Morning All
I recently completed my first re wire and board change, (with help from the owner who is a gas fitter and plumper, who works with my cousin (gas and plumping also) it was a job I did over the last few weekends to build my experience, client was fully aware of this and helped me with routing cables for each circuit - few hiccups on the way such as floor fitters drilling into two different cables supplying upstairs ring, plasterer damaged feed cable from the board to the first upstairs light (in freshly plastered wall, so I had to run another feed into a hot and stuffy loft to avoid cutting/smashing plaster out/ back boxes plastered over... anyway sorted these out as issues were discovered when dead testing (after returning to the property after it was plastered and floored)
Another issue I had was the TNS earthing was poor as the reading was nearly 60ohms from memory, initially the DNO/DSO were insistent on me converting to a TT, after finally getting anther person on the phone, they arranged for someone to come an sort out a PME and convert to TNSC.
That was done last week and they moved the old electric meter outside and fitted an isolator, but when forgot to connect the tails going from the isolator to where the board would be inside, they told the owner that the bottom of the isolator would be 'dead' and I could just push tails into bottom of the isolator.... anyway I got that sorted.
The client provided all the switches and sockets themselves, ENER-J smart switches and sockets.
He messaged me as he says he pushed the switch (2 gang) a bit 'heavy handed' (his words - on the living room wall) and the RCBO tripped, and the switch has a scorch mark on it.
He disconnected the switch and RCBO stays on (all tests where fine when I did dead testing/IR) (there is another smart switch at the other side of the room which works fine).
When wiring the client wanted the three plate method throughout, but at this switch (they decided they wanted some spots last min, but not yet fitted ) I have a feed from the light going into the switch (normal connected to L/common and switch line) which I routed originally.
To get a connected to the spots, above the switch (in the ceiling/under floor boards) a put a MF JB with loop, cpc, neutral and switch connectors (effectively recreating what you would get on a bog standard light fitting) so a feed cables goes into the JB, another down to the 2 gang switch , and the other to where the spots will be (the end of this cable i put into separate push connecters and left in another JB ready for when the spots get done)
Anyway, at the switch the two cables (feed and switch lines) I terminated both browns into the 'L' of the switch (feeding power from the light/JB) and the switch lines into L1 and L2 respectively.
Worked fine while I was there, and as I say , testing was fine (I did IR to fixed wiring at 500v, then when switches/devices connected 250v), only thing I can thing of is if (when the client decided to push this switch heavily) that either a cable maybe brushed against a face plate screw (I would be surprised though as the screws were short) or a wire become trapped behind the module of the switch ?)
I suggested the swap it for a normal 2 gang in the meantime until I can return, (he knows basic electrics for swapping out switches lights etc).
Has anyone ever encountered issues with the internal components of smart switches and sockets before? are they are any common trends etcs?
Any reason why 2 plate (wiring the loops, neutrals at the switch etc) would not work for smart switches?
I was not over impressed with the way the sockets fit when wiring these up, and I had to do my continuity tests with the socket fronts off to check r1/r2 and r1/rn when doing end to end, on a standard socket I usually use an adapter to put the leads into and flick the switch to confirm polarity when testing at each, but with this, (I presume because of the electronic components within) this would not work. I only realised this after screwing all the fronts back initially (about 30 in total through the house!) so that was lesson learned that day. The screws on the back of the sockets seemed a bit naff weak too, couple of them threaded with hardly any pressure on them.
The light switches had better screws, though the terminals where a bit shallow for my liking.
Any tips/advice is welcome - this has been a big learning experience to me ( I still work a normal non trade job mon to fri) as I am doing this on evenings and weekends, I did an EIC and had 3rd party sign off by another spark who checked results and connections (they are a contact of the home owner who works alongside other trades frequently, he did not have the budget to pay someone else even 'mates rates') to do the full let on their own which is how I came to be involved.
I recently completed my first re wire and board change, (with help from the owner who is a gas fitter and plumper, who works with my cousin (gas and plumping also) it was a job I did over the last few weekends to build my experience, client was fully aware of this and helped me with routing cables for each circuit - few hiccups on the way such as floor fitters drilling into two different cables supplying upstairs ring, plasterer damaged feed cable from the board to the first upstairs light (in freshly plastered wall, so I had to run another feed into a hot and stuffy loft to avoid cutting/smashing plaster out/ back boxes plastered over... anyway sorted these out as issues were discovered when dead testing (after returning to the property after it was plastered and floored)
Another issue I had was the TNS earthing was poor as the reading was nearly 60ohms from memory, initially the DNO/DSO were insistent on me converting to a TT, after finally getting anther person on the phone, they arranged for someone to come an sort out a PME and convert to TNSC.
That was done last week and they moved the old electric meter outside and fitted an isolator, but when forgot to connect the tails going from the isolator to where the board would be inside, they told the owner that the bottom of the isolator would be 'dead' and I could just push tails into bottom of the isolator.... anyway I got that sorted.
The client provided all the switches and sockets themselves, ENER-J smart switches and sockets.
He messaged me as he says he pushed the switch (2 gang) a bit 'heavy handed' (his words - on the living room wall) and the RCBO tripped, and the switch has a scorch mark on it.
He disconnected the switch and RCBO stays on (all tests where fine when I did dead testing/IR) (there is another smart switch at the other side of the room which works fine).
When wiring the client wanted the three plate method throughout, but at this switch (they decided they wanted some spots last min, but not yet fitted ) I have a feed from the light going into the switch (normal connected to L/common and switch line) which I routed originally.
To get a connected to the spots, above the switch (in the ceiling/under floor boards) a put a MF JB with loop, cpc, neutral and switch connectors (effectively recreating what you would get on a bog standard light fitting) so a feed cables goes into the JB, another down to the 2 gang switch , and the other to where the spots will be (the end of this cable i put into separate push connecters and left in another JB ready for when the spots get done)
Anyway, at the switch the two cables (feed and switch lines) I terminated both browns into the 'L' of the switch (feeding power from the light/JB) and the switch lines into L1 and L2 respectively.
Worked fine while I was there, and as I say , testing was fine (I did IR to fixed wiring at 500v, then when switches/devices connected 250v), only thing I can thing of is if (when the client decided to push this switch heavily) that either a cable maybe brushed against a face plate screw (I would be surprised though as the screws were short) or a wire become trapped behind the module of the switch ?)
I suggested the swap it for a normal 2 gang in the meantime until I can return, (he knows basic electrics for swapping out switches lights etc).
Has anyone ever encountered issues with the internal components of smart switches and sockets before? are they are any common trends etcs?
Any reason why 2 plate (wiring the loops, neutrals at the switch etc) would not work for smart switches?
I was not over impressed with the way the sockets fit when wiring these up, and I had to do my continuity tests with the socket fronts off to check r1/r2 and r1/rn when doing end to end, on a standard socket I usually use an adapter to put the leads into and flick the switch to confirm polarity when testing at each, but with this, (I presume because of the electronic components within) this would not work. I only realised this after screwing all the fronts back initially (about 30 in total through the house!) so that was lesson learned that day. The screws on the back of the sockets seemed a bit naff weak too, couple of them threaded with hardly any pressure on them.
The light switches had better screws, though the terminals where a bit shallow for my liking.
Any tips/advice is welcome - this has been a big learning experience to me ( I still work a normal non trade job mon to fri) as I am doing this on evenings and weekends, I did an EIC and had 3rd party sign off by another spark who checked results and connections (they are a contact of the home owner who works alongside other trades frequently, he did not have the budget to pay someone else even 'mates rates') to do the full let on their own which is how I came to be involved.
.
