Reversed Polarity

[wattsy]

Hi all,

Went to wire up a electric shower today in a block of flats only about 8 years old. It turned out that the main tails were the wrong way round in the consumer unit making all the neutral bar live etc!!

So much for initial verification, inspection and testing! Must have been like it since they were built. Crazy :confused5:

Has any ever come across this? Cant be that common

 

[Knobhead]

Not in domestic but have been blown across a room by a SP+N board reversed.

For gods sake get it sorted as soon as possible. No doubt you have already.

 

[Mark_Burgess]

Did you check any of their neighbours CU's ?

 

[trev]

In your position I'd be contacting all the other residents, might be a few bob in it for you.
It's scary what some people think is acceptable work to walk away from. If I walked without testing something I wouldn't be able to sleep

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Yes, my brother when he was still in his time and we were working together on some flats in Pimlico, came across a similar situation.
He was replacing a socket-outlet, the just the circuit breaker off.
As he removed the conductors, he recieved a belt and then the dropped neutral conductor shorted out on a central heating pipe, causing a leak.
He was then trying to stem the water with his fingers whilst getting belts through the water.
Quite comical at the time.
He's been quite hot on safe isolation ever since.

 

[MarkieSparkie]

Yes, a block of 12 flats, but tails at every single flat reverse polarity, work done 6 months earlier by NICEIC register company, best of all the owner, company director and company Qualified Supervisor's signature on all the paperwork. HSE took up the case, company prosecuted, NICEIC membership revoked (a first in my experience) and the individual banned from being a company director for 5 years.

 

[Jimmyb]

Yes, a block of 12 flats, but tails at every single flat reverse polarity, work done 6 months earlier by NICEIC register company, best of all the owner, company director and company Qualified Supervisor's signature on all the paperwork. HSE took up the case, company prosecuted, NICEIC membership revoked (a first in my experience) and the individual banned from being a company director for 5 years.

How did that happen, i mean we all can make mistakes, ive got them wrong when using henley block once but inside a cu it gotta be impossible anit it and then all 12 wtf

 

[Jimmyb]

Just thought maybe they didnt want any call back for mcb tripping

 

[wattsy]

Yes, my brother when he was still in his time and we were working together on some flats in Pimlico, came across a similar situation.
He was replacing a socket-outlet, the just the circuit breaker off.
As he removed the conductors, he recieved a belt and then the dropped neutral conductor shorted out on a central heating pipe, causing a leak.
He was then trying to stem the water with his fingers whilst getting belts through the water.
Quite comical at the time.
He's been quite hot on safe isolation ever since.

Sounds like one of those days when you wished you'd stayed in bed!

 

[ipf]

Yes, my brother when he was still in his time and we were working together on some flats in Pimlico, came across a similar situation.
He was replacing a socket-outlet, the just the circuit breaker off.
As he removed the conductors, he recieved a belt and then the dropped neutral conductor shorted out on a central heating pipe, causing a leak.
He was then trying to stem the water with his fingers whilst getting belts through the water.
Quite comical at the time.
He's been quite hot on safe isolation ever since.

Jumping Jack Splash is a gas gas gas!

 

[ipf]

Yes, my brother when he was still in his time and we were working together on some flats in Pimlico, came across a similar situation.
He was replacing a socket-outlet, the just the circuit breaker off.
As he removed the conductors, he recieved a belt and then the dropped neutral conductor shorted out on a central heating pipe, causing a leak.
He was then trying to stem the water with his fingers whilst getting belts through the water.
Quite comical at the time.
He's been quite hot on safe isolation ever since.

Just thinking, probably a good job it wasn't a gas pipe.

 

[Knobhead]

Well at least the water would put any fire out.
Sorry :lipsrsealed2: