Torque screw driver anyone bother ?

[Dustydazzler]

Ok tin hat on for a minute...

I have never ever bothered to acquire or use a torque rated screw driver

I have been offered a second hand wiha one by a mate for £20 as he is buggering off to Spain to work

Are they worth using ?

 

[ruston]

Us Professionals call them a step drill don't you know.

Aye only mine isn't stepped , Well some of them are .

 

[stuarth]

If the manufactures instructions that come with a CU state a torque screwdriver set to 2.5n must be used then thats what we should be doing, otherwise its not been installed correctly. very surprised at the response so far from experienced sparks on here.

 

[GBDamo]

If the manufactures instructions that come with a CU state a torque screwdriver set to 2.5n must be used then thats what we should be doing, otherwise its not been installed correctly. very surprised at the response so far from experienced sparks on here.

That's a noble statement but I've often found torque screwdrivers to be wanting, especially with multi stranded cables. T&E up to 2.5mm gives reliable results but 4mm and upwards often need more attention than by hand.
Also quite a few of the less reputable component brands have screws made of cream cheese that slip with the torque screwdriver.
It's not that we buy them to look pretty in the van rather we buy them expecting great things and find them wanting.

I started using mine routinely, had too much slipping so reverted to the old fashioned way with a check using the torque screwdriver to confirm, which showed that my right arm is quite well calibrated.

Having said that much of my work is on old boards with snarled up screws already so probably not the best field test.

 

[Deleted member 9648]

I've found the cage clamp type terminals torqued up to spec with 25mm tails are not tight enough for my liking, the slightest movement loosens them. As above, my screwdriver operating appendage is the best calibrated tool I possess.
What I would say is that it is essential to use a good quality undamaged tool with todays terminal screws, a sub-standard head will damage the generally poor quality terminal screws and it becomes impossible to be sure it's tight.

 

[Red Tony]

This threads reminded me of a lad I used to work with for a brief spell when I was doing a bit of new build housing work......
I had to check a fault on the doorbell ding dong of a house that had been handed over and Tennant's occupied.....
When I'd sorted it out, as I'd been last one in the fuseboard (as I always do and advise everyone else too) I checked the tightness of all the other terminations in DB not expecting much.........
However to my horror I didn't get just half a turn.....no no......I got a full turn and a half on each and every MCB way neutrals and cpcs......
Shocking tut tut......
I went over to another house where fellow sparky was fitting another db and caught him red handed.......
He was only making all his DBs off with a 12v drill!!!

I read the riot act to him and his excuse was it's quicker this way and under too much pressure (I agree those lads are) but I can't agree with walking away from a house with not as tight as I can get connections.
I told him would you live with yourself if one of those houses burns down with a family in it?
Another thing on a lesser note I realised at a later date he hardly drills and plugs he just screws straight into breeze block. Never seen that done before and must admit seemed tight (the black screws the plasterboard guys use).
I still rather drill/plug myself like.

 

[robd]

Anthony not knocking him but these are the reasons we get things imposed on us by the regs, lads just chucking it in and not checking. I personally do it up, give it a wiggle and then do it up again. Before I finish testing I check them all for tightness as well. What does it take, one minute?

 

[Pete999]

Might be good if you know what the right torque setting is for fixing bake light surface back boxes and junction boxes to a wall/joist.
As the amount of times I've just thought to myself just another quarter turn will do.....then crack!! Fcuk!!

bakelite - Bing - https://www.bing.com/search?q=bakelite&form=EDNTHT&mkt=en-gb&httpsmsn=1&plvar=0&refig=f69a7ff551ac49afb6209ba61f1945a7&PC=HCTS&sp=1&qs=LS&pq=bakelite&sc=8-8&cvid=f69a7ff551ac49afb6209ba61f1945a7&cc=GB&setlang=en-GB

 

[Pete999]

Might be good if you know what the right torque setting is for fixing bake light surface back boxes and junction boxes to a wall/joist.
As the amount of times I've just thought to myself just another quarter turn will do.....then crack!! Fcuk!!

Edit Deleted and it's Bakelite all one word.

 

[freddo]

Edit Deleted and it's Bakelite all one word.

Surely it's urea-formaldehyde.

I checked the tightness of all the other terminations in DB not expecting much.........

Had to alter some wiring for differently abled use in a brand new house, first owner not yet moved in. Got 5 turns on one of the incoming terminals of the main switch.

 

[Pete999]

Surely it's urea-formaldehyde.

Had to alter some wiring for differently abled use in a brand new house, first owner not yet moved in. Got 5 turns on one of the incoming terminals of the main switch.

May be but it certainly aint Bake Light

 

[freddo]

Maybe.

 

[Pete999]

Maybe.

OK maybe but it aint bake light

 

[7029 dave]

I have to use one, in certain circumstances , but I trust my arms Dave tight.

 

[Red Tony]

Edit Deleted and it's Bakelite all one word.

That's predacted Texas for you!
That's predicted text for you!

 

[freddo]

Perhaps the manufactures should just fit shear bolts to all their consumer unit terminals.

 

[Charlie_]

Perhaps the manufactures should just fit shear bolts to all their consumer unit terminals.

After looking at some of the installs about I think they already have

 

[UNG]

A torque screwdriver is a pretty useless piece of kit unless it is very regularly calibrated, just a small drop or knock could affect it's calibration . If you get it calibrated every 12 months and it is found to be working lower than it's set value do you then go back to all your customers of the last 3 or 6 or 9 months to recheck your work
In reality the only reliable way of using one is to have a calibration unit and check the driver before every job but that is an expensive option that no one will pay for. Therefore the age old talk method of "yes that's tight" works for me

 

[Charlie_]

Torque tools only necessary for industrial applications imo

 

[Deleted member 26818]

If an instrument is found to be out of calibration and giving incorrect readings/measurements, you only need to go back to previous customers for as far back as it takes you to find one that is correct.

 

[Christian1981]

They are a load of ---- had to buy a set when working on new build housing. Specific torques for different manufacturers and all of them felt loose would not trust them as far as I could throw them. I saw them in the shed yesterday.

 

[1Justin]

IMO it's in many cases an overreaction to loose connections which just demand more care. A set-up which assumes we are all as ham-fisted as the worst.
I've found numerous completely never done up connections, and also note that torque settings by the book on screw terminals (N/E bars) with single 1mm cables can flatten them ready to break. Some manufacturers are beginning to provide different torque settings dependent on the cable diameter. Makes sense, but if they were wrong before..
I'll sometimes get mine out, but its quite rare.

 

[baldelectrician]

I have one and use it
I actually point it out to the client (if they are loitering) pointing out that the consumer units vary in quality and tightness
I use Hager and the main switch is 3.6 Nm, where some makes are only 2.1Nm
Just shows the difference in build quality

People who understand car stuff and torque wrenches get it- it's a selling point, seperates us from 'people who don't follow the rules'


Waiting for fireworks....

 

[Charlie_]

I don’t see the issue..
I torque to my screwdrivers all the time. especially when the ******* thing won’t loosen a ******* screw or stabs me in the ******* finger

 

[stevels4]

Is it not a requirement under 7671 Reg 134.1.1 to use the correct torque?

 

[vjsmarwick]

I have one that a main contractor got conned in to buying me one Christmas when we visited the wholesalers together ! I enquired about my Christmas present or Christmas bonus and said I fancied the torque screwdriver to which he agreed !
Was only after he received the invoice at the end of January he realises the price and I told him I had been surprised when he had agreed to pay for it lol but only used it a handful of times in about 4 years and never had another prezzie