Calibration

[glen.mason]

Just wondering what the average length of time/cost it takes to get your meter's calibrated. I'm in West Sussex and the first time my Meggar needed a cert I let my local supplier do it for me which was £66 + VAT and took 4 working days. I thought [wrongfully] lets try someone cheaper on-line, Test4less, who brag 'fast, efficient service' at £45 +VAT + £4.95 p&p. Rubbish! Collected 22/2, delivered back today 4/3 and very difficult to get through to anyone with a clue. Is this the norm?? I suppose the moral would be; it might cost a bit more but let your local supplier deal with it.

 

[Phil]

I send mine through the electric ctr and last time I dropped it off say Monday morning and it was back Tuesday afternoon. £60 quid all in.

 

[baldsparkies]

We have 2 Flukes which we take to Denmans, good service and turn around. About £65 all in

Not wishing to pinch the thread, but does anyone bother to get there calibration checker calibrated or rely on there tester (once calibrated) as a cross referance. Just seems silly to pay for both units, chicken and egg situation. What do you guys think/do.
Thread back to you Glen.

 

[pevvers]

Why bother sending the test instrument out for calibration at all? As long as you're using a known reference, there should actually be no need to send it out if a regime of accurate cross checking is adhered to....

 

[Bromd123]

to my understanding it's just to cover your back side! lol

If there is a problem with an installation that you tested after the fact, the first thing they will ask to see is your testing equipment if it aint been calibrated they have no way of proving your cross checking and therefore they will kick your ****

 

[pevvers]

to my understanding it's just to cover your back side! lol

If there is a problem with an installation that you tested after the fact, the first thing they will ask to see is your testing equipment if it aint been calibrated they have no way of proving your cross checking and therefore they will kick your ****

The NICEIC are happy with never having to send you equipment out if you have a dedicated reference socket for RCD and loop tests, and as stated previously, you also have a regime of continuous cross checking. Our company has a 2 year for external calibration, but there is no need unless readings start to appear very different. I cannot remember the last time I sent a test instrument away and got anything back other than "no adjustments made" on the certificate. Calibration is a licence to print money if you ask me!!

 

[baldsparkies]

Regarding the subject, this is from the horses mouth so to speak. Looks like if you have a check box and record your results over time, no need for formal calibration.

What the NICEIC say about instrument accuracy:

It is essential to ensure the accuracy and consistency of test instruments used to carry out the range of tests and measurements required for BS7671 for certification and reporting purposes.
There should be a system in place which enables confirmation of the continuing accuracy and consistency of all test instruments used for certification and reporting purposes.
There are several alternatives for such a system, including:

• Maintaining records over time of comparative cross-checks with other test instruments.
• Maintaining records over time of measurements of the characteristics of designated reference circuits or devices.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

Just wondering what the average length of time/cost it takes to get your meter's calibrated. I'm in West Sussex and the first time my Meggar needed a cert I let my local supplier do it for me which was £66 + VAT and took 4 working days. I thought [wrongfully] lets try someone cheaper on-line, Test4less, who brag 'fast, efficient service' at £45 +VAT + £4.95 p&p. Rubbish! Collected 22/2, delivered back today 4/3 and very difficult to get through to anyone with a clue. Is this the norm?? I suppose the moral would be; it might cost a bit more but let your local supplier deal with it.

I used test4less last year and to be fair to them i asked if they could get it back within the week due to my annual Part P assessment and they did it in 4 working days. you may have just been unlucky, or was it me that just got lucky?

There is a company called JW Instruments in Normanton near Wakefield who does cals, £30 for all in one testers.

Untitled Document

 

[Gary D]

Glen, have a ring round your wholesalers, there are regular calibration mornings by such as megger or metrel and so on. They do them while you wait or more likely while you munch your free bacon sarnie.
On reference to cross checking check box, just use the calibrated instrument to verify. The key is keeping records, drop me a line if you need a template for instrument record.
And as already noted if you start getting rogue readings or it doesn't ring true with the check box then its time for a free bacon sarnie trip.
Finally, a quick check on site, if you are doubting a tester (usually low ohms that's all over the place) cut a perfect metre of 2.5 cable, measure it with tester nulled and it will be .007, easy to remember as the James Bond test.

Regards, Gary D,
ResetTraining.co.uk

 

[glen.mason]

The NICEIC are happy with never having to send you equipment out if you have a dedicated reference socket for RCD and loop tests, and as stated previously, you also have a regime of continuous cross checking. Our company has a 2 year for external calibration, but there is no need unless readings start to appear very different. I cannot remember the last time I sent a test instrument away and got anything back other than "no adjustments made" on the certificate. Calibration is a licence to print money if you ask me!!

Now thats interesting, can you elaborate a bit more on the dedicated socket? How's that set up?

 

[pevvers]

Now thats interesting, can you elaborate a bit more on the dedicated socket? How's that set up?

It's quite simple really, you pick a socket in your house, workshop, place of work etc., and stick a label on it saying "test socket", then you would use this to check the accuracy of your loop tester, and RCD tester if there is an RCD on the circuit. The loop test isn't going to change too much from day to day, year to year or even decade to decade unless the circuit is changed which you would know about, or the transformer is moved... Most decent RCDs trip at around the same time all the time too, so if something is suddenly changing on that then you've got a problem!

 

[Mattrod]

Like that .007! Nice one.

 

[ipf]

Like that .007! Nice one.

Yeah, but it's getting on for 2 years old!

 

[Knobhead]

The last time I sent a meter for calibration my manager went ballistic! it would have been cheaper to buy a new meter. I love the results though.

CERTIFICATE OF CALIBRATION
DOWDING & MILLS Ltd.
CALIBRATION CERTIFICATE NUMBER 22425/02/010
As Received Calibration Results
22425/02/010

Fluke 77 Series Ill Digital Multimeter
79450647

29 Mar 2006
Joe McCracken


TRACEABILI1Y INFORMATION:

INVENTORY NUMBER INSTRUMENT DESCRIPTION:
IS 1581 WAVETEK 9105 CALIBRATION SYSTEM

PROCEDURE

The instrument was allowed to acclimatize in the laboratory for a period in excess of two hours. The calibration was carried out by connecting the instrument to calibrated sources, which were also measured as necessary. The AC waveform was substantially sinusoidal.

UNCERTAINTIES

The reported expanded uncertainties are based on a standard uncertainty multiplied by a coverage factor k=2, providing a level of confidence of approximately 95%.


What in the name of god are calibrated uncertainties?

 

[GLENNSPARK]

sounds like something "technical" and mysterious though doesn`t it Tony..lol....