Testing Tips

[OhmSweetOhm]

Anyone got any useful tips and advice to make the whole testing procedure faster?
Was having a think and trying to come up with some earlier and all I could think of was possibly using a plug with a flex with connector block on the end to test R1+R2 on sockets? Would that be allowed?

Thanks.

 

[trev]

You're still going to have to go round socket by socket then back to your tester each time to press the button. Best just do it the orthodox way with your figure 8 linked at the CU

 

[telectrix]

why not use a socket adaptor, from kewtech. like this.

 

[trev]

That's the very thing you need

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

I knew I had seen something like that in the wholesalers! But is that not just the same as what my little contraption would be, in effect?
Any other tips, fellas?

 

[trev]

Now I get what you're talking about, you're thinking of a plug top with a lump of flex hanging. Well yes I've seen lads using them but I think they look unprofessional.
Yes I know I'm being anally retentive

 

[oldtimer]

You make what you need and what suits I have made up a 600mm leads with croc clips on the end and use it to short the live and neutral in the DB to do a global IR test

 

[telectrix]

you need to be very careful in what you make up, say , for arguments sake, you took a plug top, 3 leads coming out so you could short whichever you wanted for testing. fine so far. then, you've done dead tests, energised circuits. lady of the house says have a brew, lads. then 3 year old carpet crawler gets hold of your "test plug", plugs it into wall socket........ i let you fill in the rest.

 

[OhmSweetOhm]

Yeah, I had that in mind too, telectrix. That's why I was wondering if it was allowed or if anything in the Regs had rules against said instrument.
The only reason I ask is because I regularly get sent to test jobs and perform periodic inspections, and with my boss telling me "You only need to test 20% of the circuits.", he thinks it should be done in no time!
That being said, after reading up on it a bit, I've come to understand that it's 20% of the ACCESSORIES that should be tested, not the circuits. The entire board should be fully tested?

 

[spark 68]

Ah! a good old 'widow maker' lead, or as we knew them a 'suicide lead', as far as I know you are not really supposed to have them now, although I still have a few (not for that type of testing however), I keep mine locked in my toolbox and not left lying around :wink5:

 

[oldtimer]

Yeah, I had that in mind too, telectrix. That's why I was wondering if it was allowed or if anything in the Regs had rules against said instrument.
The only reason I ask is because I regularly get sent to test jobs and perform periodic inspections, and with my boss telling me "You only need to test 20% of the circuits.", he thinks it should be done in no time!
That being said, after reading up on it a bit, I've come to understand that it's 20% of the ACCESSORIES that should be tested, not the circuits. The entire board should be fully tested?

A bit like PAT testing you only have to test the portable appliances only but for this 20% it appears that urban myths are alive and well as I was told the same from the letting agent ie you only have to test 20% of the outlets well no actually i test them all but then again I got a call out from them only to find that the testing company who was there the month before I found 4 faulty sockets even although the tenant told him and he said I am only here to do the testing????????????????????????

 

[Octopus]

That being said, after reading up on it a bit, I've come to understand that it's 20% of the ACCESSORIES that should be tested, not the circuits. The entire board should be fully tested?

IMHO the extent of testing is defined by the person providing the quote/estimate and the customer accepting it and its down then to inpterpretation.

I guess this is how people claim they can do a EICR in 2 hours, if all they do is 20% of the circuits and 20% of the accessories!

 

[Jay Sparks]

I have made a few contraptions that I sometimes use. One was a single connector block with about an inch of 6mm coming out of one end and the other end fits nicely on to my test probe... this is for doing the rcd test on Wylex rcbo's, where the test probe doesnt fit in the hole. I also bought a 20M extension lead for about £5, I cut off the plug, connected the L,N and E together (soldered), connected a big croc clip on, then, shorted out the L, N & E pins in the now dissconnected plug and drilled a hole in the top (where the earth pin is) and whenI plug it in to the extension, I can connect the croc to pipe work or cpc and my test probes to the MET and the hole in the plug top and take an R2/continuity reading, (obviousley taking off the resistance of the extension).

I know this is a no no but at the time, I could not afford an R2 test lead...

Jay

 

[oldtimer]

Sounds good but we are talking about a 2 bed flat that has 10 sockets in it maybe its just me but I check them all and even the cooker socket outlet but I suppose if you are running about trying to get 6 or 7 EICRs in a day well thats ok then lets not let safety get in the way or profit

 

[Steve Richards]

Years ago I used to use a plug top with holes just big enough to accept the probes drilled directly above the plug top terminations, therefore no chance of any potential live parts exposed if inadvertantley left plugged in and reenergised. Also good for proving dead.

Also if you drill the hole above the "live fused" connection you then have a 3amp 1362 fuse so improving safety whilst testing.