A Bad Day At The Office

[sparkytim]

Just recovering from a dose of the Flu, NOT the "Man" version.  Must have been going down with it on Friday, a real "Bad day at the office"

Started of not to bad, small job for a nice Old boy (misnomer Suffolk term), replacement kitchen lights. Moved on to Wet room 1st Fix for nightmare builder, (rips out baths and disappears for a week), plan changed as usual, he can not understand what the fuss is about when he tells me basin position is moving -  just as we are about to fit shower pull switch dead above where it will be. Sore throat, thumping head and the shivers, I let him know just how I am feeling!

In the middle of all this and the mobile goes, " Can you come and sort out my parents electrics, trip wont' reset"

I try and talk him thru the self help routine, (switch off MCBs, reset RCD etc.), " I am very busy, you need to come"

You just can not help some people save themselves some money, so as I have had enough of the Wet room we abandon ship and set off to sought out the tripping problem, via cafe' en-route for a fry up and large Tea, (Fluids a must)

As we pull up another guy is just coming out of the house, " Ah good, its the Ring, but I can't find it" Turns out to be the "handy man/ gardener" , not so handy as it is later revealed.

Elderly couple have had no power to ring since 11 pm the night before, now 12 noon. Could have boiled a kettle from the cooker panel socket (Non Rcd protected).

Problem trip is a RCBO on the ring. Try to reset, nice flash. Looks like a good short on, so here starts the fault finding process and hence why this is in this section if you were wondering.

First thing UN PLUG everything, even before we take the lid off the CU. Find and UNPLUG, + switch off all FCUs.

Try and reset RCBO. Flash bang test, fault still on, looks like it is a wiring fault. (Very often its an appliance and if so you will have cleared the fault)

Right before we touch anything INTEROGATE the client, has any work been done in the house in the last FEW WEEKS?

Any pictures, shelves, been put up etc?  No clues forthcoming.

So isolate and remove C U cover.  Disconnect Ring from RCBO and test.

Ring Continuity          L-L +299 Ohms,   N -N  0.70 Ohms,    CPC-CPC 1.00 Ohms,

INSULATION RESISTANCE        L - N  +299 M Ohm,         N - E +299 M Ohm,  L-E  0.00 M Ohm. 

Diagnoses;  L- E short  AND break in L continuity.

Now to locate.  Break the ring at aprox mid point socket and make safe ends (terminate in choc block).  Test each leg at mains identify GOOD leg, reconnect to RCBO and turn ON.

Run round all sockets with martindale and identify all GOOD sockets which will be live and all suspect sockets which will be dead. Boil Kettle, need more fluids.

We have now identified where to look next and now pick another socket mid point of the faulty leg and split the ring again. Testing from split we see the fault on one cable towards the first split we made and work out the likely cable route which takes us to a double socket in the lounge between the two.

"Are" the client pipes up "The handy man had a bit of trouble with that one when HE CHANGED THE OTHER SOCKETS"  

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 

Taking a look at "his bit of trouble" had crushed the L to the back of the box,  L - E short which had eventually blown L apart to break continuity.

Wago to the rescue, fit new double socket, he had replaced other un switched sockets so we tidy them up as well.

Re test circuit all ok, reconnect, test RCBO, test at sockets, re- plug up appliances and have Tea and cake to celebrate.

I am a RUBBISH gardener I tell the client, Your Gardener is a  rubbish Electrician. Tell him I wont be stealing any of his work!

Home to bed,   Temp 38.75,  Should never have left the house this morning.

 

[boltonsparky]

Call in the amateurs when it needs doing cheap, call in the professional when the amateur messes it up, resulting in most cases to costing more than to get the professional in to do it the first place.

 

[m4tty]

Thanks for sharing that one Tim. Hope you feel better soon mate

 

[ProDave]

Yes indeed.

Why oh why oh why can they not make life simpler and just tell you that the gardener had just replaced some sockets?

It would have been easier for you, and cheaper for the customer.

 

[Andy™]

Yes indeed.

Why oh why oh why can they not make life simpler and just tell you that the gardener had just replaced some sockets?

It would have been easier for you, and cheaper for the customer.

because the gardener, being a 'professional', wouldnt have made a mistake. and the fault cant be related to his recent work

 

[Evans Electric]

As Tim said , always pays to ask what work has been done ..can take you straight to the fault .....but if they don't tell you....welll   :C  

Had an easy one the other week testing a house for change of tenancy  ,  open circuit on the ring   L-L .   Thought it was going too well . Not in the mood for pharting about .   Looking to my right , a surface spur stuck next to a socket feeding the alarm,  drop the plug off , two reds in the socket , third one in mid air , sorted , 5 mins .  :^O    Doesn't happen very often.

 

[Jono Pashley]

Suffering with Hayfever today...Went to a resturant "Ice Machine guy says this socket isnt working" now a "handyman" has already been out and not sorted this...Walked in pulled the machine out socket has grime all over it ok pushed socket tester is lights flashing all over before i even switched the socket on. Got the MFT out with socket switched off i had 198V L-E 238V L-N and 48V N-E, ok so at minimum socket has had it. Went turned the circuit off removed the socket and connected back together with Wago. Tested all fine...Shortened the conduit up and installed a nice MK Masterseal socket all working happy resturant..now off to the shop for more anti histamines

 

[batty]

Fault finding is never easy. Called out today luckily a bungalow so at least no floor boards. Have a short L-E right down to 0.02 megohm. After a lot of disconnecting JB's must be over twenty on the circuit narrow it down to a bit of cable that goes under an old flat roof. Find a JB behind cupboard in utility. Disconnect conductors and find its a contactum single socket that feeds drier. Now this looks OK no burns if you polished it up it could pass as a new one. When I get a minute I will take it apart to see what has happened to it.

   Trouble is when you are busy you just don't need to spend three hours of your day fault finding. I have advised the kitchen needs rewiring as its being stripped out over the weekend. That's my Monday job. I feel for you Tim sparking is hard enough without being ill.

 

[steptoe]

they say LOCAL honey is good,

but apparently it must be local stuff, something to do with the pollen,

bit like measels jabs etc, I suppose, get a little dose and it helps you stay immune,

but what do I know?  :C

 

[Jono Pashley]

I alos tried the honey thing didnt work but was nice instead of sugar in tea! Zirtek is the branded name for Cetrazine...ive been taking 4 of those a day and nasal spray. Sad thing is by the middle of june i wont need anything again.