insulation

[s.keech]

hi
can anyone help please. when testing a ring final circuit i do continuity polarity and then do i have to do insulation test.If so do i test outgoing live to incoming neutral,outgoing live to incoming c.p.c. and so on.can someone tell me how or if i need to test insulation.
thanks

 

[Jase_82]

Yes you need to test the insulation in order to enter the result on your Schedule of Test results on your Electrical Installations Certificate for the work that you're doing.Connect the test probes to the live and neutral of the cable that requires testing, then test. Repeat procedure between live and earth and neutral and earth. It shouldnt matter whether the leads are on 'outgoing' or 'incoming' as results should be similar, if not identical.

Nb if you have any neon switched fused spurs in the ring, these will cause false readings.

 

[trev]

Carry out "end to end" tests r1, r2 and rN with meter set on continuity
Then polarity - link L1 to N2, L2 to N1 then go round each point of utilisation still with meter set on continuity
Then link L1 to CPC2 , L2 to CPC1 repeat as above. The highest result being (R1+R2) for your test results schedule
Then with meter set to insulation resistance @ 500v test between L and N, L and CPC then N and CPC

 

[SirKit Breaker]

hi
can anyone help please. when testing a ring final circuit i do continuity polarity and then do i have to do insulation test.If so do i test outgoing live to incoming neutral,outgoing live to incoming c.p.c. and so on.can someone tell me how or if i need to test insulation.
thanks

I dont want to tell you to suck eggs, you have got the gist of it, but invest a few quid in Guidance note 3, this explains with illustrations and procedures for this test, which would take me an age to type out on here. GN3 will pay for itself time after time if you are doing any testing.

Cheers..........Howard

 

[colshaws]

S.Keech
Send me a p.m with your address, I have a 2004 copy of guidance notes 3 I can post to you, its not totally up to date but it will show you all the test procedures and more.

 

[the pict]

Since you ask about RFC's in particular, My method which covers Polarity and establishes what sockets etc are connected to a particular RFC is to use a "plug in" indicator this tells you polarity and CPC prescence, and your assistant can record what is "on " that RFC while you have a cuppa and switch on or off the breaker as required Socket and See and Kewtech are the ones I have,However lighting and other circuits need to be done as per GN 3
Pict ,

 

[trev]

Comment scrubbed as it could have started a bunfight

 

[ezzzekiel]

Since you ask about RFC's in particular, My method which covers Polarity and establishes what sockets etc are connected to a particular RFC is to use a "plug in" indicator this tells you polarity and CPC prescence,

which is fine for additional testing purposes however full ring circuit continuity testing as laid out in gn3 must be carried out first.

 

[the pict]

Didn't say other wise, But think of the time it saves you can tell at a glance if your sockets have "all three" prior to starting a PIR However the fundementalists can do it whatever way they like
Pict

 

[johnelectrical]

the biggest danger with ring final circuits is the possibilty of one leg going open circuit, so you have 32a device protecting a 2.5mm cable. if you do not do the ring final test, all three steps properly and the place burns down. under the EWR you are presumed guilty unless you can prove your innocence. live socket tesers cant do earth neutral polarity. as for insulation resistance, if this is the only circuit you are testing (T61 of the regs is for boards not single circuits) you still need to comply with T61 and GN3 for single circuit though. after completing the continuity put all 6 conductors back in the right places and test line to neutral, line to earth bar with cpc's connected, never just to unconnected cpc's and same with neutral to earth.

 

[the pict]

I take your point and you are totally right, But what I am getting at is this, Last month I did a large function suite/ restaurant with 35 socket outlets over three rings, Now had I not "quick checked" all these I would not have found 2 sockets "polarity reversed" of 3 " missing or floating earths"" Had I started at the board with cont, I would have got "open circuit" on the CPC and confused readings on the "crossover checks" with me assuming I had the wrong "legs" connected to each other as it was at the out set I knew I had issues and syaing that a plug in checker cant tell N & L reversed well mine can, And consider this GN dedicates only from the bottom of page 33 to the top of page 37 on RFC testing and if testersd cannot see how to apply testing procedures with logical variation then I suggest further reading on the subject,
Pict