Neutral-Earth faults- Don't skip the cross-connection checks! Useless socket tester.

[Piratepete]

Did a CU change recently, replacing a Wylex rewirable.

Gobsmacked to find 3 sockets in one room on the ring with Earth and Neutral swopped.

I suspected something amiss from the results of my initial L+N to E IR test when lots of things were still plugged in.

The L/N or L/E cross-connection continuity test at each socket will reveal this fault, and must be done.

On radial circuits, an R1 + R2 test at each socket will reveal this fault.

However, on powering up I like to do a quick check of every socket with a socket tester.

My socket tester doesn't register this fault. Is there a reasonably priced one on the market which does?

Cheers

 

[thebigcheese]

Re: Neutral-Earth faults- Don't skip the cross-connection checks! Useless socket test

My socket tester doesn't register this fault. Is there a reasonably priced one on the market which does?

Cheers

Of course not... neutral is bonded to earth at the tranformer. In a TNCS system they're connected in the cut out - for all intensive purposes they are the same conductor at the same potential

 

[Piratepete]

Re: Neutral-Earth faults- Don't skip the cross-connection checks! Useless socket test

Of course not... neutral is bonded to earth at the tranformer. In a TNCS system they're connected in the cut out - for all intensive purposes they are the same conductor at the same potential

Ok! I just thought that there might be one with clever electronics that could spot the difference. My MFT trips the RCD with a loop test on a faultily wired socket but it's hardly appropriate for a quick check!:uhoh2:

 

[Steve_P]

Re: Neutral-Earth faults- Don't skip the cross-connection checks! Useless socket test

Yup, see that all the time. I had a light fitting a while ago where all the neutrals were in the earth terminal in the ceiling rose and the cpc was in the neutral. The wonders of DIY huh?