Help with a lighting fault please?

[monkey5]

yea i was thinkin that 6 would be more than enough. i know the fault needs to be found but if i dont have the test gear than what am i to do? im guessin from peoples comments i need to do an IR test

affraid your gonna need test gear mate to get to bottom of fault, does you boss expect you to do it without one? has he not suggested anything to you?

 

[smileroutkast]

i told him what was wrong and what i had done to try and find the fault. he told me to check all the connections and gave me a replacement fitting incase that was the issue. ill change the breaker and ill tell him a IR test needs to be done. if the IR is low how would i go about rectifyin it?

 

[Theorysparky]

I think Theoryspark is saying replace the MCB with a new one. Another B6 type will be adequate for 3 luminaires especially as its the surge in start up when the luminaires light up is what would normally cause the mcb to open. Is there another B6 breaker in the consumer unit that you could easily swap over to see if that works ok?

yep !!!!

 

[Derek Preece]

i told him what was wrong and what i had done to try and find the fault. he told me to check all the connections and gave me a replacement fitting incase that was the issue. ill change the breaker and ill tell him a IR test needs to be done. if the IR is low how would i go about rectifyin it?

I would agree with Robin Spark that if you do an IR test at the CCU and there is a problem then you need to break the circuit down and do IR tests on each section to isolate the problem to a section of cable or a particular fitting imho

 

[Lurch]

Try not to dig up old threads just to add 'yes' on the end.

 

[sellers]

Theory I can't beleive you did that! How inconsiderate!

Now you've got dad all in a tiz.

 

[kme]

EH?

Theo didn`t wake the thread up.

Derek - the O/P needed help with this on the day, as he was rectifying the next day - this is all 3 months ago. I`m willing to bet the kitchen lights have been sorted by now

Thanks for the input; but you`ll find it much more appreciated if its a current and relevant post. Thanks

KME

 

[Theorysparky]

?:|

 

[Benjo]

Use a B6 MCB again but I very much doubt its that. If you are doing Electrical work, why do you not have the correct test kit? If it were me, I'd disconnect each light and do and Insulation test across Line and Neutral, Line and Earth and Neutral and Earth. (make sure the switch is in the ON position whilst testing). If this proves to be OK, connect each light one at a time and energise the circuit and leave it on untill the 10 minutes have passed. This would find the problem. Ask your boss to invest in a tester ASAP to do a safe and proper job!!

 

[Megaohm7]

The MCB trips after a period of being on !! You do need to inspect the fittings but consider the age of the wiring too. As the members have said before an appropriate tester is needed to check to see if the circuit is healthy.A High IR reading is what you want >20Mohms anything less really needs more investigation. Best of luck in finding the fault..

 

[Larnacaman]

Change like for like, ...No need for a bigger value, or different type. It maybe you have a dickey MCB, which is why you have been advised to change it by others, mainly because you have no test equipment available to you. Does not your company provide basic test equipment??