Discuss PFC & Earth Loop Imp Tests. in the Periodic Inspection Reporting & Certification area at ElectriciansForums.net

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OldskoolUpNorth

Alreet all,

Went for an interview for a FM company recently and got asked a couple of, what I thought were, ambiguous questions.

Thought i'd find out what everyone else thinks.

1) What would you expect to find during PFC test?

&

2)What would you expect to find during Earth Loop Imp test.

Answers on a postcard.........


Neil.
 
Possibly the following:

1) A result in kA that determines the fault current likely to flow in the event of a fault. The lower the external impedance of a supply, the greater the fault current would likely to be. I'd also explain to make a note to check whether the MCB's/RCBO's and switchgear within an installation are likely to be rated to the prospective fault current.

2) A result in ohms, which complies with the relevant earth system value, TT, TNC-S, TNS etc. The Zs result that you obtained may also need investigating if it is greater than your Ze test and your R1+R2 test results combined.

Any comments welcome!!
 
Thanks Test-Meter,

Answers,

1) No more than 16kA except in parts of London
2) Max 1 Ohm

Now call me crazy but that doesn't sound to me like the question they were asking.

I thought they were after an explaination of the relevance and not a max value.

I got No1 right but went into the details of Ze with No2.

Why can't they say what they're looking for rather than being vague... Jeez!
 
2) Max 1 Ohm

if they've ever worked on a TT system, they're dreaming, unless the rod/s were installed by eng54. LOL.
 
Thanks Test-Meter,

Answers,

1) No more than 16kA except in parts of London
2) Max 1 Ohm

Now call me crazy but that doesn't sound to me like the question they were asking.

I thought they were after an explaination of the relevance and not a max value.

I got No1 right but went into the details of Ze with No2.

Why can't they say what they're looking for rather than being vague... Jeez!

Well, 1 Ohm is the maximum for which system? Its 0.8 for TNS and 200+ For TT, this was a pretty poor question.
 
Can you see my confusion?

I was on about a range of values dependant upon blah blah blah...

and the answer I got

'Your over thinking it'

No specific system mentioned, no details whatsoever, just the question.
 
typical suits. read a few bits and think they know it all.

my answers would have been.1. expect my 1552 to show a PFC reading. 2. expect it to show a Ze value.
 
I'm very familiar with C&G's type questioning, and even they wouldn't try some imaginary nonsense like that.

I'd have offered him some educating.


I've seen things like this before myself. I once went for an interview at a company in Leather head and the interviewee wrote down three formulas, each with a symbol missing and he asked me to find them. The answer to all three was 'I' and I think maybe I intimidated him from asking any more..

I got the job, but I wasn't interested any more.
 
Ha ha,

Never heard anything from them since.

Surprising when I was 1 of only 2 to get the PFC question right since they'd been asking those questions.

I think they may have overlooked me cos I forgot to give them the completed application form they'd emailed me beforehand... OOPS!
 
I once went for a job, and was interviewed by a panel of 4 people, 1 very tidy fit bird, 1 director, 1 engineering manager, and completely useless nugget of an Electrical Supervisor who would have been my boss. I got asked all sorts of questions as you do, then the nugget jumps in. He holds a piece of wood up and asked me to identify the components mounted upon it. We agreed on Capacitors, LED's, and loads of other stuff, but then we got into an argument. I said it was a thyristor, he said it was a diode, after much yes it is, no it isnt's were exchanged, the engineering manager jumped in and asked me why i though it was a thyristor, not a diode, i replied you should be asking your supervisor that question, and whilst you are at it, ask him since when did a diode have a gate lead connection. The knobnead went very red, and i left the room, and i didnt get invited back for a second interview.

Cheers........Howard
 

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