1 Classroom in School has no power

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rudeboy500

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Can someone advice me I have been called into a school to find out why there is no power in the 1 classroom all the other classrooms are fine.

I have checked the db board all MCB's are fine, i mean none of them have tripped. I am trying to locate the T( test Button ) to reset the device if earth fault

had occurred to restore power supply back. I cannot find it anywhere in the Electric Room. Any ideas!! :Spam2

Thanks

Rudeboy500

 
Its difficult from a distance Rudy, we can only guess.

First thing, its not a craft or metalwork room is it ?

If it is they usually have keyswitch/ contactor control in them.

What else can one say, its a radial with a loose connection .

Is the board not marked up ? i.e : Way No.2 = Classroom 6 plugs!!

Take the front off the board , see if a loose connection has burned away at the MCB .

Look for a cupboard with a Dist. Bd hidden in it.

I'm assuming you are a sparks when I say remove covers etc. If you're not , don't.

 
Can someone advice me I have been called into a school to find out why there is no power in the 1 classroom all the other classrooms are fine.I have checked the db board all MCB's are fine, i mean none of them have tripped. I am trying to locate the T( test Button ) to reset the device if earth fault

had occurred to restore power supply back. I cannot find it anywhere in the Electric Room. Any ideas!! :Spam2

Thanks

Rudeboy500
From your previous thread of 29 May this year, http://www.talk.electricianforum.co.uk/question-answer-board/15324-simplified-explanation-bs-7671-2008-a.html , I have to ask, is this a college question you are doing? If yes, please post these questions into the student and learning zone to assist other members to put your questions into context. If this is not a college question I would politely suggest you are completely outside of you competency scope of work. As such you would need to contact professional assistance in this sort of environment to reasonably comply with H&S risk assessment.

(Note:- I have moved this question)

Doc H.

 
Hi Evens Electric your so much nicer then Andy who could not even be bothered to answer my question.

I am training to be an electrician last year in level 3.

To answer your question I will not tempt to repair the fault I was merely trying to solve the problem. I know on the MCB there is a test button to reset the MCB tried problem solving to see what had happened, its what we are been taught at college all i

needed was some guidance because its the first time i have come across this at school. I also know all DB boards are labelled. I have tried everything just don't understand what's wrong, if I had reset the MCB and there was a fault it would have tripped. There is no power in the Science Lab all the other classroom have power. All MCB are fine none of them have tripped,It does say on DB boards follows:

This Installation or part of it, is protected by a device which automatically switches off the supply if an earth fault develops.

Test by pressing the button marked T or Test, the device should switch off the supply and should then be switched on to

restore the supply.

I cannot find a button marked T ?

Thanks

Rudeboy500

 
Hi Evens Electric your so much nicer then Andy who could not even be bothered to answer my question.I am training to be an electrician last year in level 3.

To answer your question I will not tempt to repair the fault I was merely trying to solve the problem. I know on the MCB there is a test button to reset the MCB tried problem solving to see what had happened, its what we are been taught at college all i

needed was some guidance because its the first time i have come across this at school. I also know all DB boards are labelled. I have tried everything just don't understand what's wrong, if I had reset the MCB and there was a fault it would have tripped. There is no power in the Science Lab all the other classroom have power. All MCB are fine none of them have tripped,It does say on DB boards follows:

This Installation or part of it, is protected by a device which automatically switches off the supply if an earth fault develops.

Test by pressing the button marked T or Test, the device should switch off the supply and should then be switched on to

restore the supply.

I cannot find a button marked T ?

Thanks

Rudeboy500
i didnt answer because your clearly out of your depth and shouldnt be doing work at a school unsupervised (in which case, you woudnt be asking).

and BTW, an MCB does not have a test button.

 
Well at least you answered this question Guinness

Also please answer this Question or what does this mean:

This Installation or part of it, is protected by a device which automatically switches off the supply if an earth fault develops.

Test by pressing the button marked T or Test, the device should switch off the supply and should then be switched on to

restore the supply.

Thanks

Rudeboy500

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 21:19 ---------- Previous post was made at 21:18 ----------

Where can i find it

Thanks

Rudeboy500

 
that will be refering to an RCD or RCBO. although its possible that there wont be any in the board. best ask the 'sparky' who is 'supervising' you at the school....

 
I work there!! Just trying to solve this problem if I can't I will call an Electrician out tomorrow.

Thanks

Rudeboy500

 
Thanks Andy

---------- Post Auto-Merged at 21:34 ---------- Previous post was made at 21:30 ----------

Thanks Andy, I will call an electrician tomorrow.

You work there as what?Schools are not wired like houses,, you have the main incommer and DB which will then feed SUB DB's and possibly even more SUB DB's
 
I work there!! Just trying to solve this problem if I can't I will call an Electrician out tomorrow.Thanks

Rudeboy500
this just keeps getting better.

now, lets suppose you tried to fix it and ended up makign it worse, then some kids gets a shock. wonder what HSE would say...

 
Last edited by a moderator:
From the DB I would suspect there is a 6 or 4mm radial to the class, the radial probably terminates to an rcd located in the prep room & a ring final in the class is fed from said rcd.

But as others have said you do sound out of your depth so best to call a sparks I think.

 
Well, this is good, isn`t it?

I`d love to hear in what capacity you`re employed at this school (and indeed which school it is!).

I think by now we KNOW the wording of an RCD notice; many members could probably post that from memory, as well as the other common notices.

As has been said; MCBs do NOT have "test buttons", if your college has taught you otherwise, ask for a refund.

There are a few options here as to what is wrong. If you want to pay me to come & diagnose the fault, I will. Thing is see, even if there is indeed an RCD serving the classroom (which I`d expect), PLUS the fact that you`ve told us WHICH classroom (so I automatically expect certain other precautions to be in place), resetting the RCD blindly doesn`t tell you WHY it tripped (if it has!) ; or if there is a fault with the RCD, the circuit, or an appliance on the circuit. Tests are required to confirm the safety of the circuit & associated protection - tests I feel sure you aren`t qualified or competent to perform.

KME

 
From the DB I would suspect there is a 6 or 4mm radial to the class, the radial probably terminates to an rcd located in the prep room & a ring final in the class is fed from said rcd.But as others have said you do sound out of your depth so best to call a sparks I think.
Thats what I suspect. Many schools wired like this.

 
Gawd help us on FOUR counts...

1/ Why the hell doesn't this educational establishment have procedures in place for contacting competent, skilled, trained personnel to undertake repairs or fault investigations on their installation????

2/ I have personal friends contacts & relatives who work in various school environments.... Now as modern H&S rules go.. they are not even allowed to change a light bulb without formal training and/or risk assesment... I am damn sure they wouldn't be allowed to investigate electrical faults, or be allowed to go switching any MCBs / RCD's / RCBO's on any distribution boards anywhere in the school! so why are you????

3/ Someone who has supposedly been doing C&G's (and one assumes has seen a regs book) who hasn't got a clue about basic labeling and notices on or near to DB's

4/ I have been called to a school ---- AKA ---- I work at the school !!!!???? well??? :C

what DO you do?????

:( :eek: :coat

 
If you go around pushing all the T buttons you can find, sooner out later a big black man sporting a mean mo hawk and lots of gold chains hanging around his neck will appear and open a can of whoop ass to protect his installation from crazy fools.

 
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