S
Singer
Hi guys, Would be interested to hear your thoughts on the following.
I had to change a CU in a hoarders property in January which proved to be quite a challenge. CU was damaged with accessible live parts so I had no choice. Clutter was extreme with hardly any access to some rooms so couldn't get to some of the sockets to test. Found no continuity in live conductor of ring final circuit so decided to protect with 20 amp type B 60898. Also found one double socket showing red light on loop tester so told them not to use it and stuck warning tape all over it.
Issued certificate but included copious notes in the "departures" section and the "comments on existing installation" section to reflect what I'd found.
Also followed up with a very strong letter advising that fault with socket circuit needed to be found as a matter of urgency.
Heard nothing from her but then caught the same bus as her cus she only lives round the corner so I stressed the urgency so she invited me back last week to investigate problem. Bearing in mind the whole family are hoarders, each room is packed to the gunnels with crap, she had cleared enough for me to get floorboards up above faulty socket to try to find problem which to her was a major step forward. Found really badly terminated junction box under floor with a broken neutral which was why instrument was showing red light. Fixed that and tested socket again which now gave healthy reading. However live conductor was still broken in the ring so I said that break also needed to be found. I looked for the break within the confines of the room she had cleared but it wasn't in that room it was further along the circuit and she wasn't prepared to let me disrupt any more of her junk, so I replaced floorboards, re-tested circuit and left.
Now the interesting bit. I was unsure whether I needed to issue another certificate following the repair of the fault on the lounge socket so I contacted NICEIC tech support and told them the whole story as above and asked for their comments.
The guy I was speaking to said I didn't have to issue another cert but needed to send a very strongly worded letter advising the customer of a code 2 situation to the socket circuit. Code 2 is "potentially dangerous" - needs immediate attention. So I asked why is the circuit potentially dangerous - it's wired in 2.5/1.5 T&E and is now protected by a 20 amp mcb so is essentially a big radial circuit with no danger of overload.
He directed me to Best Practice Guide 4 Issue 3 which says on page 14 as an example of a code 2 condition "a ring final circuit having a discontinuous conductor".
The previous issue of this guide specifically stated "a 30/32a ring final circuit" but this has now been revised to include any ring final circuit regardless of the size of the protection.
Having already told the customer the circuit was now safe following my recent repair to lounge socket she was surprised to receive a further letter from me advising the code 2 situation. She phoned to ask what the "potential danger" is and I struggled to answer her.
The only thing I could think of was "Someone may come along and assume the ring is healthy and replace the 20 amp protection with a 32 amp"
Your comments please!
I had to change a CU in a hoarders property in January which proved to be quite a challenge. CU was damaged with accessible live parts so I had no choice. Clutter was extreme with hardly any access to some rooms so couldn't get to some of the sockets to test. Found no continuity in live conductor of ring final circuit so decided to protect with 20 amp type B 60898. Also found one double socket showing red light on loop tester so told them not to use it and stuck warning tape all over it.
Issued certificate but included copious notes in the "departures" section and the "comments on existing installation" section to reflect what I'd found.
Also followed up with a very strong letter advising that fault with socket circuit needed to be found as a matter of urgency.
Heard nothing from her but then caught the same bus as her cus she only lives round the corner so I stressed the urgency so she invited me back last week to investigate problem. Bearing in mind the whole family are hoarders, each room is packed to the gunnels with crap, she had cleared enough for me to get floorboards up above faulty socket to try to find problem which to her was a major step forward. Found really badly terminated junction box under floor with a broken neutral which was why instrument was showing red light. Fixed that and tested socket again which now gave healthy reading. However live conductor was still broken in the ring so I said that break also needed to be found. I looked for the break within the confines of the room she had cleared but it wasn't in that room it was further along the circuit and she wasn't prepared to let me disrupt any more of her junk, so I replaced floorboards, re-tested circuit and left.
Now the interesting bit. I was unsure whether I needed to issue another certificate following the repair of the fault on the lounge socket so I contacted NICEIC tech support and told them the whole story as above and asked for their comments.
The guy I was speaking to said I didn't have to issue another cert but needed to send a very strongly worded letter advising the customer of a code 2 situation to the socket circuit. Code 2 is "potentially dangerous" - needs immediate attention. So I asked why is the circuit potentially dangerous - it's wired in 2.5/1.5 T&E and is now protected by a 20 amp mcb so is essentially a big radial circuit with no danger of overload.
He directed me to Best Practice Guide 4 Issue 3 which says on page 14 as an example of a code 2 condition "a ring final circuit having a discontinuous conductor".
The previous issue of this guide specifically stated "a 30/32a ring final circuit" but this has now been revised to include any ring final circuit regardless of the size of the protection.
Having already told the customer the circuit was now safe following my recent repair to lounge socket she was surprised to receive a further letter from me advising the code 2 situation. She phoned to ask what the "potential danger" is and I struggled to answer her.
The only thing I could think of was "Someone may come along and assume the ring is healthy and replace the 20 amp protection with a 32 amp"
Your comments please!
and that is where your live is broken!!
