Never seen this before............

[Crosswire]

Went to a house today where outside lights were tripping the rcd.

1.5 swa from house to ip box containing timer, which controlled a few sets of lights - wall lights, light in bin store, and drive over lights.

Each group of lights had one cable from ip box , all fairly standard stuff.

Anyway split all lights apart and touch them on one by one to live feed to find faulty lights quickly ( was the drive over lights full of water, but this is not the point) .When I touched the wall light on I got a belt off the neutral which was hanging loose and brushed my hand !

Seperated cable and found it did ONE wall light (230v ES).
When lamp was put in got 230v on neutral .
Tried three different testers all showed 230v
Meggered cables all perfect readings
Connected this light on it's own to feed and energised - didn't trip breaker or RCD and light worked fine!
Went to board tested neutral and earth bars - 0 v.

It was my understanding that the resistance of the lamp should cause the voltage to drop to 0v across the load, and the neutral should be a return path for current, not voltage!

Anyone explain this ?

*Disclaimer * Please no-one post about 'safe isolation procedure' etc.. I know what I did is not textbook, but it is QUICK. The point of this thread is the strange voltage on the neutral, and nothing else. Cheers!

 

[davelerave]

ya it's just a technical term

live conductor-'conductor forming part of a circuit'

people refer to the phase/line as 'the live' regardless

 

[Des 56]

As far as danger goes,the word "neutral" portrays a laid back feeling and no issues

Now if we had a supply that was Three phase and Nasty neutral,the message changes

 

[baldsparkies]

ya it's just a technical term

live conductor-'conductor forming part of a circuit'

people refer to the phase/line as 'the live' regardless

True enough Dave, True enough.

And when some less experienced,or been working a long day sparky chap touches that phase,line,nuetral,thingy, whatsit, that forms part of the circuit.
They come out with a few technical terms of there own, lol.

 

[SirKit Breaker]

It also got me a few years ago. It reminds me of a question i once got in a C&G exam years ago.

How many current carrying conductors are there in a ring final circuit?

Cheers.........Howard

 

[sparrow eye]

Ah, the neutral. Seems so innocent doesn't it? I've learnt the hard way... more than once!

 

[Geordie Spark]

don't worry. that one caught me once.

It caught me once as well & chucked me from the top of a ladder into a pile of scrap steel.

30 years on & my back still bears the scars !!!!

 

[hasel5]

If he had kept hold of it the light would of come on for him to check that part of the circuit lol

 

[mickys86]

It also got me a few years ago. It reminds me of a question i once got in a C&G exam years ago.

How many current carrying conductors are there in a ring final circuit?

Cheers.........Howard

Always trying to catch you out!
You'd make a good teacher 

 

[telectrix]

It also got me a few years ago. It reminds me of a question i once got in a C&G exam years ago.

How many current carrying conductors are there in a ring final circuit?

Cheers.........Howard

that depends if there's earth leakage present. if there is, then the cpc is a current carrying conductor.

 

[Crosswire]

Despite the disclaimer if you carry on 'testing' like that you are going to come a cropper one day........your funeral.

Yes, and you're not invited...

 

[Deleted member 9648]

Awww....spoilsport:35:...........

Seriously though, you choose your own way of doing things and best of luck.But I thought the point should be made,bearing in mind this is on the open forum,and those with less skills than yourself may try and use the 'method' to find a fault...with possibly fatal consequences......Thats all.

 

[Crosswire]

Awww....spoilsport:35:...........

Seriously though, you choose your own way of doing things and best of luck.But I thought the point should be made,bearing in mind this is on the open forum,and those with less skills than yourself may try and use the 'method' to find a fault...with possibly fatal consequences......Thats all.

Ok fair enough..

"Under no circumstances should anyone but the foolhardy or the terminally depressed copy my 'method'. "




Luckily I fall into both both categories.:goofy:

 

[baldsparkies]

And don't think the cpc or earth thingy whatever you want to call it is an innocent party in all this, its not.
I remember well the results on a pme system, sorry TNC-S thingy whatever. When the main earthing terminal had been lost at the mains position. It was an industrial install with lots of galv, conduit, trunking, and metalclad switching sockets ect, ect. I thought isolate the mains son, quick. Of course the switchfuse was also metalclad, SH#T, BO####S, OWCH!

 

[telectrix]

Ok fair enough..

"Under no circumstances should anyone but the foolhardy or the terminally depressed copy my 'method'. "




Luckily I fall into both both categories.:goofy:

lucky you didn't fall off the ladder.