Zs yes or no ??

[c.boy]

After viewing an nIc video they claim that, the electricity at work act states that you should not open any points of a circuit or take covers off if the wiring is live!! they only tested Zs at socket outlets using the plug in meter.and calculated the zs for all other circuits. is this part of the new regs??? am still an old school 16th edition dude at the mo. If this is the case how can you test rcd or rcbo trip times??? have my approved test on monday any help would be great!!! isolation and locking off!! is of course a must but to perform certain tests pfc, pfsc and rcd how do you acheive this in the safest way??? by blocking the area off and posting signs!!!

 

[mrloy99]

After viewing an nIc video they claim that, the electricity at work act states that you should not open any points of a circuit or take covers off if the wiring is live!! they only tested Zs at socket outlets using the plug in meter.and calculated the zs for all other circuits. is this part of the new regs??? am still an old school 16th edition dude at the mo. If this is the case how can you test rcd or rcbo trip times??? have my approved test on monday any help would be great!!!

rcd testers.....the ones I've used they plug in to a socket!!! If you have 2 30ma rcds on your installation it would be normal to have downstairs sockets and upstairs lights on one,and upstairs sockets and downstairs lights on the other,so you could test at the socket....However there are plug in adaptors on the market which fit into a variety of lampholders...BC,ES,GU10,ETC,but you would still need to open the cover of your ceiling rose to get at the earth screw.....but you could as advised, work dead and measure your r1+r2 at your extremities of your circuits(normally the lightswitch)

 

[harrymonkfish]

Hi.

One of the snags in this book recommends that the Zs of a lighting circuit be calculated rather than measured.

It generally recommends live working as little as possible.

[ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Snags-Solutions-Inspection-Practical-Electrical/dp/190609117X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258137476&sr=8-1]Snags and Solutions: Inspection and Testing Pt. 3: A Practical Guide to Everyday Electrical Problems Niceic: Amazon.co.uk: Niceic: Books[/ame]

 

[SirKit Breaker]

As far as i know it is Ok to work live if all other options have been exhausted and you are a skilled person. Seems a bit odd that a sparky is not allowed to work on live circuits, has something changed recently.....please enlighten me.

 

[Graeme Harrold]

When I did my 2391 earlier this year, I was advised there was a difference between working live and "testing" live. As long as the accessories are new-ish and all have parts are provided with a degree of protection and you use GS38 leads then there should be no problem. Just dont leave covers off all over the place with a live circuit!!!!!