Exam Question on over the phone fault finding.

[stephen1974]

I have this question on an exam paper.

Shortly after completion of this contract, the customer telephones and complains that one of the switched socket outlets appears not to be functioning. State the procedures you would following in order to identify the cause of this failure, prior to visiting the site.

Now to me, if your not their, you cant fault find.

You could ask the customer to do various things, but do you really want them poking and prodding? Some customers would even have a clue what to do if you asked them to check the circuit breaker.

The only things I can think of is to ask

a) Check the circuit breakers (assuming they know how)

B) If any other appliances on sockets near by are working.

c) Has anyone being doing any work in the house (ie has some numpty plumber been in and pulled your wiring out cos they were in the way)

These might give you a better idea of whats going on but I wouldnt say they would actually identify a fault.

This has never been covered by the instructors so i'm only guessing.

 

[philbas]

1) Is it switched on ?

2) Does whatever you have plugged in work when you put it in another socket?

 

[NozSpark]

1) are all of the circuit breakers on

2) are all of the RCDs on

They should know how to reset them as you should have shown then in your handover

3) if it's a double socket does the other side work

4) does the item that isn't working work in another socket

 

[stephen1974]

Ok Thanks, so essentially its just asking some basic functionality questions. Thought that would be the case but wanted to make sure I wasnt missing something completely different out.

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Now to me, if your not their, you cant fault find.

Yes you can....

If you are only able to fault find while on site as a business you will waste a lot of money making unnecessary tips,

or going unprepared to a site....

As Noz suggest.. you can deduce over the phone quite a lot...

Is it the appliance?

Is it the switch on the socket outlet?

Is it the circuit?

Is it the RCD possibly protecting a group of circuits?

Is it a power cut?

Guinness