Neutral/ Earth fault ??

[cantabrian9]

Just got back from a "minor " job !! here in spain,the client has one socket that will trip the house no matter what is plugged into it,it is "spider " wired as is the norm here,so course there are other sockets AND other circuits joined to it ,megger tested the cables CLEAR ! tested the socket OK ! i then take a reading ,live /neutral OK, live / earth 152 volts ! , neutral/earth 312 volts !!!! When the earth cables are parted some have a reading, a few read clear, I must state that this socket problem has only appeared over the last 12 days , any ideas

 

[Octopus]

Replace the socket. Sounds like a faulty neutral in that "spur"

Have you done R1 + R2, R1 + RN and R2 + RN back to the board?

 

[cantabrian9]

YEH done all that,(the client thinks i,m conning him !!) when i mentioned a reading on some earth cables ,i should have quoted VOLTAGE ! Now this fault could have been in this house for some time,but has now appeared after the 12 days the client has been away,i also will have to change the RCD as it is totally knackered,in many spanish installations ? (that the locals do !) there is normally at least 50 volts neutral/earth but never this excess !

 

[Beardyjar]

could be a fault at the transformer, with a bad neutral connection

 

[cantabrian9]

Well i changed the rcd,changed the socket,no tripping now ,BUT left the fault !!!! as the client could not understand why i wanted to FIDDLE (his words!) around ,his mentality like many other brits out here is-------- IF IT WORKS IT MUST BE OK !!!

 

[Engineer54]

What's the voltage values like at the service head?? If the same, then you have a suppliers fault that needs to be rectified, like yesterday!! lol!!

 

[cantabrian9]

The fault is in the house,if the earth wires are split, of which there are many ! some have the voltage mentioned ,others with a lower voltage,not bothered now ,the client is happy,AND any other job that comes up with the same kind of problem ,(or others) I shall turn down

 

[Engineer54]

The fault is in the house,if the earth wires are split, of which there are many ! some have the voltage mentioned ,others with a lower voltage,not bothered now ,the client is happy,AND any other job that comes up with the same kind of problem ,(or others) I shall turn down

Now that's a real professional approach to have!! ...Let's hope your client and/or family doesn't have to pay the cost !!

 

[yamman35]

in some villages here in spain, the voltages are as such, between the 2 conductors you have 230v and between the conductors and earth you have 115v. So you don't have a neutral as such. I have had many people ask why there low energy bulbs pulse at night when turned off. They have 115v on one contact I suppose.

 

[Beardyjar]

This is true. Many villages run on old transformers with two live feeds and no neutral. A common fault that leaves voltage on the earth are cheap adapters from low cost shops. Have come across lots of them that are faulty and have a contact with the live or neutral to the earth

 

[WilcoxElec]

Now that's a real professional approach to have!! ...Let's hope your client and/or family doesn't have to pay the cost !!

This sounds as though it would have been a challenge to resolve - and could have provided some useful experience. It is good to exchange horror stories with other electricians - especially if they work under very different conditions - in other regions say . They see things which - for you - might be rare. E.g I have heard that in some bits of Paris there is a 2-phase supply .... or there used to be .... As for what is found in the more remote countryside - down in Les Landes -- or wherever...... ... Have to say that in France things are pretty well regulated over all - and I am getting the impression that this may not be so in Spain.... :wink5:. My procedure for dealling with real nasties is to buy a coffee for someone with much more experience than me - who I have probably worked with before - and knows that I deal with the difficult English nuts. :smug: