yourself into the customer wants a satisfactory report game. Take the advice I was given when it went pear shaped for me. Report and if they want the work doing, quote for it as a separate work item.

If you can't squeeze a new MCB in that board, then could you not take an SFCU from the ring close to the boiler and then disconnect that circuit at the CU?
Not without alot of disruption to decoration, that consumer unit is a nightmare to work in. Its just about accessible for the user if anything trips.
 

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