Ground floor lighting trips out mcb

[Markyd]

The 'TESTER' .......should not have tested and signed off the other persons work

 

[Biggy]

Seems to be common thing apparently round my end where sparky gets someone else in to certify it so is this actual illegal to do and why is it that they are qualified to wire up but not certify ? Is it just as simple as not having done the course to be a certifier hence why they use someone else to do it ?

 

[Markyd]

How do you know he is qualified to do the wiring....you said you didn't know if he was qualified at all......Have you done this job yourself and got a mate to sign it off without proper testing......if so your on your own

 

[Markyd]

And in the brown stuff up to your neck along with your mate​

 

[Silly Sausage]

this is a workship.
View attachment 46794

That's Boaty McBoatface, i'n't it?

 

[Octopus]

Seems to be common thing apparently round my end where sparky gets someone else in to certify it so is this actual illegal to do and why is it that they are qualified to wire up but not certify ? Is it just as simple as not having done the course to be a certifier hence why they use someone else to do it ?

If the person investigating the issues is unable or unwilling to provide a certificate, it would suggest that they are out of their comfort zone and you should be using somebody who is willing. ....... to do the whole job properly

I can't speak for your area, but if I get calls to ask me to sign off a another persons work - I decline to get involved.......... its that simple.

 

[Toneyz]

This fault is a bit of a hard one to solve from afar. You have now ruled out the MCB being faulty. Has an insulation resistance test been done by your mate and an RCD test? if both these tests are fine there must be an L-N fault somewhere.

 

[Harry_P]

This fault is a bit of a hard one to solve from afar. You have now ruled out the MCB being faulty. Has an insulation resistance test been done by your mate and an RCD test? if both these tests are fine there must be an L-N fault somewhere.

A simple insulation resistance test will identify exactly what the problem is and also where the problem is. Just changing the breakers around is not going to actually get you to the solution and any genuine electrician would do insulation resistance test before doing anything else
Ps if there is L/N problem the insulation resistance test will show you what it is and you can then trace the faults location(s) if you have the correct test equipment and you know how to use the test equipment and how to interpret the results

 

[Octopus]

A simple insulation resistance test will identify exactly what the problem is and also where the problem is. Just changing the breakers around is not going to actually get you to the solution and any genuine electrician would do insulation resistance armrest before doing anything else

Not sure I agree with that .................

????

 

[Harry_P]

Not sure I agree with that .................

????

Hahaha predictive strikes again
I have edited now

 

[DPG]

This gets murkier and murkier. Are we getting the whole truth?

 

[Harry_P]

This gets murkier and murkier. Are we getting the whole truth?

Well I don't think I've ever been called out to any fault where I have been given the whole truth so.......

 

[Octopus]

A simple insulation resistance test will identify exactly what the problem is and also where the problem is.

Not sure I agree with that!

 

[Harry_P]

Not sure I agree with that!

Well that's what I would do and it would work for me. What don't you agree with and why?

 

[alasdairp]

Biggy,
Your reply #60 stated:
"Also he tacked in the wires against the wall in a couple places using nails which were then bent over the wires to hold them in place but I did check and they were loose enough just to hold the wires in place so not cutting into any wires."

That alone tells me he was not a suitable electrician. No professional electrician would use bent nails to restrain wiring - proper insulated cable clips and cleats are cheap, easy to fix and every professional electrician carries a suitable selection in their van/vehicle.

I realise why you had a knowledgeable family member come over during the holiday period and see if they could help - and they did. BUT, and a big BUT, they have now changed what the installer did... I would keep very quiet about that, if I were you. It could give the installer a let-out. You needed a professional, qualified and formally approved and insured, electrician to make any judgement. I am retired from day-to-day work and so cannot certify installations - but I work at Government and international levels. I am often asked about wiring issues by friends and family - but never now actually do any practical work (apart from in my own house) - although I could easily and safely do it. It is just not legal to do so. I advise what the problem is and tell them to get a currently qualified and certified electrician to come in and report on what they find and correct it (or quote to correct it).

The law is often not "real justice" in complex situations. I have been there and have several 'bloodied T-shirts' (not real blood!).

Leave well alone. Get in a reputable electrical contractor or a Local Authority designated test-qualified electrician to report on the state of the wiring. The more you fiddle, the deeper your 'hole' becomes. I know it is difficult over the holiday period

I am reading a book at the moment; a knife assult victim was found by an ordinary person. He removed the kni
fe, staunched the blood flow, but it was too late and the victim died. He called the police who found his fingerprints on the knife and the victims's blood on his hands and his clothes. Although innocent, he was immediately the main police suspect for the murder.

Please think about all of this very carefully. It is deadly serious.
Best wishes for 2019
Alasdair

 

[Toneyz]

Well that's what I would do and it would work for me. What don't you agree with and why?

The rest of us know what you mean is narrowing down the circuit until you locate the fault to a length of cable etc.

 

[Octopus]

Well that's what I would do and it would work for me. What don't you agree with and why?

From the vague and inconsistent information from the OP it "suggests" there is no pattern to if and when the MCB trips ....... so an IR test on the circuit could simply come back as "good"

A water leak could do what he's describing .......

That's all

 

[Harry_P]

From the vague and inconsistent information from the OP it "suggests" there is no pattern to if and when the MCB trips ....... so an IR test on the circuit could simply come back as "good"

A water leak could do what he's describing .......

That's all

A water leak would be identified with the IR test if there was moisture between cores the IR test would indicate this
From the information given I am certain the fault would be identified within an hour.
1. Global IR test to identify if it's L/N or N/E or L/E fault

2. Identify which circuit has got the fault that you found in step 1

3. Half split the faulty circuit until you locate the faulty part of the circuit

Should be done in an hour and back in the van and back on the forum

 

[Midwest]

.

I am reading a book at the moment; a knife assult victim was found by an ordinary person. He removed the kni
fe, staunched the blood flow, but it was too late and the victim died. He called the police who found his fingerprints on the knife and the victims's blood on his hands and his clothes. Although innocent, he was immediately the main police suspect for the murder.

Please think about all of this very carefully. It is deadly serious.
Best wishes for 2019
Alasdair

Any self respecting competent first aider, knows you don’t remove any foreign object from the body of a injured party, can cause worse bleeding. Instead you make up one of those circular bandages, that you would have handy in your pocket, and place around the wound.

Thought I’d just mention that, ‘case anybody comes across that scenario tonight.

 

[Biggy]

@MurkyD - stop with the nonsense assumptions . If you don't know what your talking about then don't reply to my questions.

I have NOT done the wiring and sparky is NOT my mate, as I said he was recommended from a work colleague who told me he is a qualified electrician its that simple.

I have provided as much info as I can remember, if there's anything missed I will add it if I remember .

@Alisdairp, thanks I'll look into what you mentioned.

My friend who came yesterday I can be confident he if anything made sure the CU breakers are properly and securely aligned and all screws tightened , more than the sparky could have done.
I rang the idiot an hour ago and he said he's round the corner only to find he won't answer his calls again so that makes me more certain than ever he knows he has messed up and doesn't want the headache of having to rip up floor boards if that's what it may take.

I'll just pop over to the tester now and see if he has mysteriously disappeared too.

I am a genuine guy with no need to provide false information to you guys , at the end of the day me, my wife and 5 small children will be moving into the house and the bloody last thing I want is dodgy electrics unsafe for my family.

MarkyD I don't need your input thankyou very much