Testing...how far do you go?

[Dave 85]

Be honest here guys...When you do your testing, do you do it exactly the same as you would during a college assessment on every installation you work on/install
I dont, and I've never known a sparky who does
Feel free to accuse me of being a cowboy but here are the things I do different...

If im IR testing an old install and I get, say 50Mohms across the main Neutral/Phase and earth bars I'll write down every circuit as >200 rather than rip the fuseboard apart trying to find the circuit/circuits with less than 200. It doesn't really acheive anything IMO and takes time..
I never IR 500volts between L and N on an existing installation if the reading to earth is good, the risk of damaging the clients property is too great IMO

If im testing a new ring circuit installed by myself I'll test end to end on all 3 conductors but won't carry out cross connected ring continuity tests. On my own circuit I know its wired as a ring so this test is completely pointless.

On my own installations, if I know the chances of parallel paths etc are zero I sometimes gain my R1+R2 reading for a radial by testing Zs at the furthest point and deducting Ze. IMO this proves beyond all doubt you have a good R2. Now I know you're supposed to prove the circuits are compliant before energizing but we're all trying to make a living here and whats the worst that can happen when you know you do good connections every time and its all RCD'd

Also when I do a consumer unit change I do not test and inspect the installation to the same extent as I would an EICR. I just test ring end to end, IR L/N-E, RCD time, Ze and Zs at the end of each circuit-The going rate for C/U's (£350) does not really allow for a whole day of testing and inspection and the house is gonna be 10 times safer than before I turned up anyway.

Hopefully this should arouse some fiery debate
Seems a bit of a case of common sense vs blindly following the rules you've been given without questioning the neccessity....

 

[Dave 85]

Oh and safe isolation...I wrap the live core round me volt stick and keep turning of breakers till the beeping stops.
I also work live from time to time

 

[baazab]

sorry my friend but the way u sound some1 will end up in hospital,

 

[Anthony King]

Is this a wind up?

 

[Dave 85]

sorry my friend but the way u sound some1 will end up in hospital,

Yeah maybe me but I'm cool with that, I like to live life on the edge....nothing beats the adrenaline rush of changing a lightswitch faceplate live....
On a serious note please describe to me a realistic situation in which anything I've described would lead to someone (other than me) ending up in hospital....

 

[parker56]

just glad i don't have to work with you,I like to go home to my family in one piece.

 

[parker56]

This has to be a wind up,or are you just someone who do not care about your life & others.

 

[Amp David]

Why would you have to start ripping circuits apart if you had 50M ohms when Ins Res testing at the CU?

Makes it sound like you ain't much of a clue about what you're on about.

 

[baazab]

You just said i do not do the full test,to me i think its wrong accident can happene later, after you leave the house when dave the builder come back home to have a shower..... then you said you make up the reading from 50ohms to 200 ohms.my q to you why not do the full test and put the true reading

 

[Des 56]

My advise to anyone thinking of working live is dont do it,especially if its not necessary

Its a shame I dont follow that advise :blush5:
I would be scared witless by someone who never works live actually doing so

Historically,electricians work has always had working live as part and parcel of the job,it is such a big no no,because of the H+S culture that is now so much more evident than years gone by

I have the highest respect for the danger of electric shock, but it doesn't frighten me one little bit,