Live radiators fix ?

[Jak1708]

Hi all

Got a customer in a few weeks time who has radiators that are live, isolated it to the downstairs ring, ive had it twice before in the past and just isolated parts of the circuit and then followed the cables until I found corroded cable on a pipe which when replaced fixed it.

As I say this worked fine both times and it's what I'll do this time again but just wondered if anyone else had had this same fault and if you got round it in a different / better way ?

Thanks

J

 

[telectrix]

makes me wonder why the OCPD or RCD hasn't tripped in these cases.

 

[trev]

So their radiators are live and they want it sorting in a few weeks?
Bizarre
A situation I'm glad to say I've not been in

 

[Jak1708]

Yep live radiators , lots of people in the house, and not that fussed about fixing it really, had to twist there arm.

Yep rcd not popping

 

[trev]

On a rainy day, getting the socks dried will be a barrel of laughs in that house

 

[ipf]

Are you sure it's not in Thailand.

 

[D80]

Could be a faulty RCD.

That needs sorting ASAP, with RCD etc checked. Some people are just idiots, if it was a leaking radiator it would be sorted tonight. A leaking radiator shouldn't kill anyone, a live one might.

 

[Jak1708]

Lol ! It was the plumber I felt sorry for (that's how I was called) got a belter.

So no one else has ever had live water pipe or rads or anything on them lines ??

 

[trev]

I've had a live gas pipe before but there was no other copper in the house at the time. Tracked the offending item down and repaired it, funnily enough it was a pipe monkey who found that too

 

[D80]

I've only had calls for "shocks" off metal work that has turned out to be nothing more than static.

Don't think I'd fancy a job like this one where the radiators and probably a lot of other pipework is live, but customer doesn't seem to want to sort it. I'd start to look at covering my backside and getting something in writing recommending immediate remedial action.

 

[londonlec]

Ive had a live gas pipe before. Faulty gas hob and no bonding.

 

[Megavolt]

Lol ! It was the plumber I felt sorry for (that's how I was called) got a belter.

So no one else has ever had live water pipe or rads or anything on them lines ??

Yes once had a house that had all radiators, Boiler, hob, taps and even kitchen sink was live

 

[trev]

I've had some dumb clients in my time but anyone who isn't fussed about things being energised that aren't supposed to be, well that takes the award
Maybe a Darwin

 

[PC Electrics]

I've had live pipework before, but only on TT systems where the (usually very old) rod has rotted out and so no effective path to earth to trip mcbs. And usually a voelcb that doesn't work. I usually get converted to TN-C-S and go from there.

Like above, I'd get something in writing - issue a danger notice using signed for delivery (and email a copy if you can).

 

[Jak1708]

Cool cheers for the input guys.

I imagine all this live copper was along the same Lines as nail through the cable and touching copper or bare conducter badley terminated etc ?

I don't think they quite realise the size of a radiator system could be anywhere :S

 

[Jak1708]

Thanks for the advice will look at something in writing !

 

[Guitarist]

What do you mean by corroded cable on the pipe? Do you mean that the earth bonding is corroded and you are sitting with a leaking voltage permanently on the metalwork not being earthed?

 

[MNR]

Found this in what was going to be newly refurbished nursery my uncle who is a plumber got me in to have a look as he kept getting belts. Luckily it happened to him and not one of the children. Another case of builder who can 'do' electrics.

 

[Marvo]

I would be looking for three things immediately;

1 Localise and repair the low insulation fault causing the leakage current.
2 Why is the touch voltage so high? Where's the bonding and why isn't it working?
3 Why isn't the RCD tripping and isolating the supply to the faulty circuit?

 

[Knobhead]

Wonder where the newly installed bit of plastic piping will be found?

 

[Darkwood]

Ive had live rads intermittent on a job, ... now i posted this before but i let you try work this one out.... to note the dno fuse was withdrawn by the clark of electrical works and they still came live roughly dinner times and tea time, i worked it out and was laughed at by clrk of works until he was smuggly proven wrong by me
Just to add it was a tns with corroded armoured which gave bad earth so it was converted to tt with earth rods.

 

[Knobhead]

Have a look at http://www.electriciansforums.net/electrical-forum-general-electrical-forum/21227-tingley-taps.html

 

[Darkwood]

Similar in that it was external as you might have guessed, turned out it was a faulty microwave 2 doors up, and throughout the street the old wooden box buried DNO joints had corroded along with the earthing of the SWA, when i earth rodded the house i was in i effectively gave a better return path to the house up the street than its corroded supply cable acheived. Was a real head scratcher to solve as plumber complained he had shocks but whenever we tested the microwave wasnt on, we withdrew DNO fuse and let the plumber continue and you guessed it ZAPPP!, i suggested to clark of works what it was to which he said he'd been doing his job 35yrs and never heard of anything like that and said i was clutching at straws... i said so just cos you haven't heard of this issue your willing to cast it aside and have a installation with a potentially lethal senerio, i said il contact the DNO then and get them out. They confirmed everything i said although my guess was an electric cooker they confirmed it to be a microwave and id created an alternative earth path.... and like your set-up Tony -- all street powered down, road dug and all houses new supply cable, and me 2 earth rods back that had be billed. Although it didnt make up for the time lost on fault.