4 pole Isolator on a 3 phase system

[wade88]

Hi guys,

Again, its been a long time in between posts for me. Taken a new direction in my job role and been focusing on other things. Frankly trying to do less and less electrical bits and bobs and i frankly feel less and less comfortable doing it as its all getting pretty heavy here and I just don't want my head on the chopping block anymore as my skills and knowledge just arent up to the job, so will be looking for a local industrial spark to add to my preferred contractor list in Hampshire (if anyone is interested or can recommend a decent spark). Anyway....

Having the EICR done across all the buildings today, chaps have turned up and instantly laid into me about the 4 pole isolator i installed on a 3 phase supply. The system is PME and had no means of isolation, so i installed an isolator as i needed to do some work on the system. I put a 4 pole on after taking some advice, but this bloke is giving me hell saying i should never isolate the N when part of a PME system as any potential fault currents wont be able to earth etc.... but how is that any different to a domestic supply when isolating the N on a double pole switch?

The regs say all live conductors must be isolated, but i also understand exceptions can be made for TN-S and TN-C-S systems but no where does it say you should NEVER isolate the N? Im getting the whole "ive been in this 22 years mate blah blah" and if i even try and start a discussion to further my understanding, when asking him to just explain his thinking to me, he just tells me hes not prepared to have a discussion he knows best and it will going down as "dangerous" on the report.

Can someone set me/him straight on this. His experience and knowledge is undoubtedly in excess of mine, i just dont feel i am totally wrong on this one.

cheers,

 

[Smudge]

right or wrong on the breaking of the neutral, if the guys being an ar*e, knock him out.


All views and opinions are my own and do not reflect those of the entire smudge family.

 

[Engineer54]

We’ll have to agree to disagree on this one.

We certainly will have too on this one..... And i'm not understanding your reasoning for preferring 3 pole breakers on a multi TX supplied switchboard! at all.

 

[Knobhead]

Give me time to do the drawings and we'll meet on another playing field.

 

[Sparks1962]

This is a must... especially with this guy. I can guarentee that he will not want to do it though...

I'd get rid of him if I were you and get someone in who knows what they are talking about and can prove it!

 

[wade88]

Well he had a senior member with him, supervising i imagine, who did not bother to engage in conversation with me at all, nor did i want to stand there and attempt to belittle his colleague by suggesting he was a total fu*ktard so let them both get on with it. The elder chap appeared to be taking charge. It's the 5 year EICR being done, i shall await the results sheets, have a look and see what has been said.

Well for once i am glad its not me on the receiving end, feels quite nice being on the majority side for a change haha.

Thanks again chaps.

 

[Guest111]

part of the problem with some people seems to be understanding the term "live" conductor which they take as meaning a phase conductor whereas in the regs a live conductor actually means any conductor which is not an earth.

 

[Paultrim123321]

Think its shocking that someone has this attitude to a paying client. I am guessing this guy does not get much repeat work. For me, inspection and consulting services is not just about leaving a defect sheet but about liaising with the client and helping them to improve their system through communication.

 

[Knobhead]

Sorry Wade

E54 and I will cary on elsewhere

 

[wade88]

It's all good for me Tony, my post was answered in 15 minutes, every other discussion just makes for good reading and something else to learn. Do please carry on!