Ring Final Circuit Testing

[ifindoubtdont]

If it's been tampered with assume the worst and 100% test. As onions1066 says while your at the db just quickly test for continuity with the other circuits, you'll be surprised what you find. "Heinz Canned Worms"

 

[Paul_K]

That about sums it up, yeah!

We've only been in the house a year and finding all sorts...

Took down a door standard a few months ago and a mass of wiring came down (grouped), and judging by the shoddy connectors and absence of sheathing on the cpc it would clearly suggest someone had be screwing around with it! .. So much for rating factors when people just pull things apart and shove them together anyway!! :-/

 

[onions1066]

That about sums it up, yeah!

We've only been in the house a year and finding all sorts...

Took down a door standard a few months ago and a mass of wiring came down (grouped), and judging by the shoddy connectors and absence of sheathing on the cpc it would clearly suggest someone had be screwing around with it! .. So much for rating factors when people just pull things apart and shove them together anyway!! :-/

Yes I'm saying you need to check you've got the correct lives and earths just because they are together it doesn't mean they are correct

 

[Paul_K]

Hi Onions1066,

You'll need to bear with me on this, like I said I'm not that experienced yet!

The conductors were all traced back to their respective mechanical insulation,
where the two neutrals were clearly identified from their respective legs, and were followed from that point to the board where they become joined. The same was done with the line and cpc's, which are seen following their line and cpc conductor to their point on the board. All were then disconnected from the board, isolating them completely from all other circuits. This tells me I'm testing between the two disconnected legs, two disconnected legs where there's continuity between the neutrals!! There's no evidence looking at the conductors (as they can clearly be seen coming from the mechanical insulation in which they originate) that they're mixed up!

Hope this makes sense? :-/

 

[Edd]

walk around with your Loop meter find the higest reading, remove socket, find broken conection, reconect it,, jobs done

 

[pete555]

this fault has "diy upgrades" written all over it lol.

sounds familiar reason for part P i suppose even though it,s crap

 

[onions1066]

walk around with your Loop meter find the higest reading, remove socket, find broken conection, reconect it,, jobs done

Yes mate that's right I was saying if you couldn't see them going into the outer sheath. :goofy:

 

[chrish_1977]

What mechanical insulation are your referring to, I would check across all lines and neutrals, had it so many times with lines and cpc's mixed up, doesn't take long and can save you chasing your tail for a fault that is very easy to find, if you check and all ok, then start breaking down the ring.

 

[Paul_K]

The mechanical insulation (mechanical protection) of the flat PVC T+E cable... The gray outer sheath!

 

[FAA Greenie]

I'll tell you how i do it, without the hassle of dragging wander leads all over the gaff.

Remove all the plugs from the sockets in that circuit. connect one leg only of the offending component of the ring, perhaps an earth in your case and then go round with a typical three neon socket tester and find out at which point you go from earth fault to a good reading. Then connect the other end and do the same in the opposite direction - you will narrow down the fault in no time.

If the fault is within an FCU on the ring main, you will also be able to narrow this down too.

Then do the same for your line circuit.

I have used this method loads of time and it is much quicker than pulling the wander lead around.

 

[Paul_K]

I'll tell you how i do it, without the hassle of dragging wander leads all over the gaff.

Remove all the plugs from the sockets in that circuit. connect one leg only of the offending component of the ring, perhaps an earth in your case and then go round with a typical three neon socket tester and find out at which point you go from earth fault to a good reading. Then connect the other end and do the same in the opposite direction - you will narrow down the fault in no time.

If the fault is within an FCU on the ring main, you will also be able to narrow this down too.

Then do the same for your line circuit.

I have used this method loads of time and it is much quicker than pulling the wander lead around.

Hi,

Thanks for that, FAA.

I've already ordered a Kewtech ACC50MTL from ISSWWW, which should be here hopefully tomorrow. Like I say it'll come in handy for testing bonding etc anyway..

I'm with ifindoubtdont's on this too. The whole installation will need testing anyway just by what's been discovered.

1) Shower keeps tripping after about 10 mins (9.5kw) 41.3amp on a 32amp breaker, 6mm conductor. Testing shows 36amp is being drawn, though I may get away with a breaker with larger over current protection.

2) Grouped cables above a door standard, poorly terminated in block connectors (too much of the conductors showing), and the sleeving missing from the cpc's!

3) A double surface box fitted directly in front of an outside vent!!

4) An unused light switch point covered with wallpaper (live conductors behind).

5) Pulled off a splash back in the kitchen and there's another exposed point with live conductors freely sitting with no connectors.. Bizarre!!!

6) A spur taken from an unfused spur supplying kitchen unit lighting!

7) Ring final circuit no longer a ring!....

And that's just sor far!!

So Thursday is going to be a busy day!! :-/

 

[supertoad]

this fault has "diy upgrades" written all over it lol.

yes/yes/yes-what else to find??

 

[Paul_K]

It turned out to be one of the living room sockets that was causing the problem with the ring.. Sorted!

 

[supertoad]

if its one of these jobs worth checking gas/water earth ok/ie; not short ends just stuck under the wallpaper!
have had a lot of them !