EICR - LIM

[Traineeboy]

Hi chaps have very little experience with EICR’s but started to follow round someone at work doing. 
 

just a quick one - He wrote down LIM on both lighting circuits for r1 + r2 and Zs because he said they were awkward to access. Is this the one thing. Or should LIM only be used when you really can’t access them at all. Just working out if it was him being lazy or it’s the done things. He said he only tends to take readings from pendants as they are easy - surely this can’t be right can it ? 

 

[Murdoch]

well ............ because lots of homes have multiple downlights getting Zs readings can be tricky to say the least and my fall back position is to use my wander lead to take R2 readings .

The reality is that with downlights, its far more important to check the R2 readings at the switches, because that's where the possibility of "touch" comes into play - whereas above the finished ceiling is extremely unlikely.

The important question is what did he write about limitations on the EICR?

I recently reviewed an EICR where a spark completed an EICR in 96 minutes, there were 13 circuits and had readings for all the boxes - but I could see that the downlights hadn't been out and that he clearly hadn't taken the CU cover off or he would have noticed that the panel heater circuits were rings ............. and many more issues which are too many for this thread.

The EICR market is well and truely courgetteed and people with "exams" but no coal face experience are doing them - I think a minimum number of years experience should be mandated - BUT nobody really cares - so its down to the individuals to do them to the standard and quality they can sleep on.

 

[boltonsparky]

Needs to be an agreed LIM and stated in the limitations section on the EICR. As Murdoch states you still need to do an R2. A lot of down lights are class II so you won't get any joy at the fittings themselves with a wander lead to the casing but switches must be checked, a week later along comes Mr DIY with their metal switches from B&Q and swaps them without an effective CPC.  

Not wander leading is just lazy. 

 

[binky]

He said he only tends to take readings from pendants as they are easy - surely this can’t be right can it ? 

I know where he's coming from!  :^O  I avoid fiddling with decorative light fittings / chandelier type things as they can be a real pain the in the neck to get back up. I take readings from the light switchs in these circumstances, although that can be fun if the switch plates have been painted around or wall papered in situ - run round edge with a sharp stanley knife carefully.

It also tends to be an issue in commercial buildings with high ceilings, where light fittings need scaffold tower, large ladder or the like to access - I'm not breaking my neck for anyone.