Do you test all your RCD sockets and FCU's ?

[Jimmy Boy]

Perhaps I am too fussy or more likely distrustful of mass produced technology that is supposed to give us all additional protection against electric shock.

Once again today as always I fitted and tested an RCD FCU from power breaker ..guess what it failed miserably on all tests !, brand new out the box X1>400ms x5>400 ms, put another one on perfect ! all less <29ms, I wonder how many sparks/Diyers just press that little old test button and walk away ?

 

[professional]

........... and I really wonder how many rcd's remain untested yet test results appear like magic on certs ................... or test results for non-existant rcd's appear on certs.

 

[Jimmy Boy]

I wonder how many so called sparks just check main earth bonding, slam the new CU on the wall, flick the main and when it holds jobs a good'un lol..not many I'm sure

 

[sjm]

Sorry Steve I couldn't quite understand you, I think the tongue in you cheek was getting in the way. I'd LMAO but unfortunately you're right and too many so called sparks don't spend the time to do the tests. This means we who do it right either do it cheap, to get the job, or don't do it at all. And are you sure they even check the main earth bonding. Went to one the other day 10mm from new board up to loft where 30amp choc terminal joined 10mm to 6 mm conductor(in Green) not even taken to water stopcock and no bond to gas?? I ask you. Customer said "I Paid company £1000 for them to do that". What do you say to that?

 

[Jimmy Boy]

It was TIC mate
Just wondering not offence intended at the pro's
I consider my self lucky I am not on a schedule a board change and test takes me a day, and as long as I decide if it needs a PIR as well, I remove every socket and lighting point and I mean everyone, not sampling rate do a full check and all ZS and the full monty at all points..but I am not on a price so I don't worry.
ATB S

 

[SirKit Breaker]

I would be surprised if any DIY'ers tested RCD's. They won't have the test equipment, nor will they have the knowledge either. as far as they are concerned the Test button tests the RCD.......ignorance is bliss i suppose.

There won't be any Professional Electricians who dont test RCD's, because if the dont then they aren't Professional Electricians.

 

[Phil]

i used to work with a guy whose full range of tests included the flick test, the it`s on test, and then for the last test out came the socket bleeper test. if all were ok the job was spot on. he was good with the cable pulling but he could not tell you why you had selected the size you had or the size of the mcb apart from because thats what goes in so it`s right.

 

[nickblake]

i do all the RCD tests required even on a new dual RCD board i do RCD tests on every circuit and tests any RCD fused spurs , do pust the test buttons , i love testing the old RCBOs especially the square D ones as they tend to go bang when faulty , gives that bit of exitement to the day lol

 

[rocker]

There won't be any Professional Electricians who dont test RCD's, because if the dont then they aren't Professional Electricians.

Exactly

 

[Jimmy Boy]

I would hope so...
But I do have concerns for the future with cost cutting and such.
Thats why absolutely refuse to rely on any form of RCD/RCBO over good earth bonding arrangements. I will continue to cross bond all services in copper in bathrooms with other metallic parts, stick your ADS bring back EEBADS lol

 

[Delboy247]

Correct me if I'm wrong I've been told to do the rcd trip test on one circuit of each side of the the dual rcd boards, this was by nic inspector and write the same result.

 

[malcolmsanford]

No that is right. If for instance you had an upstair ring final circuit and say a kitchen radial circuit on 1 RCD then you only need to do the the test on one of these circuits, most likely the downstairs kitchen to save the legs.

Not sure what he meant by write the same results. You will have 2 different results for the 2 RCDs and both of these should be entered onto the schedule of results part of the EIC or PIR

 

[Delboy247]

I mean exactly that write same result for one side of rcd and and it should be different on other side

 

[Jimmy Boy]

What about RCBO boards ?.
You could at a pinch test at a lighting point (arguably not good practise) but in the real world surely you would test at the board ? and while you have the front off CU why not just test them all at the board ? You have at this point already done your dead tests so continuity has been proved on circuits.

ATB Steve

 

[Octopus]

I wonder is Niceic, Elecsa or Napit could post their views?

Personally I always test each circuit and record all results!

 

[pushrod]

I mean exactly that write same result for one side of rcd and and it should be different on other side

Could you have been talking at cross purposes with the inspector maybe when he was saying "both sides" he was talking about testing at 0º and 180º and you just record the largest result regardless of what the test on the "other side" of the sine wave is - not the other side of the board. Each rcd should have its own results.