earth leakage

[Farmelectrics]

got a new toy ha ha clamped my new earth leakage clamp around my earth cable local to consumer and was getting 5mili amp leakage question what mainly causes the earth leakage other than computers fridges etc

 

[Charlie_]

You would be better off clamping it around the meter tails

 

[Farmelectrics]

yes i did that aswell charlie similar reading

 

[Charlie_]

Other causes; low insulation resistance of cables

 

[Charlie_]

Which one have you purchased ?
I bought a DCM305E on Friday off the Megger rep.. Not had chance to use it yet

 

[Farmelectrics]

it was 8.6mili amps around tails and 6 mili amps on the earth cable no computers on tv is on and fridge and freezer what else could be causing this leakage

 

[Farmelectrics]

martindale cm69 cracking piece of kit

 

[Charlie_]

How old is the installation?
Flick each circuit off and observe the current

 

[static zap]

anyone charging a few mobiles , (Turn off various RFC,lighting at CU)

 

[Farmelectrics]

yes phones and i pad getting charged

 

[Farmelectrics]

i rewired the house in 2001

 

[Des 56]

If its a Tnc-s system I suppose its possible that next doors earth leakage is finding its way to the neutral via yours

 

[static zap]

Sadly we pay for quality (real iPhone chargers ).
Plenty of TVs DVR ,DVD players are good for an odd milli-amp.
(the old transormers are too full of copper at 50Hz-hence replaced !)

 

[Farmelectrics]

a friend of mine told me he uses the clamp meter for his ir tests dosent do any ir testing just calculates the ir from the leakage current he detects whats your thoughts on that says it saves him lots of time still need convincing that this is ok

 

[Farmelectrics]

my property is a tns des

 

[Charlie_]

a friend of mine told me he uses the clamp meter for his ir tests dosent do any ir testing just calculates the ir from the leakage current he detects whats your thoughts on that says it saves him lots of time still need convincing that this is ok

I use that method on jobs where I need to know the ir but can’t turn the power off

 

[static zap]

a friend of mine told me he uses the clamp meter for his ir tests dosent do any ir testing just calculates the ir from the leakage current he detects

Does sound dodgy ,if no one else can get same figure with 500V .
Can see where he is coming from Not having to unplug all those delicate electronics (they get tested at 380-400VDC)

 

[Farmelectrics]

its a good idea and would save you lots of time quick clamp and calculate and onto the next one or better still the pub quicker. would be good before a board change

 

[Charlie_]

Also you need to know that when using ac to test we will be measuring impedance and not resistance as in a dc IR text

 

[Pete999]

Computers, SMPS, TV boxes, play stations. etc