Virtual wiring practice

[mjtefc9]

Morning all,

I have been looking for an online tool or site that I can practice my wiring .. does one exist - I can't find it ??

I am starting my level 3 after a year out and want to get my practice in..

Alternatively could anyone point me in the direction of a mock set up I could do at home?

Mark

 

[DPG]

Will this be okay to carry out my dead testing in sequence? I don't want to spend over £100 on a tester yet..

https://www.rexel.co.uk/uki/c/Digital-Multimeter/p/1052043549

No, you need an approved voltage Tester and ideally a proving unit.

Become familiar with the proper method for testing for dead. This is crucial.

 

[mjtefc9]

No, you need an approved voltage Tester and ideally a proving unit.

Become familiar with the proper method for testing for dead. This is crucial.

Any suggestions on a reasonable unit ?

 

[DPG]

Any suggestions on a reasonable unit ?

Kewtech are generally good value I believe.

 

[mjtefc9]

Kewtech are generally good value I believe.

Thank you

 

[mjtefc9]

Thanks for everyones help here !

Just need to chose the right meter for dead testing and I'll leave you all alone !

This one okay ?

 

[Vortigern]

Personally I think they are crap. Very poor construction and gives false positives. Have watched a couple of trainees with those and see them looking puzzled when all the lights go red and it bleeps even when the circuit is dead. I am sure there is some very good technical explanation as to why it does that but when you are dead testing you dont want the unexpected. Fluke two pole voltage tester T90 at least I would say.

 

[mjtefc9]

Personally I think they are crap. Very poor construction and gives false positives. Have watched a couple of trainees with those and see them looking puzzled when all the lights go read and it bleeps even when the circuit is dead. I am sure there is some very good technical explanation as to why it does that but when you are dead testing you dont want the unexpected. Fluke two pole voltage tester T90 at least I would say.

Thank you yet again !

 

[DPG]

Personally I think they are crap. Very poor construction and gives false positives. Have watched a couple of trainees with those and see them looking puzzled when all the lights go red and it bleeps even when the circuit is dead. I am sure there is some very good technical explanation as to why it does that but when you are dead testing you dont want the unexpected. Fluke two pole voltage tester T90 at least I would say.

That's probably when they've 'woken it up' by touching the probes together. This puts it in resistance check mode.

 

[Vortigern]

touching the probes togethe

No it is only when they are testing cable directly L-N and the circuit is isolated. No touching of probes involved and it momentarily shows voltage and beeps.

 

[DPG]

No it is only when they are testing cable directly L-N and the circuit is isolated. No touching of probes involved and it momentarily shows voltage and beeps.

Mmm, not sure then. Ours don't do that.

 

[Vortigern]

Yep happened with two different trainees and different Kewtech voltage testers numerous times, the same one as linked by OP

 

[mjtefc9]

Sorry for the stupid question.. but In college we used the expensive Megger multimeters and we obviously get readings whilst dead testing.

With these meters, I take it you either correct or incorrect no specific reading ?

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Don't use a yellow site transformer to feed a mock-up test board of domestic wiring!

The transformer output is centre-tapped to earth, i.e. both the circuit conductors are lines and there is no neutral. If you are rigging up normal domestic wiring the switches, MCBs etc are single-pole and therefore not suitable. All switchgear downstream of a CT-E transformer must be double-pole, and any live testing you do will be completely out of whack.

 

[mjtefc9]

Don't use a yellow site transformer to feed a mock-up test board of domestic wiring!

The transformer output is centre-tapped to earth, i.e. both the circuit conductors are lines and there is no neutral. If you are rigging up normal domestic wiring the switches, MCBs etc are single-pole and therefore not suitable. All switchgear downstream of a CT-E transformer must be double-pole, and any live testing you do will be completely out of whack.

It's okay.. I'm scrapping that idea. Going to concentrate on wiring and testing whilst not energised till I'm more confident.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

Energising is really the very last stage anyway and even the dead tests should be something of a formality. If you are practising craft skills of intstallation work, most errors you commit will be evident to the naked eye and by feel. If work is carried out correctly and looks and feels right, it will almost certainly test fine. OTOH, testing will not necessarily reveal poor quality work; only work that is so bad it doesn't even function from the get-go.

When your work is demonstrably sound and consistent, and your dead test results dependable, then it will be quite safe to energise your board with real mains.