Inspection of flat. advice please. Immediate Danger?

[steptoe]

I do a fair few of these and for a small/average flat I say they were [very?] poor readings,

conduit breaking down in places, bad joints, rust,

are there any fly-leads at any points?

with readings like that you deffo need further investigation as a minimum on your cert, but only you can decide if it requires more stringent coding.

 

[brummydave]

I do a fair few of these and for a small/average flat I say they were [very?] poor readings,

conduit breaking down in places, bad joints, rust,

are there any fly-leads at any points?

with readings like that you deffo need further investigation as a minimum on your cert, but only you can decide if it requires more stringent coding.

My experience of testing lighting circuits has the readings noticeably higher than power circuits and I put it down to the greater resistance of smaller cables. I did consider bad conduit but there's no evidence of deterioation at the socket/switch/light points (which I appreciate is a very small fraction of the total installation!)

Fly-leads - Do you mean strappers linking the metal back box to the brass front light switch? If so then yes there are plenty. They were noted on the previous PIR as missing. Bizarrely tho a lot have just green sleeving. So i think some were there and others were recently added.

I guess further investigation on this is way more involved than anything i've done. I like learning curves, but I really wish i'd left this flat to someone else as it's played havoc with other work, social and family life!

ON a personal note, I think shadowing more experienced testers is the way I need to go, because saying i'm not going to do jobs that need testing is as good as putting my tools down for good!

PS thank you for your trouble and time.

 

[steptoe]

Dave, this is exactly the sort of stuff you will never learn on a short course, and will only ever be learnt by working under an experienced tester, [not simply an experienced spark!], there is a difference.

 

[brummydave]

Dave, this is exactly the sort of stuff you will never learn on a short course, and will only ever be learnt by working under an experienced tester, [not simply an experienced spark!], there is a difference.

Yerhuh. Agree muchly.

And even though I didn't do a short course by modern standards, i am well aware of my shortcomings. The 2360 pts 1 & 2 took a year, but I know that's nothing compared to time served expertise. The 16th and 2391 I took were useful then but i'm beginning to wish i'd never done my 17th early this year now, just sold the fluke and other gubbins and walked away. Think i'd be better off being something else.

Energy saving consultant, that'd be good. knowing about ways of improving things but letting others do the installation....

Anyhoo, i'm topic digressing and :Y probably isn't helping.

thanks for your help.

btw, what do you mean by fly-lead?

 

[steptoe]

Yerhuh. Agree muchly.

And even though I didn't do a short course by modern standards, i am well aware of my shortcomings. The 2360 pts 1 & 2 took a year, but I know that's nothing compared to time served expertise. The 16th and 2391 I took were useful then but i'm beginning to wish i'd never done my 17th early this year now, just sold the fluke and other gubbins and walked away. Think i'd be better off being something else.

Energy saving consultant, that'd be good. knowing about ways of improving things but letting others do the installation....

Anyhoo, i'm topic digressing and :Y probably isn't helping.

thanks for your help.

btw, what do you mean by fly-lead?

Im confused,

what test gear are you using?

fly-lead, I mean a wired connection from the conduit to accessory, just a 2.5/1.5 or whatever lugged to the conduit system etc.

I dont do complicated fancy stuff.

 

[brummydave]

Im confused,

what test gear are you using?

fly-lead, I mean a wired connection from the conduit to accessory, just a 2.5/1.5 or whatever lugged to the conduit system etc.

I dont do complicated fancy stuff.

Beg you pardon, didn't mean to confuse. Was just feeling a bit low and fedup!

I get what you mean by a fly lead now. No, there's no lugs or glands or such attached to the conduit. It's fixed with brass bushes to the back boxes, and sometimes a single cable is taken from an earth connection in the back boxes to the fittings. i'll take pictures later.

I use a Fluke 1653 and earth rod testing kit (makes handy wander leads), various Kewtech items like the lightmates and socket adaptors if i need. Got a Martindale fuse finder that came out the box once. and every clamp meter i've bought gets lost so don't use one at the moment! :$

 

[Steve3948]

I'd be thinking about pulling in earth wires to these conduits.

0.5 Meg ohms was considered as clear years ago and now 1.0 Meg ohms, thing is we look at these digital readings and think 1.20 something must be wrong, but in terms of what we need to know the difference between 1.20 and 200 makes no difference, only in our minds.

With the wind up meggers, if it went half way or more it was good in those days.

We all want to see 200+ so we can say well that's ok, but over 1.0 is ok also that's why we have that figure to work to, some will disagree but its a fact.

 

[brummydave]

I have thought about it Steve, and will suggest it's looked into. Big problem is they're all buried in the walls and ceiling and I think getting cables through them will be a ball ache!

So another solution of earthing may be needed.

time to get to work!

 

[Sidewinder]

Above 1meg is ok, but, it could be wise to advise a reduced interval to next I&T, you can add an explanation to your EICR to explain this if you want.

 

[kme]

I know it is BEING addressed; but the last inspection has a couple of concerns:

1. Did YOU blank out the serial no., or doesn`t it have one?

2. I see no mention of the requirement for RCD protection to circuits within the bathroom - OR for the shower, which has been in mfrs instructions for a while now............

Yet another example of inept testing & certification. Maybe we need to prepare a dossier of these, and send `em to someone who cares.......

Stupid me. Nobody cares - I forgot :coat

 

[Jono Pashley]

Im begining to think taht is the case KME i went to a job this week look at the PIR from 5 years ago, several issues not fixed from the report including the corroded and damaged earth rod connection...this was fixed just a month ago after they recieved a EDN for it.

 

[brummydave]

I know it is BEING addressed; but the last inspection has a couple of concerns:

1. Did YOU blank out the serial no., or doesn`t it have one?

2. I see no mention of the requirement for RCD protection to circuits within the bathroom - OR for the shower, which has been in mfrs instructions for a while now............

Yet another example of inept testing & certification. Maybe we need to prepare a dossier of these, and send `em to someone who cares.......

Stupid me. Nobody cares - I forgot :coat

I care * big hugs*

Yes I deleted the serial number, and other identifying info to retain some anonymity!

Not only was there no RCD, but no supplementary bonding either! Mind you, when the shower was installed I'm not sure RCDs existed!