Identifying live cables

[Bobster]

Having seen it done on 11KV I agree.

Done it plenty on redundant 11/33Kv cables, still thankfully never seen it go through a live one.

Although I have seen the aftermath of someone using it on a live cable in one of the training centers I visited. There wasn't much left, but nobody was hurt.

 

[Pete999]

Agree Mate I was 11KV AP for several years and although you were dead sure you had identified the right cable to spike, it gave me butterflies, until of course you had fired the spiker and nothing went bang, except for the spiker, going off.

 

[Baddegg]

I don’t understand why you’d want responsibility for this mark, as you can’t have the relevant insurance to cover you should the worst happen, in a development of that size the cost of getting a spark in and doing it properly must be a drop in the ocean

 

[littlespark]

A big department store. Surely there are EICRs going back years documenting every circuit, every cable with sizes.... and everything is labelled....

No?

 

[The Ghost]

However if there is something a bit more reliable than a volt pen I will get one,

Yeh it's called an electrician.

 

[telectrix]

Yeh it's called an electrician.

absofruitly.

 

[davesparks]

So at this stage being Abel-to show a cable is live or possibly deadwill help me plan the works.

A volt pen will light up on some dead cables and make them appear live, it won't light up on a lot of live cables and make them appear dead.

So you would end up with a plan showing cables as being live which are actually dead, a bunch of possibly live cables which are actually dead, a lot of possibly live cables which are actually live. And not forgetting all manner of cables which appear dead but actually come live when various timeswitches, back up systems etc etc come on.

So basically you are going to waste a lot of time making yourself feel like you are making a valid contribution and saving money when in reality you'll have no more useful information than when you started.

 

[Spoon]

So basically you are going to waste a lot of time making yourself feel like you are making a valid contribution and saving money when in reality you'll have no more useful information than when you started.

This pretty much sums up the the thread.

 

[markthebuilder]

Well I have to say the thread defiantly highlights the significant concerns the professional electrical community has that every person who asks a straight forward question relating to electrical work is potentially going to bar- b-q themselves. It is commendable but the reaction to the meet mention of a volt pen a little laughable. Seemingly the best tools for what we actually need is a “grumbler”and an “approved person” I have a guy combing from the dno next week and we will come up with a plan to fill the gaps between what’s on the utility drawings and what is as built /amended and left in during previous refurb . Then I can give results to my m&e guys all that said I’m still getting myself a volt pen to make one final check on any cable before I let anyone start cutting with a sthil Which reminds me we need to cut some access holes into ducts that look like cement sheet. Is there a chemical you can put on the sheets that turns green if it’s defo cement or red if its asbestos?

 

[Charlie_]

No competent person in their right mind would use a volt pen to verify a cable for safe isolation..

 

[markthebuilder]

If you read my post Charlie I never sugesred I would,In fact I never mentions isolation . I simply asked if there was a better tool for identifying wether a cable is live. Specifically big ones when your only access is to the model of it and it’s source and end can’t be determined ....

 

[static zap]

Bright idea , a light bulb with a spike ,on a neutral wander lead ,may do it ... but the approved tool will be more pricey ... Do verify its still working every so often !
(Yep you are likely to go BANG if you don't know -nor have a plan)

 

[Charlie_]

Ahh sorry my mistake, when somebody talks about cutting through cables I automatically think ‘safe isolation’..
Apologies for my assumptions..

Ok, from what I’ve heard, try these ‘volt pens’
Megger
Fluke
Kewtech - guy on YouTube uses them so must be really good

Please give us some feedback after your meeting with the dno guy, I’m really interested to hear more about this

 

[Andy78]

I have decided the OP is either on a wind up or as thick as mince and stubborn as mud. Best left to it in both cases.

 

[Tony Reidy]

1) I will need a team of sparks befor I’m finishe 2) no I don’t, I have always proved cables at one end or the other or been able to isolate the whole supply. This building is prity vast so when I am sticking my head in places I don’t rally want to go back to and I see a big black cables 2 inch thick I would like a quick way of determining if it’s deep live then I can mark it on the plans. If a volt pen will do volt pen will do it then that will do.. any cables I don’t get a positive result for can get marked up as require further investigation.
However if there is something a bit more reliable than a volt pen I will get one,

There is its called an electrician

 

[Spoon]

....all that said I’m still getting myself a volt pen to make one final check on any cable before I let anyone start cutting with a sthil

Any electrician will ignore your checks (with the volt pen) and check all cables themselves but go ahead and do your checks, it's only a waste of your time and not theirs.

 

[Andy78]

Just saying .......

£160k fines after demolition worker burned - https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/160k-fines-after-demolition-worker-burned?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2AXzrRGONW3jPwrwAM0dv0j8hOVINsHWbV7ou2gMEvYxe-YCM2FbdNXwA

 

[Charlie_]

Just saying .......

£160k fines after demolition worker burned - https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/160k-fines-after-demolition-worker-burned?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2AXzrRGONW3jPwrwAM0dv0j8hOVINsHWbV7ou2gMEvYxe-YCM2FbdNXwA

Probably because it wasn’t all checked first with a volt pen

 

[Spoon]

Just saying .......

£160k fines after demolition worker burned - https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/160k-fines-after-demolition-worker-burned?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook&fbclid=IwAR2AXzrRGONW3jPwrwAM0dv0j8hOVINsHWbV7ou2gMEvYxe-YCM2FbdNXwA

I'm sure the OP can afford an 80 grand fine, so hes ok to tell the electrician he's checked the cable with his volt pen and its dead..

 

[Charlie_]

Day 1..
Site foreman turns up and all is ok, the wand has not lit up!
Izzy wizzy lets get busy!