Flucutuating IR results.?,.................

[HappyHippyDad]

Evening all.

I am about to change a CU but have poor IR results on the ring so I am investigating that first.

N-E on the ring 'WAS' 0.1Mohm. I started narrowing it down and got to a wall mounted JB (it looked like a cooker outlet plate, it had 2 spurs as well as 2 cables for the ring). The spurs tested fine, the ring tested 1.1Mohm on one side and about 4Mohm on the other? When I reconnected the lines of the ring at the JB the N-E on the 'faulty' side went to 0.5Mohm. When I disconnected the lines in the JB the faulty side went back to 1.1Mohm?

I then continued to eliminate further sockets and when I went back to this JB the IR results were 0.3Mohm whether the lines were connected or not?

I have not been able to unplug everything as the homeowner is a hoarder to the extreme. I have narrowed it down to 5 sockets (or JB's hidden in floorboards). The cable is imperial.

I am going back soon and I have asked for access to the 5 suspect sockets but I am a bit confused as to varying IR results?

Plus... I got a bit carried away finding the poor IR results and at the end of the day found that the cpc on the ring is broken!

Cheers chaps... and sparky chick!

 

[Octopus]

Damp?

Does the reading drop if you repeat the tests ...........?

 

[HappyHippyDad]

Damp?

Does the reading drop if you repeat the tests ...........?

Its gone from 0.134Mohm to 0.6Mohm to to 0.3Mohm respectively? With the small amount of time at 1.1Mohm when the lines were disconnected at that JB.

I feel comfortable that I will eventually find the fault (or faults!) but dont understand the differing IR results.

 

[ruston]

As Muroch says , it could be damp and a few rotting back boxes with lack of airflow if the hording is really bad.
Your nose should give you a clue.

 

[static zap]

Damp + Fungus .
(just looked at a teabag ,for compost in the kitchen ..
Fine fillaments will grow from old dust dirt )
Does that mean plants rather than Ants ?

 

[buzzlightyear]

its a pane in the a** when you got to strip down sockets to find the faults .especially when cables are going all over place.