Making my own rig

[kiwiNCFC]

I want to practice just doing lighting circuits and the odd final ring circuit at home. I havent got a shed or anything but i want to know if anyone else has attempted this?

I am thinking of getting:

Plywood board (havent thought of size yet)

screws

M3.5

sockets

switches

etc etc

Is there a place i can get scrap T&E instead of buying it brand new in 50m reels as it will just be a waste of money.

Last question: How can i make the circuit i have made live? To see if it works?

Thanks

 

[Brian 157]

Hmm... I take it you're attending college but not employed in the trade? Maybe you can blag some old cable from college, if not most DIY "superstores" sell short lengths of 6242Y, cheaper than a drum but more expensive per metre.

As for powering up it might be safer to buy or make a bell-set (battery doorbell, couple of crocodile clips) to prove open or closed circuits to see if would work, this way if you do make any mistakes you're not going to electricute yourself or blow any circuits in your house.

 

[Lurch]

I am thinking of gettinglywood board (havent thought of size yet)

screws

M3.5

sockets

switches

etc etc

That's basically the way it's done at colleges and training centres. During my apprenticeship we all had an 8x4 sheet that was ours for the duration and each practical was assembled on it.

Is there a place i can get scrap T&E instead of buying it brand new in 50m reels as it will just be a waste of money.

Speak nicely to someone. Scrap T&E is still worth money to some, I make a lot of trips to the scrap yeard so would be unlikely to give away any decent quantities. Some people might. Might be worth keeping an eye out on eBay, old colours would do for the wiring, as liong as you're aware of the colour coding and changes.

Last question: How can i make the circuit i have made live? To see if it works?

Flexible lead wired into the board. I'd recommend an RCD on this, and feed it from a non-RCD outlet on your house board to save plunging the house into darkness if it goes wrong.

As for powering up it might be safer to buy or make a bell-set (battery doorbell, couple of crocodile clips) to prove open or closed circuits to see if would work, this way if you do make any mistakes you're not going to electricute yourself or blow any circuits in your house.

As handy as that is if you're building a practice board ideally you want tp be familiar with not only the wiring and fitting of devices, but the testing and commissioning of new circuits.

 

[a1]

Welshy has.

http://www.talk.electricianforum.co.uk/album.php?albumid=9

 

[kiwiNCFC]

Thanks everyone. Main thing im concerned about is getting power to the board. Is there any type of device i can plug into a socket on the wall? or is a battery and bell the only option?

Thanks

 

[ianmacd]

I would not be happy livening up a 'test' board if it was me so the bell option is a good one. You can do most checking with a std continuity tester anyway.

Ian.

 

[Lurch]

Main thing im concerned about is getting power to the board. Is there any type of device i can plug into a socket on the wall?

A plugtop?

is a battery and bell the only option?

As I say, if you're doing it to practice wiring in general then I'd be inclined to get yourself some test gear so you can follow the proper procedures from start to finish and then your installation will only be live once you have tested it and confirmed it passes testing.

Obviously this depends on how good you are at testing, ideally you want a good understanding of what's going on in general before starting. What practical experience have you got?

 

[a1]

The lighting "block connector" from TLC.

I used that on a DOL practice board that I made (no loads).

I will look for the image now.

Edit: Added Photo.

 

[androiduk2002]

I do something similar at home as you are planning but unfortunatly I have very very limited space, I use an old shelf from an ikea shelf unit , to make up lighting circuits on , I have run a T&E to a junction box with a flex and plug to a plug in RCD unit, I do not have and cannot afford the test gear I need to test it correctly before I liven it up, or I would before I do.

As for cable i just get a 25mtr roll from screwfix as when I need to

 

[Andy™]

best way to connect would be plug/flex, into RCD and then into the DB. if you can get one, use a 10mA RCD

 

[a1]

Have you got any 10mA MK Sentry (new shape) RCDs in stock Andy?

 

[Andy™]

Have you got any 10mA MK Sentry (new shape) RCDs in stock Andy?

no. cant remember ever needing to use a 10mA RCD for anything, so it would be order as required. also, i dont install MK sentry (i use wylex), so i only have a limited stock of MK stuff for additions etc

 

[kiwiNCFC]

Thanks for all the great help yet again.

I have little practical experience, this is why i want to do this. Im at college 1 day a week and i do 1+2 way lighting circuits in conduit and t&e. I can do insulation resistance and continuity tests but thats it, and thats on a megger tester which looks expensive

I work at ScrewFix 2 days a week so i get 25% discount there so i suppose i could get some supplies there. Also, the ideas about my rig getting connected to my DB is a no-go because its behind the sofa, then in a cupboard under the stairs and its a pain in the arse to get to.

 

[Andy™]

your missing a part there - the DB in your house is nothing to do with it. you will need some kind of DB on test rig, with a bit of flex/plug as 'meter tails' to power it. the only thing your house DB has to do with this is it will be supplying socket that rig is plugged into

 

[kiwiNCFC]

[quote name='Andy

 

[Badger]

my two peneth worth on this would be make the test board up with all the lighting bits and bob,s and then take that to college and ask if you can try it there to see if it works for a couple of times, as then there would be compentant staff on hand should something unfortunate happen,

 

[Andy™]

not a bad idea there Badger.

i was also going to suggest if you know any electricians, if they could 'supervise' whilst you do anything with it live? and you may be able to use their test equipment

 

[Badger]

 

[Badger]

see how helpful we all are :^O :coat :^O

 

[Andy™]

shame we dont use round pin sockets anymore though!