Do I need?

[Rauer]

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Right guys,
got my assessment coming up , do I need a proving unit or am I allowed to use the incoming side of the main switch?
Secondly do I need a wander lead or can I use a drum of singles!
and last but not least I can't find hsr 25!!!!-found it!!!
thanks!!

 

[trev]

No you don't and yes you can mate. You can also make your own wander lead

 

[ruston]

You only need to prove against a know source , so that should be fine. I can't see any harm making your your own wander lead up , I think most people do anyway.

 

[Rauer]

Few ! There's £150 saved!!

 

[ruston]

Just a spoonful off the gravy train though lol.

 

[Rauer]

Think I've just about got everything nessacerry!

 

[Rauer]

Apart from a van! But I'm hoping to sort that hurdle out in the next couple of months !!

 

[ruston]

You'll be fine mate , do'nt worry they need you more than you need them!

 

[Rauer]

What do they mean when they say they want to see design of installations?

 

[trev]

What do they mean when they say they want to see design of installations?

Your design calculations.

 

[ruston]

usually a drawing or a diagram plan of the installation. I think in a domestic install a well made up legend of the circuits at the CU suffices. Phone them up and ask them

 

[Rauer]

Your design calculations.

So adiabatic equations or just a case of looking in the regs book for the current carrying capacities of cable for a ring and a lighting circuit etc!

 

[trev]

The ccc of a cable is one thing but how many things have to be considered which can affect that?
Think derating you did it on your 17th
Obviously you have to think about all the cables you are installing mate

 

[Rauer]

I appreciate the derating factors like ambient temps and grouping etc, am I supposed to be keeping all this in a record for every job I do? And is there some sort of form to fill all this info on or do I just magic something up on a spreadsheet!

 

[Johnny-G]

Just tell your assessor that you used the OSG for any circuit designs.

 

[trev]

I'd keep a record of it mate, whether that be a hard copy or a spreadsheet on your hard drive is a matter for you and your scheme provider, ring them and ask them what they want. It's all part of the process that proves you have done your job correctly. Who are you going with? post that up and you'll get advice from guys who are registered with that provider because I'm not scammed up. The vast majority of my work is commercial with like for like replacements in domestic situations. For big jobs I team up with a mate of mine who is scammed up

 

[Rauer]

I've signed up to elecsa! Got Russell Prestidge, have heard he's a nice bloke!

 

[ruston]

Just looked the regs up for common rules (how sad is that) 514.9 Diagrams and documents when you get the chance to look. These items should be available to future testers , It does say for simple installations the foregoing information may be given in a schedule. A durable copy of the schedule relating to a distribution board shall be provided within or adjacent to each distribution board,

 

[Rauer]

So in other words a db schedule will suffice! Which I think is what you said earlier!

 

[ruston]

So in other words a db schedule will suffice! Which I think is what you said earlier!

Check the reg to get the full gist and check with Elecsa , I'm not sure what they want, but it satisfies the regs .

 

[trev]

No, it's not enough to just label up a CU! although that is important. One of the tests of competency is your ability to design a circuit and that does not mean drawing a picture of the cable routes. It's about proving that what you install is appropriate for where it's going and what it's going to do Google circuit design and see what you get.
Yes a durable copy of what is what should be within or near a distribution board but there's more to it than that

 

[Rauer]

I wasn't on about just ladling up the cu I was on about one of these
http://blog.pirform.co.uk/image.axd?picture=printchart.png

 

[ruston]

No, it's not enough to just label up a CU! although that is important. One of the tests of competency is your ability to design a circuit and that does not mean drawing a picture of the cable routes. It's about proving that what you install is appropriate for where it's going and what it's going to do Google circuit design and see what you get.
Yes a durable copy of what is what should be within or near a distribution board but there's more to it than that

The schedule asks for roughly what you say , but it's too much for me to type out cos a can hardly see the reg book marra

 

[trev]

What schedule Mate?
As an example, if you're planning a rewire how are you going to justify your cable choice, your OCPDs etc?
There's only one way and that is to do design calculations based on the circuit load, diversity and all derating factors

 

[ruston]

I know that design calculations and drawings are required and that they should be kept throughout the life of the installation. Rauer asked what the scheme provider would require by way of design of installation and I think what they will require is in the reg number I gave him.

All the boards I have seen with any form of documentation on them are few and far between, but the ones that have had similar to the link he provided. As i was unsure what Elecsa required I suggested that he call them to find out, because I doubt they will want complex equations on an assessment.

I fully agree with you that a full understanding of cable calcs etc is essential in installation work. I think Rauer is capable of doing them, I was'nt suggesting he just marked the board , but follows the guidance of the regs , which I am quite sure he understood .

I'm sorry if I did'nt make myself clear. I'm not about beating the examiner.

 

[thomas1981]

Back to the proving unit.
How do you prove any metal parts aren't live before removing covers?
Surely you need to prove your test lamps,test for dead then re prove your lamps.
Before removing any metal db covers.

 

[Rauer]

Back to the proving unit.
How do you prove any metal parts aren't live before removing covers?
Surely you need to prove your test lamps,test for dead then re prove your lamps.
Before removing any metal db covers.

I thought the idea of it was to prove your meter is working, not to check metal casings were not live

 

[thomas1981]

If you carried out a full risk assessment before commencing with any work you would need to prove all exposed metal parts are dead. The only way to do this is with a suitable set of testers. Majority of the time these metal parts are dead hence no voltage will show on your testers so you need to prove your testers are working. I'm aware some testers have a built in proving unit in which case a proving unit wouldn't be required.

 

[Rauer]

Ok so if you put one probe on the casing , what do you put the other on?

 

[telectrix]

what a red herring!. the whole purpose of a voltage tester is to prove that normally "live" parts of a circuit are safely isolated/dead. nothing to do with testing exposed conductive parts of the installation.

 

[Brightspark2]

what a red herring!. the whole purpose of a voltage tester is to prove that normally "live" parts of a circuit are safely isolated/dead. nothing to do with testing exposed conductive parts of the installation.

What he said.