Help"

[firedrew]

Hi all first post so please be gentle.

i am doing my first house rewire started the testing lighting circuits are fine, i have just started the earth continuity on the ring circuit tested the cpc end to end and get a reading, but on the live and neutral i am not getting anything. i have been back through and checked in all the connections in the sockets and they all seem sound. can anyone suggest a way i can test to isolate where there may be a broken connection or could it be interconnected?

Any help or advice would be greatfully recieved

cheers firedrew

 

[Steve3948]

Does you cpc reading seem correct for approximate length.

 

[Revved Up Sparky]

Have you checked the connections in the consumer unit ?. Are you testing the existing/ old installation or a new circuit ?.

 

[firedrew]

the reading i got was 25.4 and its about 48metres from end to end, its a new circuit has been connected to the consumer unit yet

 

[Andy™]

sounds like you have misse a conection somewhere. possible a socket thats been plastered over soyou havent put the socket on?

 

[philbas]

Just break it down , spit the ring at a socket that should be somewhere in the middle,test continuity an both sides, find the side that fails, split that and test both sides, carry on until you find the problem

 

[Barx]

At 25.4 Ohm it way too high for this ring. Sounds to me like you have possibly cross connected 2 circuits and the cpc is giving reading possibly through a damp section of wall, etc. Was it a full rewire?

 

[ProDave]

What's your level of training and expertise?

What test equipment do you have?

Is this just one ring for the whole house? if there are two rings I take it the other one is okay?

Start with a wander lead and test L N and CPC continuity from the CU to each socket in turn. When you start to get a bad reading you have found the leg of the ring at fault.

 

[Steve3948]

Should something like 0.57

 

[revjames]

25.4 something very wrong. first thing I would check is the test equipment. What type of tester are you using? is it calibrated?

 

[Doc Hudson]

the reading i got was 25.4 and its about 48metres from end to end, its a new circuit has been connected to the consumer unit yet

You say this is your first rewire? Did you install the circuit cables? It cannot be that hard for you to trace back your cables routes to identify what you have missed out. If it is the new circuit then this sounds like a problem we were discussing on the recent heating wiring thread, namely someone who has had limited training on what to do, but has no idea why they have to do something, what expected results should be, or how the fault find to locate a problem. As has been said 25.4ohms for a CPC ring continuity should be ringing some serious alarm bells with any competent electrician. If this is the existing wiring you are testing, not new wiring, then I would suggest you have two radials sharing the same protective device.

Doc H.

 

[Sharpend]

Have to zeroed your test leads? Are you using a suitable tester?

Have you connected any fused spurs an not done so correctly?

Have you got a copy of GN3, this may give you some pointers in testing, and may highlight what you have done differently?

Have you checked that you have not screwed down on the insulation in the terminals?

You need to go back to the start and check every point for incorrect termination, then when satisfied start with your tester to locate the fault, if it hasn't already been cleared.

 

[Apache]

Or even change the batteries!

 

[betty swollocks]

Top tip no. 5

if you're unsure about testing or need to ask a testing question.....

Simply say you couldn't test the circuit because you left your testers in another van and somebody will test it for you through the magic of wifi!

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hi all first post so please be gentle.

i am doing my first house rewire started the testing lighting circuits are fine, i have just started the earth continuity on the ring circuit tested the cpc end to end and get a reading, but on the live and neutral i am not getting anything. i have been back through and checked in all the connections in the sockets and they all seem sound. can anyone suggest a way i can test to isolate where there may be a broken connection or could it be interconnected?

Any help or advice would be greatfully recieved

cheers firedrew

the reading i got was 25.4 and its about 48metres from end to end, its a new circuit has been connected to the consumer unit yet

Firstly : anyone competent enough to be wiring up a house, should also be adult enough to accept true factual answers to any questions.....

No need for any please be gentle??? what do you mean "don't give me bad news maybe?"

Secondly look at the facts from the info posted :

1/ Its a NEW ring circuit on your house rewire....

from this we assume you have installed the cables and know where they run and if there are any branches spurs etc...

2/ When testing we are NOT interested in just getting "A reading"....

You should know before you even get your tester out of the bag what your readings should be..

especially as you know the property and how much cable you have put in...

25.4ohms of 1.5mm (assuming is 2.5mm T&E) would be just over 2kilometers of cable installed!!!!!!

3/ If you have checked all the connections and they were all fine....

then the readings would all be good & the ring continuious...

The best course of action is for you to get an electrician to come and test it and sort it out,

while you watch and learn off them, before anyone connects and live power to these cables.....

From your questions I doubt you would know what appropriate results should be...

even if someone told you how to test to identify any breaks in the circuit..

Testing a problem like this really is simple for anyone who has a logical mind..

and a bit of practical ability.

:C :shakehead

unless of course this is just a wind-up?

 

[firedrew]

Hi all

Solved the problem! Thanks to all the genuinely helpful people willing to share their expertise and good advice.

As for the answers from those who were born electricians and never had to ask a question, you have restored my faith in the fact that these websites have many people more interested in condesending the person asking the questions than giving genuine helpful advice.

 

[Apache]

What was wrong?

 

[SPECIAL LOCATION]

Hi all

Solved the problem! Thanks to all the genuinely helpful people willing to share their expertise and good advice.

As for the answers from those who were born electricians and never had to ask a question, you have restored my faith in the fact that these websites have many people more interested in condesending the person asking the questions than giving genuine helpful advice.

So which bit had you c0cked up then?????

Just for the record I will say....

You don't need to be born an electrician...

Just attend a reasonable training course / college...

or similar....

Everyone has to ask some questions....

BUT...

some questions do not need asking if you have had a semi reasonable training...

and are at a level where you think you are capable of doing a rewire!

Because if you do not have basic competence you should not be doing rewires!!

opcorn

:coat

Just

as a side thought......

do you reckon you would feel confident using a garage ..

where half way through servicing your car the mechanic had to go surfing the internet to work out a few basic safety bits!!!????

So why do "alleged sparks do it"???

 

[Sharpend]

And the problem was?

 

[ProDave]

Yes please, for the sake of others, tell us what the problem was, and what the final end to end values were once you found the problem.