Street lighting testing!!! Help !!

[ooMARK84oo]

Hi all ,

i am am about to be starting with a new firm who insist on all electrical test s to be done on each column with a new lantern. Could anyone help me with the procedure of these test and exactly how to perform them as I know they would differ from a domestic testing .

Any help appreciated

Mark

 

[guest119]

Still a circuit off a db isnt it? (feeder pillar?)

Boydy

 

[Engineer54]

Well you can't really do much more than IR tests L+N to earth if you're talking about the actual light columns!! What other tests does this new company want you to conduct?

 

[ooMARK84oo]

Still a circuit off a db isnt it? (feeder pillar?)

Boydy

Yes it is from a feeder pillar .
i am just slightly confused as to when doing IR it will affect
the gear at top (LED lantern).
they also want contuity
EFL
POLARITY (speaks for itself)
ZE
ZS
Again if anyone can help in detail how to perform all these from base of column would be great .

 

[Andy78]

I think you need clarification on whether you are testing the supply circuit only or they require you to test the flex between the cutout and the gear tray. This would obviously have been best done when these new lights were installed if the post drops require testing.

 

[ooMARK84oo]

Hi Andy ,
they are new lanterns and it is the flex between cutout and lantern being tested . I am reasonably new to this as still learning at college.

 

[Andy78]

You are still at college and your firm is asking you to perform unsupervised testing ?

 

[ooMARK84oo]

I have actually done HEA inspection and testing course but was over a year ago and never done any testing since . Just after bit of advice really and refreshing . Thanks

 

[Andy78]

You are gonna need to be at the top of the post then aren't you ? If you have technical knowledge or confidence issues you really should be going to your boss and asking for guidance or supervision due to your lack of experience.

 

[Engineer54]

If IR testing is conducted L+N to earth then it shouldn't be a problem. As i stated before trying to conduct other tests between incoming cables at the base of the lampost and the lampost lamp is insane, unless you have equipement to reach the lamp position.


EFLI and Zs is the same thing, where (at what position(s)) are you intending to conduct this/these tests? Ze is only taken at the point of the incoming DNO supply, which may not be at the Feeder Pillar supplying the string of street lighting posts... In which case the feeder pillars Zs will effectively become Zdb.


If you're talking about testing at every lampost with regards to supply cables from feeder piller to each lamposts connection point, then fine i can understand that. As has been stated, conduct the same tests as you would normally for any circuit. Just remember to disconnect/isolate the cable to the LED lamp during IR testing of supply cables...

 

[ooMARK84oo]

Thanks for the advice engineer

 

[Engineer54]

Hi Andy ,
they are new lanterns and it is the flex between cutout and lantern being tested . I am reasonably new to this as still learning at college.

Bloody ridiculous!!

Do any dead tests before post is erected. Personally i wouldn't bother past a L+N to E, IR test once everything's connected as far as the internal flex is concerned!!

 

[Silly Sausage]

I'd be checking that the light column metalwork is properly Earthed as well.
(Exposed Conductive Part)

 

[Guest55]

street lighting testing crash course
==========================

after replacing a light fitting on an existing lamp post you are required to carry out a "unit test"

this comprises of

L&N to E insulation resistance test on the lantern flex
ELI test at the cut-out ( record as Ze if dno supply , record as Zs if private supply )
visual confirmation that earth bonding to the post ( if metal ) is satisfactory
visual confirmation of correct polarity
visual confirmation of correct size fuse / mcb

thats it really.

 

[Engineer54]

ELI test at the cut-out (record as Ze if dno supply, record as Zs if private supply)

Not sure what you mean here, are you talking about the cut out fuse at the lampost or at the supplying feeder pillar (or whatever)?? If at the lamppost, that isn't going to be Ze, it'll be Zs.
Ze is recorded once at the origin of the supply, be it DNO or Private supply.

 

[Guest55]

Not sure what you mean here, are you talking about the cut out fuse at the lampost or at the supplying feeder pillar (or whatever)?? If at the lamppost, that isn't going to be Ze, it'll be Zs.
Ze is recorded once at the origin of the supply, be it DNO or Private supply.

street lights can have either a private supply , usually swa from a feeder pillar , or its own mini 25A dno supply & cut-out.
hence my distinction between Ze or ZS when recording the reading on a cert.

 

[muscleman25]

Thanks for the advice engineer

you dont have to isolate it as long as your IR Testing phase is frm line to ground but for line to line or line to neutral then you have to isolate it