Proving Your Neutral Electrical Connections

[GB.Kayak]

There appears to be anecdotal evidence from recent threads and the interminable debate regarding BS 7671 Amd 3 and the non-combustible CU thing that Neutral connections are the source of many overheating incidents that in some cases lead to fires. There is nothing currently in BS 7671 or other Codes of Practice that require the integrity of the Line-Neutral circuit to be proven

- What is your experience?

- Do you carry out any tests to ensure that the joints that you produce are always 'sound'?

- Does your experience and 'Mk 1, Self-Calibrating' right or left wrist do the right job every time?

- Will you share your photos of the results of dry joint resistive heating and its aftermath if any?

Discuss!

Research regarding the causes of electrical fires; US source

http://www.interfire.org/features/electric_wiring_faults.asp

 

[frontier219]

Dog 'em up tight and make sure you can't pull them out.

 

[Octopus]

Can you add another option?

"don't understand the question"? lol

 

[GB.Kayak]

Can you add another option?

"don't understand the question"? lol

... I don't know ... just the end user here! ;-) Are you pulling my leg?

 

[Octopus]

... I don't know ... just the end user here! ;-) Are you pulling my leg?

Well.... you could do an R2 + RN BUT if its slightly loose you may not see a different reading to R1 + R2 - but a few weeks down the line you may!!

 

[GB.Kayak]

Well.... you could do an R2 + RN BUT if its slightly loose you may not see a different reading to R1 + R2 - but a few weeks down the line you may!!

So it might show up on an extremely diligent electrical inspection? ... but definitely not on most EIs and definitely on a 'drive-by shooting'!

 

[R G]

The neutral bars that seem to be generic on some boards seem to have very tight threaded screws , so much that I have had to use a large flat driver to get them to tighten , if you use a torque driver it would be useless in this situation , you have to really pull them to check that the screw has properly held the wire , doing an e/loop or Rcd test would not always show the loose neutral, I am in favour of re checking all connections after the board has been in use and like to re check the following day when re wiring etc ...

 

[richy3333]

I always have a good tug, gfor, gfor! I must get out more.

 

[Octopus]

One of the options should be:

"when you have to open a CU do you check all the connections for tightness?"

 

[stevey1983]

Just put a high load on end of circuit and use your thermal camera to check all joints. Job done no need for torque screw drivers or metal consumer units then