A quick check on if replacement CU is required.

[Adrian Haslett]

I had a new extension done recently and the extension electrics have been added to the ring main of the downstairs sockets etc accordingly. I am being told though the work can not be signed of unless the plastic CU fitted only 3 years back is changed for a Metal one following Jan 2016 regs. Their are no new connections to the CU as part of the extension, so can someone confirm this is correct as it seems its an additional £250 Supply and fit for this.


Thanks

 

[stummish]

We work with electricity every day, I can't speak for everyone here, but a good electrician will do all this kind of testing with the circuit dead. We know the risks and choose not to work live, I think that says a lot about how quickly and unexpectedly things can go wrong. Any test on a circuit can be done when the circuit is dead, there really isn't any reason to test live unless for a ze/pfc test or rcd test.

 

[telectrix]

well bugger me.next time i change/add a socket. i'll think about turning the breaker off. all depends how far i need to walk.

 

[Specialist]

well bugger me.next time i change/add a socket. i'll think about turning the breaker off. all depends how far i need to walk.

Bad Telectrix, I'm ashamed of you.
Write 200 lines: I must turn off the electric & test for dead, before working on anything electrical

 

[telectrix]

Bad Telectrix, I'm ashamed of you.
Write 200 lines: I must turn off the electric & test for dead, before working on anything electrical

where's the fun in that.might as well have been a plumber.

 

[telectrix]

speaking of which..... what's all this manometer crap. test for a gas leak with a lit match.

 

[stummish]

@telectrix @Specialist lock off, prove test prove! I'm sure everyone follows safe isolation procedure. Sure there are some calculated risks that can be taken, but being a competent person like the big yellow book says we should be, and a lot of experience let's us make these calculations.

 

[telectrix]

you raise the blade,
you make the change.
you rearrange me till i'm sane.

 

[Octopus]

I'm not sure the electrician exists....

 

[Specialist]

@telectrix @Specialist lock off, prove test prove! I'm sure everyone follows safe isolation procedure. Sure there are some calculated risks that can be taken, but being a competent person like the big yellow book says we should be, and a lot of experience let's us make these calculations.

Yes of course we do mate, we'd be stupid not to & we're not really daft. Even though we act that way at times.
We were just having a joke as we normally do .

But all joking aside, safety should never be taken lightly when working with electricity.

 

[Specialist]

I'm not sure the electrician exists....

Now your getting as Cynical & Suspicious as the rest of us .

 

[Octopus]

Now your getting as Cynical & Suspicious as the rest of us .

Not cynical.... just realistic.

 

[telectrix]

Yes of course we do mate, we'd be stupid not to & we're not really daft. Even though we act that way at times.
We were just having a joke as we normally do .

But all joking aside, safety should never be taken lightly when working with electricity.

understand that, but old habits die hard. years ago, changing a CU or a rewire, we had to diss and reconnect the tails live as it was taboo to cut seals and the alternative was a 3 week wait for the electric board to attend to make safe, then another week wait for them to come back and reconnect.

 

[Dave OCD]

It was always [and still is] nice to find Henley blocks between meters and CUs.

 

[Specialist]

Hi tel: Yes, I remember those days well mate.
But the reply you quoted was me replying to something stummish wrote, Just trying to point out that although we joke about things from time to time, we do Isolate & do the job safely.

 

[Adrian Haslett]

Hello. The power was switched off when doing continuity tests. But in theory if the cable has been cut by builder. I was trying to work out between which 2 power sockets. I have identified one and to identify the second i would normally remove both sets of wires from identified socket, so in this case one set is live and one set not when energised. I would then one by one do the same thing on the other sockets, in theory once i find another socket with one set not live i have identified the broken link. I could then replace the link with new wire etc. I have not yet identified the second socket. As all 3 cores were identified by the electrician as bad. I was simply removing the neutrol from each socket and using multimeter accross the 2 neutrols with power off as continuity test. All passed except the identified. It was then i was trying to identify the other socket / link by removing the lives when power off, switching power on and using not contact tester to see what cables were live. Hence identifying a cable which was not live unless connected directly to the socket. I realize that doing so is not best practise and a electrician would be able to identify thr same using better equipment and his/her skills. But my skills and equipment are not as good. The electrician said once identified the cut would need finding and reconnecting or new link run. Expensive as all wires are under floor boards etc. I have yet to figure out exactly where the wire is cut, and if cut and taped or cut right back to walls and therfor requiring a new section to be added. Moving the things stored under beds, pulling up carpets and floorboards is time consuming and i was wondering if one of those gadgets that can identify electrcity in walls could help me. I.e how close do they need to be ? Could i for example run one along downstairs ceiling or upstairs carpet to try and find break or are they not designed for that distance from wire ?. Because builder knocked kitchen wall down and cut wire. I guess i can work out roughly the place to start pulling up boards. But wondered how a pro would do it. Perhaps you would identify the 2 sockets where link is broken and run new connection in conduit along the skirting boards between both instead of pulling up carpets / boards etc. The trouble is everytine you remove face plate to run risk of cables coming lose no matter how good you tighten screws etc. I always twist 2 cores together, put in socket push back to back plate, re tighten etc. I like the twisting of cores together as in theory it stops one core only coming loose from socket. Bothe would have to come lose, socket would stop working etc, not sure if the pro's do this but an electrician i see do it once and i thought, what a good idea. My electrician said he will try and pop in and take a look when around area again. He is trying to keep cost doen as this has all been caused by builder who i paid to handle electrics etc. Instead i have had to pay for electrician and then find out ond of thd wires the builder was busy cutting wax part of a ring and fixing is not going to be cheap. Hence why i am trying so hard to do as much identification as possible myself. How do the pro's out their rate the blue insulation connecters that you crimp wires together with. I liked them until one failed me recently. I still think better than the screw in connecters but i note new type connecters on market that you put wires in and push down with fingers / wago connecters. Are these better than the crimping method ?.