Could really do with some help!

[MDJ]

I thought the in rush current would be enough to trip out an arcing breaker, I've never seen it happen so I will withdraw that statement.

It should maybe on a breaker which isn't faulty, but how many are? millions probably and most from the far east I bet

 

[brookster]

It should maybe on a breaker which isn't faulty, but how many are? millions probably and most from the far east I bet

Horrible stuff. Feel for OP and hope you get to the bottom of it as I doubt with your ex it was your fault.

 

[dazza1981]

us sparks have so much to think about in terms of the design,installation,testing,safety and certification,constant changes in regulations,and although job satisfaction is high and you get a good variety of work we do carry so much responsibility and sometimes our salary does not reflect this.Keep your head up mate,how many installations have you tested that you,ve walked away from without any problems.Easy for me to say but im sure your a very capable sparks and this was just bad timing.

 

[Rockingit]

I'm with Trev on the something smells fishy about this. It's just too close a time scale and too convenient. Has someone been watching Corry a little too closely??

It stands to reason that if an installation has been verified as being electrically safe, twice, then it IS electrically safe. If IR tests were done, and connections tight, with next to no load at 1am - where's the energy, where's the heat?

£55 per week - well, it's more than possible. Shower, washing machine, dishwasher....

I always take photos before, during and after all my inspections and final sign-offs on new work, for just this reason.

 

[dazza1981]

so how do you take photos to show if the connections are tight or not in the fuse board?

 

[brookster]

so how do you take photos to show if the connections are tight or not in the fuse board?

photos of you pulling on them with a newton meter

 

[dazza1981]

ha i guess so brookster i do this all the time,i use the same method with every socket and pendant to.:28:

 

[trev]

£55 a week on electricity is a hell of a lot, a mate of mine lives in a bloody big house with his Mrs and 3 daughter who spend hours in the shower. His bill is nowhere near this. My bet is, like Tel said, there's something growing there and it's gone wrong. To try to cover their arses the tenant is attempting to blame a perfectly competent spark who appears to have done his job diligently.

 

[dazza1981]

55 quid,i rekon hes got another family living in the loft.I agree with trev in that sum1s trying to cover there own backside by blaming sum1 else! Well at least thats how it seems if the installation was indeed sound after testing

 

[Rockingit]

Rough maths is £55 = 2.3kwh constant. And you're not to know if theres some element of debt repayment/combined energy involved.

Just saying it IS possible.

 

[dazza1981]

Or next doors bill is 0 pound

 

[kingeri]

Maybe they just use electric to heat the house?

 

[Rockingit]

so how do you take photos to show if the connections are tight or not in the fuse board?

Clearly you can't. But the process of thoroughly documenting your work, and being able to waive the only Polaroids in existence as evidence would carry an enormous amount of weight with any judge / jury.

 

[dazza1981]

i agree!

 

[dazza1981]

Maybe they just use electric to heat the house?

Are you sure,perhaps they are using over 200 quid a month by leaving the tv on standby?

 

[stuartcourt]

maybe like myself they left the electric underfloor heating on in the west side of there manor felt such a fool

 

[dazza1981]

maybe like myself they left the electric underfloor heating on in the west side of there manor felt such a fool

which reminds me i must switch off the power to the heated pool

 

[moose]

Did you check the loft for a Weed infection if you know what i mean, there have been a few of these reported, remember these lights can give off some amazing use of power

 

[R G]

Does anyone remember the thread regarding the fitting off MCBs on the bus bar a couple of weeks ago , and how easy it is to get the clamp the wrong side of it , this could have been the case and just by swiching the breaker off and on may have unsettled it , no fault by the testing sparks , as fault was allready in place, just a thought.

 

[JoeDurky]

Off the subject abit and I really do feel for the op, and not saying he would do this or other sparks. When I was doing price work for council it was £25 if I remember rightly for a full test and kitchen 2nd fix. The tests were carried out by various electricians sub contracting to the electrical contractors. As anyone here would no the tests would never be done correctly on that sort of price. Would you say that was greed as to why the price was so low and why would you trust the reports and results from somebody you are paying so little. It amazes me people get away with this sort of thing.

 

[oldtimer]

I think we can all agree that the £60 EICR brigade does not help because this forces corners to be cut plus we live in a so called free market that only does one thing ie drives down costs because one manufacturer moves their production to China or India and the shareholders a happy but we have lost a pile of jobs here matters not a jot so the other manufacturers are forced to do the same to compete on price in other words a race to the bottom then in China and India they are doing the same trying to drive costs down to get more profits.

 

[stevie_sausage]

Hi everyone thanks for all the messages of support etc and theories as to what may have caused it. Since yesterday I have gone off and tried to do some research regarding the defective mcbs and after much digging I have found fire brigade reports in both London & Edinburgh were they have attended fires with regard to defective mcbs (one of which had attended numerous fires due to the mcbs and the other had attended three in a week in a sheltered scheme and even made notes regarding the recall on their reports so it is arguable it us a common occurance. I have compiled a report on this as the company I work for May not be aware of it anyway and it should be highlighted to all elecs asap regardless of my staying or not. In terms of checking lofts I did check lofts as I always do for two reasons 1 people are notorious for DIYing a light up there, and 2 to check cable runs etc for any thermal damage. Admittedly its not a thorough check (just around the first couple of feet in the loft hatch) but I found no evidence of growing. Lastly I too am aware of these exceptionally low prices some companies charge for eicr. I left a company 2 yrs ago after only being there a week for that precise reason. Their idea of a test fell way short of what you would expect it to be. But, where they get away with it is because they're not doing the test testing spark is and should it go pear shaped its the spark in the dock. That is why I have argued for many years that people not companies should be registered with the NICEIC. As it takes the power out the firms hand and puts it where it should be, in the hands of the spark.

 

[JoeDurky]

I haven't done my testing exam yet and have never tested an installation, everyone I have known have not done IR tests on new installs as they say they no there fine and also have seen them not done on Eicr's. Also the people I have seen test have done Eli tests and calculated continuity of cpc. Also have seen people test Eli on only live and neutral as they couldn't get a reading from earth and then calculate continuity from that.

 

[stevie_sausage]

Hi Joe on any install you should endevour to do all tests including IR with loads disconnected unless it is an operational/agreed limitation, plus if the install is new its doesn't mean its correct could be nails in cables or anything, plus when its new its the easiest time to test. Not fully testing is a bad & dangerous habit to get into mate.

 

[stuartcourt]

anyone who does not do a full test is a fool we all make mistakes

 

[oldtimer]

Remember 95% of MCBs or RCDs are made in either China or India and yes we hope the importers ie the CU manufacturers are doing quality assurance testing but me thinks not . Thing is if it is traced to faulty equipment fine but if these incidents become more common then they will do something about it

Well well what were we talking about and now MK doing a recall Deary dear he we go again

 

[chopper76]

I got called out two weeks ago to a property that had a fire in a sector board (part of the electrium group recall), fire brigade had put it out, it seemed to start at the base of the mcb above the busbar connection,

 

[GLENNSPARK]

I got called out two weeks ago to a property that had a fire in a sector board (part of the electrium group recall), fire brigade had put it out, it seemed to start at the base of the mcb above the busbar connection,

probably the busbar was of the forked type....and was not properly located/secured by the terminal screw.....
got to watch it with them forked busbars...

- - - Updated - - -

an inspection mirror on a little stick will give the game away...

 

[p d stott ltd]

went to job of mine in old pump house ,water dripping on suppliers meter and cutout caught fire leavin nothing.was lucky nothing flamable,elecy board jus turned up and changed it.was thinking there equipment didnt disconect properly and in different circumstances whole building could have gone up and they would maybe pin on me.suppliers meters were removed were they below yer boards.