Continuity check??

[spanner]

Hi guys,
Could anyone educate me as I'm no way near as good as ok..!
Had a problem which I've previously posted on your forum, about GU10 downlights, my question is..
If you were to be doing a connection check on the terminal strip of the downlight( earth to common earth to live )?
What reading would you get (open or closed)???

 

[Guest123]

That'll do!

 

[spanner]

Thats mad man, the plumbing parp (P) actually illustrates the elctrical circuitry of lighting and switching here c'mone!!!
Say if you were that much of an electrician yourself you'd know the ins and outs of wiring progrmmers to boilers etc??

 

[SirKit Breaker]

?

 

[DurhamSparky]

don't do boilers!! leave them to heating engineers who connect the gas up at same time..! too many cooks and broth come to mind! should be that way with plumbers and consumer units and lights!

but S and Y plan are you on about though!

not going to even attempt to get angry at you! with your wiring you wont need heating! good night!

 

[spanner]

Cheers if its "open" do I get a reading here??

 

[pushrod]

think spanner might be on a bit of a fishing trip seeing who he can wind in

 

[spanner]

No doing it at T4T trade skills, got a few more rungs to go eh!!

 

[DurhamSparky]

open circuit should give you a reading of >999 or what ever the max reading your test meter gives..

think you have a full ladder to go chap! not just a few rungs!

 

[spanner]

Thanks Steve, but say if you were to get a battery and put the +- together "spark"..
I got testing ok the earth negative and positive when crossed with probe all give a reading,(I mean the needle goes from left to fight all the way to zero on meter)
Is this open or closed reading ..
Actually I'm thinking of putting a logo at the bottom of my profile page that say!! I've got a lot to learn,IF IT AINT BROKE DON'T TRY AND FIX IT!!

 

[spanner]

Pushrod you're most definetley welcome with floating invitations ok. Thanks mate.

 

[ehs284]

Spanner, I agree you should be very careful at your stage of learning (that goes for all of us), but, to go back to your original question of continuity - as a plumber you'll be familar with water flows, so to the principle of continuity can be seen if you think of electricity as water - would it work if it was a piped system? The safety issues are more complex, but if you think of flows, capacities and pressures then analogies with electricity will make sense. Best of luck; but never take chances - water makes you wet, but electricity kills you.

 

[spanner]

Is it when checking for continuity..
Closed: You get a reading of zero or(999on digital multimeter)
Open : You get nothing (No reading or 'anything')

 

[DurhamSparky]

depends on what type of test meter you are using!! when i get an open circit i get >299
closed circuit i get Beeb and a reading of 0.00+ (depending how much cable im testing)

but i know some test Meters (B&Q style) show O/C or OL or words to that effect...!

 

[ehs284]

Yes, Durham is right - just check the meter instructions; they'll give you the limits for the meter readings, but no problem - your previous assumption is spot on. Closed may give you a 1 as out of range or <something (ie greater than the normal meter readings), but open will always give a result close to zero (no or little resistance to water or electricity flow when tap or switch is open).

 

[spanner]

The other wires were only yellow green, as this was what I meant that the brown and blue were just terminal strip no code connections here and when all connected blew fuse!! c'mon..
Pleaheeees>!