test and inspection sequence

[shaky]

Can someone tell my the test sequence should be done on a periodic inspection on a domestic house i have a megger 1552 and new to test and inspection meny thanks.

 

[old dog]

the tests for a pir in any order take a look at GN3 starting at page 73 table 3.3

 

[Sintra]

Can someone tell my the test sequence should be done on a periodic inspection on a domestic house i have a megger 1552 and new to test and inspection meny thanks.

When entering into an agreement for the Periodic Inspection and Testing of a building under your control it is a fundamental requirement that the extent and limitations of the inspection and testing be fully described for the client. It is recommended that the following procedures are adopted and that the relevant points be discussed with the client prior to completing the inspection.
Determine your requirements for inspection and testing and tailor the procedures accordingly.
As it is neither practical nor possible to inspect all parts of the installation, a sampling process should be employed, normally in the order of 10% of all accessories, lighting fittings and control equipment.

Detail any limitations of the inspection and testing to be carried out and explain that the installation must not be dismantled in any way other than opening equipment covers, and that the building structure must not be disturbed. This means that concealed cables and equipment will not be inspected.

Visual Inspection

Check for any obvious mechanical damage or deterioration of materials and equipment, exposed cables and live parts, missing covers, fixings, labels and notices etc.
The main switchgear and all distribution boards. These should be inspected for the following:
Fuses and MCBs are correctly rated for over-current and fault current
Fuse and switch contacts are clean and have not been over-heating
Conductor terminations are tight and correctly lugged (if possible)
Busbar connections are properly made and clamps are tight.

Cables - whenever possible cables should be inspected to ascertain:
The suitability for the load and operating environment The condition of the insulation and protection Adequacy of fixings and mechanical protection Suitability of glands and shrouds Proper use of earthing clamps and earth connections. Any signs of over-heating and damage.
Equipment, accessories and lighting fittings should be inspected for:
Deterioration due to the atmosphere, mechanical damage, over-heating and adequate fixings. Connections of conductors and condition of flexes. This should include removing light fitting covers, switch plates, socket outlets and covers of equipment.A sample of approximately 10% of all parts and areas of the installation should be inspected.
Testing

Continuity of circuit protective conductors (CPCs) at all metal accessories and equipment within a height of 3.5 metres from floor level, and at 10% of all lighting fittings.

Continuity of all bonding conductors and earth clamps.

Continuity of all ring circuit conductors, including CPCs.

R1 + R2 continuity test or R2 test on every final circuit.

Insulation resistance between live conductors and earth of all circuits collectively, excepting any circuits supplying electronic equipment which may be damaged by the test. These shall be listed separately as not having been tested.

An electrical separation test on all electrically separated circuits.

Polarity at the board and at a 10% sample of all lighting switches and equipment to ensure that switches interrupt only phase conductors.

Earth fault loop impedance (Ze) at the main intake position.

Earth fault loop impedance (Zs) at each distribution board.

Earth fault loop impedance (Zs) test on every final circuit and every socket outlet.

Test all Residual Current Devices.

The resistance of every earth electrode.

Prospective fault current at the main intake position and at every distribution board.

A manual operation test on all MCBs, RCDs, switch fuses andisolators.

 

[shaky]

thanks sintra

 

[Sintra]

thanks sintra

No probs

Just be careful with PIR's if you are not experienced at testing lots to look out for.

 

[xraytek]

the tests for a pir in any order take a look at GN3 starting at page 73 table 3.3

It certainly says that in GN3 but I think its a little misleading.

As the installation is already live then carrying out live tests before dead is no problem.
But when it comes to dead tests IR should always be after continuity tests, never before.

If there was a break in the CPC an insulation test will only test up to the break and test results will appear good.
So its important to do continuity tests first to ensure that when IR tests are done, that the entire length of the cable is being tested.

 

[crabapple]

Periodics

Ze and PFC on entry with visual on supply. Note this on the form

Next fuseboard and circuit descriptions

Dead test, record

Live test, record

put everything back, pack your kit and be on your way

 

[xraytek]

[]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Oh and thank you for such a valuable contribution.

 

[darking]

easy way to remember test sequence is CRIPPLER

Continuity
Ring
Insulation resistance
Polarity dead
Polarity live
Loop impedance
Earth Electrode
R.C.D.

 

[typical.me]

Darking,
isnt that sequence for new installs?
I thought it was different for P.I.R.
someone will carify and shoot me down in flames!!,
cheers
mick

 

[sparks1234]

easy way to remember test sequence is CRIPPLER

Continuity
Ring
Insulation resistance
Polarity dead
Polarity live
Loop impedance
Earth Electrode
R.C.D.

Thats the one from college

 

[darking]

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

Darking,
isnt that sequence for new installs?
I thought it was different for P.I.R.
someone will carify and shoot me down in flames!!,
cheers
mick

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

The difference between a PIR (Report) and an EIC (Certificate) are your cover sheets. The Schedule of Inspections and Schedule of Testings are identical in both cases.

As you know, the PIR is issued for an existing installation, often with no records or Schedules available, so a comprehensive knowledge of the type of installation is necessary to make a competent assessment of its condition, followed by an initial sampling of tests to confirm the visual assessment, and if these are not satisfactory more intensive tests should follow.

For an EIC the installation should be inspected and possibly some testing at various stages ie first fix, second fix and when commissioning the new installation. I hope this is helpful.

 

[Toonlad]

my eyes went daft for a moment lol, some cut n paste there

 

[dixon9]

thanks sintra

I had to do a double take on that user name...

 

[dpg2]

What a post

 

[darking]

whoops sorry must change that to dafthing

 

[ElectriCol]

I stand to be corrected as to my understanding, but here's a little ditty I used to help me remember...

We start with the bonding and the CPC
With R1+R2 continuity
And then the '3-step' on the rings
Before IR tests other things

Polarity then gets the nod
Then EER if there's a rod
And talk of Earth, let's test the loop
Then PFC completes the group

Verse 3 means Phase Rotation check,
Then RCD should trip elec'
And function checks - like MCBs
Should cut supply to what they feed

OK, it's not Shakespear or Scaddon, but it helped me get through 2330 and 2391.
Note the 'start, 2, 3, 4 (fore)' in the first four lines to help even more to memorise.
And blue refers to dead tests (first 6 lines), red refers to live tests (last 6 lines).

I look forward to any suggestions as to how to improve/correct it if necessary :tounge_smile:

 

[SirKit Breaker]

An earlier post mentions that the testing sequence done in the correct order is only for Initial verification, which is correct. On a PIR or EICR as we now know it, you can test in any order that you wish, but by doing it as per Initial Verification makes things a bit easier to remember. My preferred method was after Inspection, do all live testing, and see if this threw any nasties up. I would start with a Ze, then check bonding continuity, before any live testing, if this was OK i would Zs all outlets on all circuits, and this would show up any serious faults. If this was all OK, then i would begin dead testing, continuity first, then IR, etc etc, then i would finish by rechecking Zs at any points that i had disturbed just for good measure. When retesting lighting with all the switchplates refitted i use a wander lead, and hold it on the switchplate screw head and other probes at pendant in a lightmate.

Cheers.........Howard

 

[old dog]

It certainly says that in GN3 but I think its a little misleading.

As the installation is already live then carrying out live tests before dead is no problem.
But when it comes to dead tests IR should always be after continuity tests, never before.

If there was a break in the CPC an insulation test will only test up to the break and test results will appear good.
So its important to do continuity tests first to ensure that when IR tests are done, that the entire length of the cable is being tested.

Well I said no fixed order. However common sense dictates some of the order

 

[ackbarthestar]

I do love those long posts....

So can anybody tell me why when conducting a PIR/EICR, for lets say a factory, I would have to conduct a R1+ R2 test for each sample when I have established both R2/MPB are satisfactory and by Zs testing each circuit I have established compliance with 41.1.?

Since I know that with PIRs it is more expedient not to make too many disconnections which may introduce new faults.