C/U change with housing Association

[ste_miller21]

right here we go. i changed my c/u at home for a assessment with elecsa (week today). The housing association wasnt happy about me changing the board but since i'd already ripped the old one off the wall before i told them they agreed that as long as it was cert'd with in 30day period it was fine. before i ripped the old C/U out i did a fill inspection and all reading came back fine.......now the problem.....when i came to test the installation today on the sockets (ring) i was gettin a reading (open loops) of 0.32 and 0.34 L1 and Ln......then on the CPC i can getting open loop (no reading).

so...i borrowed a long lead from a friend and connected it to cpc and have found out that there is a brake in the CPC between two sockets (one in the bedroom and the other at the bottom of the stairs) which means a full chase from the socket up the wall to ceiling then through the ceiling under the floor to the socket. which i dont mind doing since i could use it for the assessment as minor works. but when i phoned the housing association they wouldnt give me permission to do the work i wasnt already part P registered...they then contacted there sparky to see when he could come out and sort the problem out, he said he'll be out in a week to sort it (the day of my assessment) and that it is fine to use the sockets in the house they are safe! HOW CAN THEY BE IF THE CPC ISNT PROTECTING PROPERLY? and what kind of electrician can say something is safe and fine to use without looking let alone testing? i wouldnt put my name to anything if i didnt know. and a week is a bit too long. im thinking of just doing the work myself and then if i get in with Elecsa then go into the housing office with the cert and kick off with them. ( some of the sockets have been replaced in the house and cables needed extending the electrician they ave used in the past has just put both lives in 40A connector blocks then run a 6mm cable out the other end of the block. its a joke. To top it off the woman that lives next door over heard me talking about the electrics and informed me that she has 3 double sockets in her house that done work and that its been reported 4times over 2months. WHAT THE HELLS GOING ON!!!! do they think electrics a toy or to be played with or ignored??? if an electric circuit has been designed for a use and demand and it is not working properly then yes is can be dangerous and unsafe and should be looked into ASAP not left.


please correct me if im wrong im not trying to get any ones back up but to me its unsafe and the landloard is not complying with his duties. do you think i'm reading too much into this? am i wrong? should i just do the work?

 

[Richard]

If its housing association, then you don't own the house, simples!

Why has the earth broken? have you checked terminations in the sockets? What testing have you performed apart from continuity?

 

[ste_miller21]

If its housing association, then you don't own the house, simples!

Why has the earth broken? have you checked terminations in the sockets? What testing have you performed apart from continuity?

i know i dont own it. that why i have to ask, i know it now termination, ive took the face plate off the tested between the sockets. i dont know why its broke. i only did continuity test when i found the fault

 

[spark 68]

Hi mate,

there is a brake in the CPC between two sockets (one in the bedroom and the other at the bottom of the stairs)

Are you sure the break is here ?, is the U/S RFC on the same circuit as D/S RFC ?

I know all of the CPC's should go back to the Earth bar, but not neccessarily from the U/S RFC via a D/S S/O.

Ps. I would not have said anything to the housing assoc. until after you passed (if at all)

 

[ste_miller21]

i know i dont own the house thats why i have to ask to do any work. i know its not the terminations since ive took all face plates off to tracked cpc at every socket. i dont have a clue why its broke because ive been no where near them. i only did continuity tests when i found the fault and then spent time tracking to where the fault is.

 

[ste_miller21]

i know i dont own the house thats why i have to ask to do any work. i know its not the terminations since ive took all face plates off to tracked cpc at every socket. i dont have a clue why its broke because ive been no where near them. i only did continuity tests when i found the fault and then spent time tracking to where the fault is.

i had to tell them. i'd just taken the old board out the wall when a knock came at the door for a inspection...so i kinda got caught out and had to explain myself

 

[ste_miller21]

please could you explain the terminology? im sorry to say this but i havent got a clue when it comes to short had

 

[spark 68]

I know you don't own the house, and it would have been better to get permission first, or to have said nowt, as you presumably did not inform the LABC either.

You could try splitting the U/S RFC and try to find the break that way.

 

[ste_miller21]

U/s rfc

 

[spark 68]

please could you explain the terminology?

U/S = upstairs, D/S = downstairs, RFC = Ring final Circuit, CPC = circuit protective conductor.

This is why it is better to do a quick test on the existing install before a CU (consumer unit) change.

 

[Bigboy247]

If you don`t own it don`t touch it. You could split the RFC in to two radials on two MCBs cheapest and quickest solution.

 

[ste_miller21]

the house only has one ring in the house for up and down. i did a full test on the house and recorded all the readings (since in the assessment i'll prob be asked to prove it)before change over readings were fine. when i got no readings on the cpc cpc at board then when round the house and ive tested the CPC from one socket to the other (outgoing to incoming and so on) all the way round the house thats why i know its between these points.

 

[spark 68]

the house only has one ring in the house for up and down.

OK, That explains that part of it.

Just a thought, you haven't damaged the cable while fixing the new CU have you ?

Edit: forget the last part, I just re-read your earlier posts

 

[ste_miller21]

not that i know of the brake is in the front of the house and board at the back from ether leg of the cpc to the first sockets there is a reading (one leg goes U/S and one leg starts D/S and they meet on the stairs.

when i fitted the new C/U i put batons on the wall and a MDF board so all cables could back enter the unit.

god now im really thinking om doing the right thing with Elecsa....have i just chucked £500 down the pan at xmas time

 

[spark 68]

Hi another thought,

Would it be better to find someone (on here) local to you, who is already Part P reg'd, would this not satisfy your housing assoc,

This may bail you out, if someone is willing to help you, you could always tell the Housing assoc. that you have rectified it at your own expense.

 

[spark 68]

WRT #15,

I meant just to help you with the broken CPC, obviously not to sign the CU change.

 

[ste_miller21]

do you think its acceptable to leave a known fault for 7days though? thanks for your help as well

 

[Richard]

Have you done any other testing apart from Continuity then??

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Hi

Where are you based?

Spartykus

 

[ringer]

In your original tests, did you test cpc continuity on the rfc from end to end, or just to the earth bar? Or did you not actually check this particular item? Have a think about how, in T&E cable, the cpc could break but not the L or N, midway along a cable. Unless cable was damaged by piercing, I do not see how you could break the cpc midway along a run. It therefore must be one of the terminations. Are you absolutely certain the two sockets you mentioned are next to each other on the ring?