How many RCD tests per hour is about right?

[devon1]

I'm testing a large department store and being paid normal sparky rates.

The job is RCD testing existing circuits, sockets, lights etc.
The Distribution Boards have anything between 10 to 24 RCDs per board and there are 4 distribution boards per floor or more.
The total in one building has been 700 RCDs that i have tested.
Now the company wants me to go to the next building.

I have been testing at an average rate of 12 RCDs per hour. That is the full test with stickers and recorded on paper. I have been testing 3 hours before the store opens, so 36 RCDs per day (i do other jobs for the rest of the day).

It works out at 5 minutes per RCD.

What is the going rate for testing on this scale?

Is 12 RCD tests per hour a normal amount to be testing per hour or should it be more or less?

Thanks in advance for any comment

 

[malcolmsanford]

When you say testing the RCD are you doing just the functional test of the full x1/2 x1 and x5

When you say also recorded on paper what kind of paper, is it a recognised electrical certificate or your companies own type of certificate?

I have to admit that I have never known a pure testing schedule for just testing RCD's unless it was just the quarterly functional test.

 

[devon1]

reply to malcolmsanford

It's doing the full x1/2 x1 and x5
Recording on companies own type cert.
Out of the 700, there were 7 failures, so 1% failure. I do the replacement RCD at a cost of 1 hours labour plus cost of RCD.

The company does do the quarterly test also, but this is the full test i'm talking about.

 

[devon1]

reply to malcolmsanford

The reason i'm asking how many is about right per hour is because the management (non electrical) don't know how many is about right and are pushing for more to be done. I think 36 per 3 hour period is about right on average. Considering when working in a department store you have all the added time consuming things like signing in , key access, locating the Distribution boards, identifying circuits etc

 

[malcolmsanford]

It is really how long is a piece of string. As I say not sure how many guys on here just have experience of doing this just only RCD test.

As your testing outside working hours you don't have the added problems of shutting things down. As all companies they are wanting this done if not on the cheap then cheaper.

I assume when in your OP you ask for the rate for this, this is a quoted job for you. If so you can always give them something back, perhaps a 10% discount, or fitting the new RCD at cost. It will boil down to really how good a job this is for you and how badly you want to keep it.

Just as a matter of interest why are they asking you to do just RCD testing and not a PIR, or is this something on top of PIR testing

 

[devon1]

i'm employed through an agency for the company, so i'm just on an hourly rate. The company has the contract and are charging me out per hour to the department store. So there is no interest for me to do more than 12 per hour. If i were to do more per hour (won't happen) then the department store would gain.

Thanks for the reminder about the PIR, i'll mention it to them. They just need the RCDs testing for the moment.

 

[malcolmsanford]

Well then buckets of BS is needed mate.