Tell us about your faults!

[Knobhead]

And no doubt you gave them a lift to the cash machine to ensure you got your cash!

 

[Engineer54]

Some people deserve a £60 call out for 5 seconds work.

It'll probably be a good many more years before they call an electrician again, at those sort of call-out charges!! No wonder then, why there are so many willing to take on their own DIY electrical repairs!!!

 

[Silly Sausage]

My mate rang me other day saying his tenant says the boiler has stopped working.
Wandered round, turned out to be one of the tenants had switched it off at the wall switch.
Easiest pint of Erdinger I've ever earned.

 

[JeanGenie]

It'll probably be a good many more years before they call an electrician again, at those sort of call-out charges!! No wonder then, why there are so many willing to take on their own DIY electrical repairs!!!

Unfortunately that's what some bigger companies charge as a call out fee, I would have only got an my hourly wage.

 

[Tonkatoy27]

The local secondary school we work at had a fire last night which gutted to technology workshops and damaged two art classrooms. Fire investigation seem to think it was caused by the flex feeding a CadCam machine. (computer controlled lathe thingy) presuming 2.5mm flex with 16amp plug. They reckon it ignited where the cable was bent at 90 degrees around a window frame. I don't think there is any way anyone could pick this up when testing as you are unlikley to insulation test a multi thousand pound bit of electronic kit. It would also be practically impossible to get a 90 degree bend out of a bit of 2.5mm flex. Thoughts anyone? I'll try and get some pictures later today.

 

[Tonkatoy27]

Cor, what a mess. Fire brigade reckon it was the 1.5mm flex about 6 inches from the 16amp plug. OK so it bent a bit tight on exit from the plug but considering the machine was off and hardly pulling any current I think it very unlikley the cable just combusted. 16amp plug was fitted under an original 20amp switch on a 20amp MCB. 2.5mm radial. Steel conduit to above ceiling level. Must be at least £100,000 of damage. Countless lathes, pillor drills, bandsaws etc let alone the £60,000 extraction system for mdf dust we wired up about 5 years ago. I'm just thankfull the place had a PIR last year by another company!

 

[LukeBuckaz]

Called out to heating not working. An ancient programmer was diagnosed by the plumber so he supplied a new one which I duly fitted. When re-energising the heating circuit I found the new timer display flashing. I tested between L-E, L-N, N-E. Found there was 100v between L-N. Removed the switched fused spur to find the same problem. Asked the tenant how long this had been going on and he explained he had only just moved in and the heating had never worked since. All of the accessories in the kitchen were brushed steel except what looked like a 20A DP switch. The old geezers son told me they had and electrician in to change the socket fronts but he had left this particular switch as it was a 6 way switch ??? I loosened off the front to find it was an old immersion heater switch which they had tapped off the outgoing to feed the heating. So when switched on this switch was feeding the heating AND immersion. Upon dismantling the switch I found they had not terminated the outgoing neutral properly. I ceased using this switch for the immersion and changed the switch for a switched fused spur and used it solely for the heating circuit.

any way as it turns out the heating was bodged and now needs turning into a proper S-plan which i will be doing over the next week.

 

[Tonkatoy27]

Am looking at upgrading the electrics to a new split board but just wondering what the best way to go about it would be? I am currently taking a testing and inspection course so that i can sign off my own work but would like any advice if possible.



By 'sign off your own work' I presume you mean conform with the requirements of Part P. Just so you don't drop a clanger, having a T & I qualification doesn't let you do this, paying for, registering and passing an assessment with the like of NICEIC, ELECSA or NAPPIT does.

RCBO's are ideal, but are trickier to fit in older boards and are much more expensive.

 

[Kamikaze]

It’s been a long time since I’ve had a proper blond moment but today I was trying to track down a trace heating fault. Cut the wire on a flange, then tested both ways. Went to the next flange in the direction of the fault. Cut the wire and tested both ways only to find the fault had completely disappeared. How can this be? Crawled back over the pipes to the last test point. Tested both ways again only to find the fault is still there. After some head scratching told to the pipe lagger it just doesn’t make any sense. To which he replied, “Does it matter that the other cut you have made is on a differed pipe?" Just have to explain to the gaffer on Tuesday that I will need not just a new length of trace heating cable but an extra jointing kit. He won't be too bothered unlike the individual that's going to get a roasting for damaging the cable. There will be our cost, the cost of the laggers for taking the stuff off and then putting it back on again later. Aooch, that’s gonna hurt in the wallet!

 

[DNS]

Any suggestions.. I was recently asked why the lights every now and again in their living room dim slightly then go back to normal several times and lights elsewhere in the property. Without seeing it for myself. I suggested a couple of maybes. Firstly check with the adjoining neighbour, see if they are getting the same problem. They are one the same supply phase. It may be that your getting slight fluctuations in voltage supply. Secondly there may be a loose connection somewhere in the lighting circuit. OR after all this rain they might have some water ingress somewhere, into a light fitting. I'm open to any other suggestions before I start checking next week.

 

[snowhead]

Loose neutral in CU on lighting.

 

[DNS]

Loose neutral in CU on lighting.

Thanks

 

[Richard Burns]

Check if anything else may be coming on (kettle, immersion, shower) when they flicker as this could indicate a more serious loose connection (possibly in the tails), but again maybe just the supply is not quite up to it.
A loose connection early on in the lighting circuit if it is loop in/out wired (check which lights don't flicker).
Damaged switch sparking slightly if it is falling apart inside.

 

[cogsey133]

my worst fault was the fault that never was! While working for the MOD my mate and i got a call to go to a naval officers quarters to check out his cooker. Upon knocking on his door we were met by him and his wife who informed us their cooker was faulty. My mate and i stripped everything down tested and could not find a fault. Upon re-assembling the cooker we checked the temps with out thermal probe and everything checked out ok. Somewhat perplexed by this i asked the couple what made them think there was a fault on the cooker only to be told by them there must be a fault because their apple pie was not cooked right in the middle.........and the husband is in charge of a multi million pound warship! Needless to say my mate and i left before the air turned blue!

 

[DNS]

Check if anything else may be coming on (kettle, immersion, shower) when they flicker as this could indicate a more serious loose connection (possibly in the tails), but again maybe just the supply is not quite up to it.
A loose connection early on in the lighting circuit if it is loop in/out wired (check which lights don't flicker).
Damaged switch sparking slightly if it is falling apart inside.

Thank you

 

[Strima]

Today in the local Brewers Fayre kids play area. A floor mounted socket outlet looking a little worse for wear, cover plate missing and the faceplate seperating from the guts. Fortunately they'd put some anti-kid plates on and taped over it with a do not use sticker... It did raise an eyebrow...

 

[plugsandsparks]

Like the footer :earmuffs:

 

[Strima]

In a kids area of all places. Mentality of some people really astounds me.

 

[jase]

not a fault as such, but didnt know where else to post , saw this on a new build when i was installing some outdoor lighting, place is 6months old, just made me chuckle.

 

[Strima]

not a fault as such, but didnt know where else to post , saw this on a new build when i was installing some outdoor lighting, place is 6months old, just made me chuckle.

View attachment 12232

Nothing like keeping it tidy...

 

[DNS]

Any suggestions.. I was recently asked why the lights every now and again in their living room dim slightly then go back to normal several times and lights elsewhere in the property. Without seeing it for myself. I suggested a couple of maybes. Firstly check with the adjoining neighbour, see if they are getting the same problem. They are one the same supply phase. It may be that your getting slight fluctuations in voltage supply. Secondly there may be a loose connection somewhere in the lighting circuit. OR after all this rain they might have some water ingress somewhere, into a light fitting. I'm open to any other suggestions before I start checking next week.

Just to say. "I found the fault", I took note of the suggestions from this forum and yesterday I found the fault in about 20 seconds, The two incoming tails, system used to be a tt, but I had the DNO change it to TNCS with a PME. Firstly I checked all of their connections, all ok. But when I moved the Incoming live it crackled, on further Inspection I found that it was actually the cut out fuse holders male, on the suppliers side was actually loose in the carrier socket, which was actually heating up and had started to melt the tail insulation at the termination. All rectified now with a new cut out with a PME connection within the unit. Not one thats been added seperately. I can't honestly point the finger at anyone, because I had pulled the cut out fuse out at one time and put it back, so had the DNO engineer, but it's all safe now. Thanks.

 

[Richard Burns]

Nice to hear back about faults, glad it was sorted.

 

[troyboy73]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

went to to do PIR once after our europeans friend had done a rewire......loads of faults found but the best one was a cu being fed from kitchen ring main...class!!!!!
Went to do another PIR in Mill Hill,again after our european friends had done a rewire.....asked the lady where the cu was...took me to cupboard and there was 3x cu,thought ok,as it was a very big house,then she goes there was more,in the end there was a total of 13x cu..im thinking im going to be here a long time.....anyway cut a long story short....after opening the cu every circuit designation had been written in Polish and this was the case for every cu!!!!!

 

[jeffducati]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

when is this goverment going to sort this out.
there are numerous polish men masqurading as electricians?[
now the law states you must be qualified and they must have the 17th edition??Q
so why are compnaies taking on these guys.
if they cannot speak english then they have not done the 17th surely??????????UOTE=troyboy73;528468]went to to do PIR once after our europeans friend had done a rewire......loads of faults found but the best one was a cu being fed from kitchen ring main...class!!!!!
Went to do another PIR in Mill Hill,again after our european friends had done a rewire.....asked the lady where the cu was...took me to cupboard and there was 3x cu,thought ok,as it was a very big house,then she goes there was more,in the end there was a total of 13x cu..im thinking im going to be here a long time.....anyway cut a long story short....after opening the cu every circuit designation had been written in Polish and this was the case for every cu!!!!![/QUOTE]

 

[Plonker 3]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

now the law states you must be qualified and they must have the 17th edition??

What law, all it says is you must prove competence.

Any way back on track. went to a shop this morning half the lights not working.

Found there was a live but no neutral at fitting. Further investigation found out there was a old M/C switch fuse in cupboard, open it up and find the neutral is also fused and had blown. Back tomorrow to change it for a rotary isolator as it is fused from the DB already.

 

[kingeri]

I say good luck to these Eastern Europeans etc. if our country is stupid enough to allow all this to go on.

 

[Bright eyes]

This house has two lighting circuits and each has an RCD (safety switch?). No problems on any power circuits in the house but one light fitting trips the RCD when light switch is turned on. It does not trip if there is no light bulb in the socket. Obviously all the lights on that circuit go out but lights on the other circuit stay on. If the RCD is returned to the on position then the other RCD trips. It seems that it only trips once current has reached the neutral side of the light socket. No wiring in this house is old or appears to have any damage. Has anyone seen this type of problem before? Thanks - all comments and theories welcome.

 

[Knobhead]

First question, are you am electrician?

I know what my thoughts are as to the fault, but as I don’t think your qualified I’ll keep my thoughts to myself.

 

[rich.250]

Sounds like your safety switch is imbalanced.......

 

[telectrix]

@ bright eyes. would this be a landing 2 way light that's tripping ther RCD/s?

 

[Top Cat]

@ bright eyes. would this be a landing 2 way light that's tripping ther RCD/s?

I wonder what it could be!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GLENNSPARK]

tell you about my faults..hmm..let me see.....well theres gobby....rude....pernicious....abrasive....truculant....forceful....la di da...la di da...la di da.....hone:

 

[Knobhead]

I'd tell you about my faults, but I'm fed up of being told off for swearing!

 

[Kiers1970]

get the clamp-on out.

 

[pmanku]

Completed a re-wire a few months ago and was called back after complaining that SKY box was powering off and mcb tripping. This was after the alarm/camera engineer had carried out some work. Checked in the loft to find a 4 way extension wired into the lighting circuit running an assortment of equipment including dvd recorder, router etc !

 

[Bright eyes]

@ bright eyes. would this be a landing 2 way light that's tripping ther RCD/s?

[Sounds like your safety switch is imbalanced.......]

Thanks for responses guys.
The light in question is NOT two way switched.
I wondered if the safety switch was imbalanced (or faulty) also but why would only one light on that circuit cause it to trip? Visually all connections appear sound.

 

[rich.250]

I think your best option is to get an electrician to find and rectify the fault, with the right accreditation and test equipment.
Sure someone on here is in your area.

 

[Farmelectrics]

haha were australia

 

[Bright eyes]

Thanks Rich
I always use licensed electrical contractors. Here in Oz it is illegal to so much as fit a three pin plug to a lead unless you are a licensed electrical contractor, not just an electrician. In fact many appliances need to be "tagged" every three months in the work situation, especially tradesman's tools.
I am a building supervisor and work closely with electricians, sometimes as many as 60 on a job, so I greatly respect our licensing system and the fact that it is quite unusual to find anyone doing their own work illegally (usually it is only English emigrants).
The problem only surfaced when an electrician fitted the two RCD's and he was unable to diagnose the cause of the fault. When I saw your forum I thought these guys will have seen this before and know the cause of the fault particularly since the symptoms are so specific but it seems not.
Thanks again for the response. Neil.

 

[Bright eyes]

haha were australia

You reckon the call out charge might be a little excessive? The scenery is quite good if you like bikinis on white sandy beaches. And the unemployment rate here is zero.

 

[DNS]

Not really a fault, just bad practice.... I am in the process of rewiring a four bed house. Ex-council house, wired originally back in the sixties. Firstly the earth wires are separate from the wiring to the outlet/lighting points there are a number of un-sleeved copper braided wire appearing from different parts of the house, all accumulating in one twisted/woven together mass behind the fuse board, this is how they used to wire houses years ago apparently.. Also the red and black singles they have used in the lighting circuits, nothings identified. They have used blacks as lives and reds as neutrals, as I'm wiring the house while it's still being lived in, as I'm disconnecting moving/removing and reconnecting in wagos temporarily to allow other lights to be used. I have made sure I have sleeved the wires with blue and with brown, I realize they could be switch lives etc, but reds as neutrals, its just laziness. Is this how they used to wire in the olden days, cut corners etc to save effort and money, or was it just the council?

 

[DNS]

This house has two lighting circuits and each has an RCD (safety switch?). No problems on any power circuits in the house but one light fitting trips the RCD when light switch is turned on. It does not trip if there is no light bulb in the socket. Obviously all the lights on that circuit go out but lights on the other circuit stay on. If the RCD is returned to the on position then the other RCD trips. It seems that it only trips once current has reached the neutral side of the light socket. No wiring in this house is old or appears to have any damage. Has anyone seen this type of problem before? Thanks - all comments and theories welcome.

Can't say I have seen this sort of problem before,on a lighting circuit. but I would firstly insulation test the wires from the switch to the light and back to the CU. I had a similar problem with a ring circuit, it turned out to be a slight defect/thinning on the basic insulation covering the neutral, you couldn't neutral see it it was about 400mm further up the sheathing, manufacturing defect. The RCD would hold then trip when an a load was switched on, I had changed the CU to a split load double RCD by the way, it must have been like that since the house was built, but obviously not enough fault current to burn the fuse wire. Maybe you should check that the neutral at the CU for that circuit is terminated in the correct bank of Neutrals for the correct RCD Live in RCD A and neutral in RCD B That may explain the other tripping.

 

[stanleyblade]

Any day but today god please, tomorow I have my assessment with Neil from napit, I have rewired 3 bed house and will be using this for said assessment. Got to last circuit during testing and was was getting very low insulation resistance reading beween nuetral and earth. After pulling hair out, I started at nearest light point and worked away from cu disconnecting each fitting and tested each fitting in turn , found the " dodgy". Piece of cable and replaced it off of the drum . Re tested , same fault again..... After literally screaming , and at least thirty trips up and down stairs , I did Insulation resistance on the remainder of the cable on the drum, and it had low reading between nuetral and earth.... So now I have to get this sorted , cable replaced fittings up etc all before 8 am for assessment, really worried I will get big fat fail, unless bacon butties laced with heroin will help has any one else had this sort of thing happen ?

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[Jurassic Sparks]

last year I called in to see a friends new house he had purchased
he wanted to update the kitchen so I took a look at the CU old but ok
then a walk around the house
guess what I saw
new boiler fitted in a landing cupboard, plumber had drilled through underneath a socket in the bedroom to run the supply flex for the boiler from bedroom socket

something looked odd at first I could not think what
then I realised ( it was late in the day) the muppet had drilled right through the sheathing and cables and severed the CPC on the ring !!!!

then I noticed the gally kitchen had been altered and you could see lines in the wall fromt he old socket outlet positions to new ones
so hammer and chisel out yep wires joined in old positions with electrical tape and plastered over !!!!!!!
so I said safest bet was to rewire
glad we did
found five more hidden joints on the ring main and all of this had been done within the last year :behead:

 

[Knobhead]

Thanks Rich
I always use licensed electrical contractors. Here in Oz it is illegal to so much as fit a three pin plug to a lead unless you are a licensed electrical contractor, not just an electrician. In fact many appliances need to be "tagged" every three months in the work situation, especially tradesman's tools.
I am a building supervisor and work closely with electricians, sometimes as many as 60 on a job, so I greatly respect our licensing system and the fact that it is quite unusual to find anyone doing their own work illegally (usually it is only English emigrants).
The problem only surfaced when an electrician fitted the two RCD's and he was unable to diagnose the cause of the fault. When I saw your forum I thought these guys will have seen this before and know the cause of the fault particularly since the symptoms are so specific but it seems not.
Thanks again for the response. Neil.

If you have sixty electricians at your beck and call, surely you can find one a little closer than ½ a world away.

 

[Knobhead]

unless bacon butties laced with heroin will help

has any one else had this sort of thing happen ?

Bet no one has tried that before.

Have had to condem a 200M drum of 185mm 3 1/2c for the same thing, everyone pee'd off. We were late getting a new bit of kit up and running, supplier was near in tears.

Good luck kid.

 

[aido11]

Re: Tell us about your faults !

nuisance tripping of an alarm system due to the sun overheating a contact

 

[DNS]

When I ripped out our old kitchen to fit a new one, the electrics were a mess, apparently my girlfriends ex husband had wired it as favour when they were divorced. I had to take pictures to show her. It also goes to show how incompetent people who think they know what they are doing. If it works, it's ok attitude.....

Cooker control switch

Cable to the cooker control switch, notice the position the extractor hood was.

cooker connections...

I think I rewired just in time

Bonding connection, see next pic. notice the position of the double socket under the worktop edge on the top left. which the washing machine was plugged into.

That'll do..... it looks like it is in the right place.....

I think he was trying to top us all...

 

[parker56]

seems like he's out to get you.lol

 

[stanleyblade]

After the day from hell, went to bed at half one, up at six , Neil wood from napit turned up at eight, really nice bloke, told him about fault, he put me totally at ease . Passed assessment, panic over. Just got to get cable changed and up on the hot loft for another session


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